[MW1515]

Hey guys, quick question:
Instead of driving with my hands at 10 and 2 on the steering wheel (i dont know if anybody does this), I like to drive more at like 12 and 4:30. I should make a poll to see how everybody else drives. Anyway, driving like that worries me b/c my arm is right over the airbag and I'm afraid the airbag will break my arm (or my arm will break my face) if the airbag goes off. I guess you could make the argument that if you get into an accident a lot of times you will be steering one way or the other real hard and so your arms might be out of the way (or might now be in the way).
Does anybody drive less comfortably than they normally would b/c of this?

 

[princess]

Um, good question!!

Where I put my hands depends on the mood & traffic.... I find myself holding the very bottom....(6 O'clock) when relaxed & feeling "one with the car". My hands get higher up as I tense up.... aranoid:

I haven't heard anything about hand placement & airbags.

At least we'd be alive to complain about the cast!!!

 

[Spades]

I try to keep my hands at 10 & 2 because of the airbags. Although, I tend to drive like Princess...my hands make it further up the steering wheel the more tense I am.

 

[hooked]

I read/heard somewhere that it is better to drive with your hands on the 9 and 3 o'clock position so they are not in the way of the airbag. With some steering wheels that's almost impossible because the spokes are in the way.

I am usually at the 10/2 position. According to the driving tips I've garnered over the years, any other position leaves you in jeapordy of not being able to react to emergency situations. That 12/4:30 position would make a racing school instructor's eyes spin!!!

 

[BenjiBoy650]

I drive with my hand around the upper spokes, which is about 9-3. If your hand is at 12, yes it will probably break your arm. That's why most driving instrutors will tell you never to cross your hands when turning. New "theory" also says you should drive with your hands closer to 7 and 5 for the same reason.

 

[dads-car]

I usually hold the wheel at 9/3 o'clock.

Can hook thumbs around the spokes (with occasionally sweaty palms, no AC in the '03).

 

[stiller fan]

usually one hand on wheel if relaxed at 7 o'clock....or wrapping hand around 9 o clock spoke.....either way is where i am most comfortable.... :yes:

if there's lots of traffic tho, i'll go to 9 and 3....especially if weather is bad (heavy rain), or driving at high speeds.. :naughty: snow is the same thing, at least when going around bends, and NOT TRYING to drift... :lmao:

 

[Trip]

I'm with princess. Depending on my mood or if I'm on a long trip versus around town driving or what car I'm driving, my position will change. Sometimes I hold the wheel at 12:00, sometimes I rest my elbow on the door and hold the wheel at 9:00, sometimes at 9:00 & 3:00. In heavy traffic I tend to favor the 9/3 position. On long trips I tend to just hold the bottom of the wheel.

 

[CometVR4]

I've crashed before and airbags deployed with my hand still on the wheel....they were at 7-4 positions. No burns or anything

Now what I'm worried about is what if your hand is on the horn?

The previous gens Hondas had horn buttons off to the side away from airbag.

 

[princess]

It would likely blow it out of the way..... :dunno:

 

[Accord4Life]

It would likely blow it out of the way..... :dunno:

Correct! My Sister who was a previous owner of a 1998 Civic LX had a side impact with another car, and the horn buttons (of which she was pressing at the time) saved her from braking her wrist, is what the doc said. He said he sees many people break their wrist due to pressing on the airbag due to deployment.

I like the fact that my 89' and 96' have buttons, although many drivers complained about honda's approach with that saying it was too hard because you had to 'find' the buttons. I could agree with that if you didn't drive that car every day. But I mean once you own your car you just 'know' where everything is.

Mike

 

[princess]

:banana: :banana: :banana: I get a point. I get a point. :banana: :banana: I was right!!

 

[Accord4Life]

Its ya Birthday, Its ya Birthday, Go Princess!

 

[princess]

N'uh, not for 5 more weeks!!! :lmao: :lmao: :lmao:

 

[SSMV6]

I've crashed before and airbags deployed with my hand still on the wheel....they were at 7-4 positions. No burns or anything

Now what I'm worried about is what if your hand is on the horn?

The previous gens Hondas had horn buttons off to the side away from airbag.

I've been wondering (worrying) about the same thing....

My hands are usually all over the place.. 12 only, 9/3, 7/5, 10/2, but probably about 75% of the time it's at 9/3 since it's easier to rest my thumbs on the spokes.

 

[CometVR4]

Correct! My Sister who was a previous owner of a 1998 Civic LX had a side impact with another car, and the horn buttons (of which she was pressing at the time) saved her from braking her wrist, is what the doc said. He said he sees many people break their wrist due to pressing on the airbag due to deployment.

I like the fact that my 89' and 96' have buttons, although many drivers complained about honda's approach with that saying it was too hard because you had to 'find' the buttons. I could agree with that if you didn't drive that car every day. But I mean once you own your car you just 'know' where everything is.

Mike

A button is easier than what they have now. I still have trouble finding the sensitve area in the steering wheel for my horn

 

[Accord4Life]

Now that I think about it. My left hand is either on the top or bottom when going straight, and I rest my right hand on my gear shifter. Or Im playing with the button on the parking brake :lmao: . Now, my wife, ha, thats another story. Her knees do the steering, her left hand is pulling the sun visor down and flipping up the mirror, her right is reaching in her makeup bag, or punching numbers on her cell... Quite suprised she hasn't had that airbag pop yet... :lmao: :lmao: :lmao:

 

[BenjiBoy650]

A button is easier than what they have now. I still have trouble finding the sensitve area in the steering wheel for my horn

Yeah me too...I always hit the H in the center of the wheel and sometimes it doesn't work.

 

[Accord4Life]

With my Pilot, and the two 7th gen's that we had before, I used the palm of my handwith my fingers over the top of the airbag cover and firmly press. I really don't like 'old' style horn covers on the 98-02 Accords, and Oddy's It was just too hard IMO. Only bad thing about the buttons is, when you turn you can accidentaly press them since they are on the spokes.

 

[CometVR4]

With my Pilot, and the two 7th gen's that we had before, I used the palm of my handwith my fingers over the top of the airbag cover and firmly press. I really don't like 'old' style horn covers on the 98-02 Accords, and Oddy's It was just too hard IMO. Only bad thing about the buttons is, when you turn you can accidentaly press them since they are on the spokes.

Thats how my sisters 03 Civic horn is. I can press the spokes or anywhere around the cover and it would activate the horn. Only thing I hate is the horns on the Civic are kinda dinky and cheap sounding compared to the Accord.