Things you always wanted to know the answer to [Vol. 5]
Discussion
Fastchas said:
In my auto car, why do I engage reverse by shoving the stick forward and drive by pulling backwards?
Obvs it’s the way it’s engineered but why didn’t the designers do it the other way around? Is there a reason that everyone adopted?
On a similar subject, why do you press the tailgate button on the drivers door of our BMW down to raise the tailgate and pull it up to drop it down ? Can't even be a safety feature as accidentally pressing it down won't open it.Obvs it’s the way it’s engineered but why didn’t the designers do it the other way around? Is there a reason that everyone adopted?
beagrizzly said:
Jordie Barretts sock said:
Currently getting over a chesty cough.
Why is it when you have a bad coughing fit, your vision starts to go and you feel dizzy? I thought it might be oxygen starvation to the brain, but generally I can hold my breath for longer than a coughing fit and not feel dizzy.
Hasn't happened to me. Is it an age thing? Why is it when you have a bad coughing fit, your vision starts to go and you feel dizzy? I thought it might be oxygen starvation to the brain, but generally I can hold my breath for longer than a coughing fit and not feel dizzy.
Speed 3 said:
Fastchas said:
In my auto car, why do I engage reverse by shoving the stick forward and drive by pulling backwards?
Obvs it’s the way it’s engineered but why didn’t the designers do it the other way around? Is there a reason that everyone adopted?
On a similar subject, why do you press the tailgate button on the drivers door of our BMW down to raise the tailgate and pull it up to drop it down ? Can't even be a safety feature as accidentally pressing it down won't open it.Obvs it’s the way it’s engineered but why didn’t the designers do it the other way around? Is there a reason that everyone adopted?
As for the auto shifter - again, mostly down to customer expectations. I have no issue with pulling back to D or forward to R. My own EV has rotary shifter that is clockwise to D and anticlockwise to R.
Fastchas said:
In my auto car, why do I engage reverse by shoving the stick forward and drive by pulling backwards?
Obvs it’s the way it’s engineered but why didn’t the designers do it the other way around? Is there a reason that everyone adopted?
I have no evidence but have always assumed that as well as 'that's the way it's always been and is what people are used to', it's also a safer way of arranging the gear selector. Obvs it’s the way it’s engineered but why didn’t the designers do it the other way around? Is there a reason that everyone adopted?
If you're a bit clumsy / lazy / not paying attention then you might just grab the shift lever and pull it all the way through to the stop. When you do this, you're probably looking forward through the windscreen. If the selector was arranged with forward being forward and backwards being reverse, you'd suddenly be moving in the opposite direction to where you are looking
Jordie Barretts sock said:
Currently getting over a chesty cough.
Why is it when you have a bad coughing fit, your vision starts to go and you feel dizzy? I thought it might be oxygen starvation to the brain, but generally I can hold my breath for longer than a coughing fit and not feel dizzy.
I'm a long way from an expert, but it could well be a combination of a couple of factors:Why is it when you have a bad coughing fit, your vision starts to go and you feel dizzy? I thought it might be oxygen starvation to the brain, but generally I can hold my breath for longer than a coughing fit and not feel dizzy.
1. Rapid movement of your head when coughing repeatedly (similar to sneezing), where the brain impacts the inside of your skull which can cause generation of synaptic impulses potentially affecting signals from the optic nerves, and balance. In effect this is similar to a very mild concussion.
2. When coughing, the rapid expansion/contraction of the lungs can cause short but significant variation in blood pressure. This could easily affect the signals from the optic nerve (vision), and also affect the receptors in the inner ear (balance/dizzyness).
3. Rapid changes in the air pressure in the lungs/thoat/mouth would also affect your ears (think ears popping when ascending/descending in a plane), which may also have some effect on your inner ear/balance/dizzyness. The air pressure in your synapses may also have an impact on your vision.
I am not a doctor, so just my layman's suggestions.
Final thought re. holding your breath and oxygen starvation - if you hold your breath, your heart is still pumping blood normally, and it is still carrying oxygen to your brain. When you are forced to breath again (can't hold your breath any longer), this impulse is driven by the increase in CO2 in the blood, and not the lack of O2, so holding your breath wouldn't cause oxygen starvation.
It is possible that in point (2) above, changes to your blood pressure with a coughing fit may well affect the flow of blood to the brain, so I guess a slight oxygen supply issue could well be a result. Possibly a very mild version of Cough Syncope which is far more extreme.
Edited by C n C on Wednesday 15th May 16:01
Jordie Barretts sock said:
Currently getting over a chesty cough.
Why is it when you have a bad coughing fit, your vision starts to go and you feel dizzy? I thought it might be oxygen starvation to the brain, but generally I can hold my breath for longer than a coughing fit and not feel dizzy.
When you time how long you can hold your breath, are you breathing right in first? If so that's not a fair comparison with coughing. Try breathing right out first.Why is it when you have a bad coughing fit, your vision starts to go and you feel dizzy? I thought it might be oxygen starvation to the brain, but generally I can hold my breath for longer than a coughing fit and not feel dizzy.
Jordie Barretts sock said:
Both,
Good points. And thank you.
It's only a 'thing' when I have a really bad cough. Thankfully once in a very blue moon.
Thinking about it, it does feel a bit like when you stand up too quickly or bend over to dry your feet after a hot shower kind of thing.
If it's a really bad coughing fit then it's possible that you're hyperventilating. Good points. And thank you.
It's only a 'thing' when I have a really bad cough. Thankfully once in a very blue moon.
Thinking about it, it does feel a bit like when you stand up too quickly or bend over to dry your feet after a hot shower kind of thing.
As an aside, I once had a really bad bronchial infection complicated by asthma, whereby during a coughing fit I could exhale but not inhale and would cough until I asphyxiated and passed out, at which point it would reset the cough. It was very scary.
Jordie Barretts sock said:
Also a good point.
Cuppers that sounds a bit whooping cough like?
It occurred as an adult, sometime in my 30's. It was diagnosed as some kind of bronchial infection compounded by a history of childhood asthma. Quite scary as it developed whilst on holiday in Singapore but fortunately an acquaintance out there recognised it and suggested oral steroids and antibiotics, and the hotel doctor reluctantly gave me a short course of that which helped a little.Cuppers that sounds a bit whooping cough like?
When I got back to the UK I managed to be seen at very short notice by a Consultant Chest Physician as a family favour, and he concurred but said it was the right idea but needed to be harder and longer. After a decent course of that medication (first tablet steroids, and then a steroid inhaler for a while) it cleared up and I have thankfully never had it again.
Bloody scary though.
Anyway, too much detail.
Fastchas said:
In my auto car, why do I engage reverse by shoving the stick forward and drive by pulling backwards?
Obvs it’s the way it’s engineered but why didn’t the designers do it the other way around? Is there a reason that everyone adopted?
Cos when you accelerate forwards, you're pushed back in your seat so pulling the lever back is the natural reflection of that. Whereas when you brake, or reverse, you're thrown forwards so pushing the lever forwards is a natural reflection of that.Obvs it’s the way it’s engineered but why didn’t the designers do it the other way around? Is there a reason that everyone adopted?
Plus as anyone with a sequential box knows, banging down the gears as you brake in to a corner is one of lifes great pleasures..
That's bound to be the answer.
Nethybridge said:
48k said:
Plus as anyone with a sequential box knows,
banging down the gears as you brake in to a
corner is one of lifes great pleasures..
Sounds good, another one for my list then.banging down the gears as you brake in to a
corner is one of lifes great pleasures..
But first Mycroft, I must find out what a sequential box is.
Clockwork Cupcake said:
Are you sure you're on the right website? 
I have embraced the motoring technology of the 20th century called ye olde auto
spinmatic torque velocital transmissionary apparatus.
No gears, or clutch, it's revolutionary, geddit ?
revolution, as in turn, spin, rotate..........?
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