Shifter labeling for manual mode...needs update/change

[young-nyc]

Hey guys i noticed on the smart car that the shifter labeling is as follows:
Up = "+" and Down = "-"
this makes sense logically,
however the functionality doesn't work in practice.
I own a bmw tiptronic and the "earlier" models had it the same way as the smart car. It wasn't until later that all the models were upgraded to have Down = "+" and Up = "-"

here is why,
during acceleration, inertia pushes your body back to your seat, hence if your hand is on the shifter, you are inclined to pull back on it. So if Pull = "-" as it is now, that means while acelerating you are actually more likely to put your car in a lower gear (which is not a good idea)...but if it was the other way around Pull = "+" then you are more likely to change to the next higher gear the correct method.
Just like if you are braking, inertia moves ur body forward and makes your hand want to push the shifter forward. so as you are slowing down you want to push your shifter forward to change to a lower gear (engine braking)

also if you ever see rally cars...they also have it as Down = "+" and Up = "-"

i hope this makes sense...
but until smart acknowledges this and changes the functionality/labeling at least we have the paddle shifters =)

[StevenM1TX]

Although as leisurely as the smart accelerates, the inertia isn't all that much of a factor.

[young-nyc]

hehe..true true..but u know what i'm trying to get at =)
it's like on an airplane, Pull to go up and Push to go down..would be kinda funny if it were the other way around :P

[Carnut]

Plus intuitively indicates higher speed, and/or higher gear. Additionally forward means increase and backwards means decrease. JMHO

[SmartCard]

So its not so much the shifter labeliing that you object to, but functionally you would like them reversed. I wonder what you would do if the +/- feature was tap left or right!? But I understand where you're coming from.

[young-nyc]

exactly! you hit in on the spot smartcard..=)
the functionality and labeling should be changed..
tapping left and right is not a problem as long as long as left is - and right is +
just like the paddle shifters.

Carnut as i mentioned before, logically, up + and down - makes sense but not in practice. I guess if no one really has any experience with tiptronic or manumatic before, it wouldn't make a difference, but for me, it's a little pester, lucky for the paddle shifters =)

If you ever drove the MB cars with tiptronic, oh man it's horrible!
the ones where the shift buttons are behind the steering wheel...kinda like the paddles but not exactly. The shift buttons are on the left and right side..and one would think left is - and right is + but it's not.
the button actually has two sides so if you press the left side of the button it's - and the right side is +...so you can shift +/- with either button of the steering wheel.

[a2jack]

Originally Posted by young-nyc

hehe..true true..but u know what i'm trying to get at =)
it's like on an airplane, Pull to go up and Push to go down..would be kinda funny if it were the other way around :P

Tis- the other way around in an airplane! Since the up/down control in an airplane is the throttle, you Push to go up, pull to go down.

Just thought I'd clear that up in case your pilot drops dead on your next plane ride and you have to fly it home.

A2Jack.

[young-nyc]

haha cool man thanks for the heads up.. =)
but i wasn't referring to the throttle.
i was trying to refer to the rudder controls? is that what you call it?

[doc540]

fwiw: forward/back of the stick or wheel = elevator control

It's that thing on the tail mounted horizontally.

The rudder's that thing on the tail mounted vertically that makes your buttt swivel side to side when you push the cockpit pedals.

Which every way the SC trans is controlled manually I look forward to giving it a workout like it's an SMG M3.

[young-nyc]

Originally Posted by doc540

fwiw: forward/back of the stick or wheel = elevator control

It's that thing on the tail mounted horizontally.

The rudder's that thing on the tail mounted vertically that makes your buttt swivel side to side when you push the cockpit pedals.

Which every way the SC trans is controlled manually I look forward to giving it a workout like it's an SMG M3.

thanks doc
however i'm going to be honest, the car does not blip the throttle like the SMG of the M3 or the F1 paddles of the ferrari =( i was hoping it did, but then again i was talking most of the time during the test drive to really notice anything. ;) hehe
keep us posted

oh btw doc,
your e34 540 must've been great!
i own a e39 myself, but after the e60, i think bmw design went down hill =(