The One-77 steering wheel

[Simpo Two]

Every car I've ever driven has a horn button in the middle of the steering wheel. In an emergency, you thump the middle of the steering wheel and the horn goes off.

Yesterday, as I turn into a shared driveway, I encounter the stern of a neighbour's car reversing up towards me. This person is known for being unable to safely reverse, having once managed to collide with a stationery builder's lorry in the the exact same spot. I hit the brakes and (what I think is) the horn. But no sound issues forth, and the neighbour's car carries on getting closer to a very expensive accident. Evidently she has no idea there's a car just a few feet behind her. I engage reverse and get out of her way just in time.

So when safely parked, I press the middle of the wheel a few more times, hard. Nothing. But the little 'horn' buttons further up on the inside of the wheel rim work. Is it true that the One-77 wheel doesn't have a centre horn button? If so it's a safety failing IMHO.

[Octavarium]

Other than my late mother-in-law's Austin Allegro, the One-77 steering wheel is quite possibly the worst I've ever encountered. Both in feel and design.If yours is faulty, then it doesn't surprise me. If it's designed that way, then that doesn't surprise me either.

[Simpo Two]

Octavarium said:

Other than my late mother-in-law's Austin Allegro, the One-77 steering wheel is quite possibly the worst I've ever encountered. Both in feel and design.If yours is faulty, then it doesn't surprise me. If it's designed that way, then that doesn't surprise me either.

Fortunately for me, apart from the possibly deficient horn button I think it's great

[AMV8Stuart]

Yes the One 77 steering wheel defies modern convention by not having a central horn button. Our brains and muscle memory have learnt the location over many years and it's natural to thump the centre. I remember my 1st (and probably a few more) car having the horn on one of the stalks. I now have to relearn and use my thumbs to press one of the indistinguishable areas of the wheel, not easy when they are so I frequently used. All this said though, I love my new (to me) car and can easily excuse it's foibles.

Edited by AMV8Stuart on Sunday 31st May 18:26

[camel_landy]

In the past, I've been known to give an angry blast of the windscreen washers!!

I'm not sure if there is a defined 'standard' these days but I do have them in a variety of positions in my cars.

M

[Simpo Two]

AMV8Stuart said:

Yes the One 77 steering wheel defies modern convention by not having a central horn button. Our brains and muscle memory have learnt the location over many years and it's natural to thump the centre. I remember my 1st (and probably a few more) car having the horn on one of the stalls. I now have to relearn and use my thumbs to press one of the indistinguishable areas of the wheel...

Ah yes, the indistinguishable areas which are slightly further up the wheel than the thumbs can naturally reach... I thought I'd read somewhere that the little internal buttons were options, suggesting there may be a central button, but it seems not. Thanks for the confirmation.

[Longy00000]

I love the feel of the 0ne77 wheel I think it looks a tad strange but equally its great in the hands butties the horn buttons don't really work. A bit of form over function.
A central horn is far easier but its small thing that I can't really get that agitated about.
That said, I've thought for years that car controls should be standardised with everyone putting everyt6in the dame place. This of course will never happen going forward as manufacturers seem hell bent on using screens for everything and burying stuff in multiple sub menus.

[Super Sonic]

I thought they stopped putting the horn button in the centre of the steering wheel when they started putting airbags in. My present car has the horn buttons at the end of the spokes at three and nine o'clock, as have the majority of cars I have owned, although they have mostly been Japanese if that makes a difference.

[Simpo Two]

Super Sonic said:

I thought they stopped putting the horn button in the centre of the steering wheel when they started putting airbags in. My present car has the horn buttons at the end of the spokes at three and nine o'clock, as have the majority of cars I have owned, although they have mostly been Japanese if that makes a difference.

My Jag XF had a central horn and airbag - as I discovered within about a second of each other just before I found myself abruptly parked on top of a young tree in someone's front garden.

[Go60 Jay]

I’m sure my old Ferrari f430 had 2 horn /buttons, one either side of the steering wheel. Silly design. I maybe tried to use it once in a similar scenario and of course it was too late. It’s natural to go for the centre of the steering wheel if that’s all you’ve ever known. It’s not an indicator that gets used regularly, so you wouldn’t get used to it on the side of the wheel.

John

[Super Sonic]

Simpo Two said:

Super Sonic said:

I thought they stopped putting the horn button in the centre of the steering wheel when they started putting airbags in. My present car has the horn buttons at the end of the spokes at three and nine o'clock, as have the majority of cars I have owned, although they have mostly been Japanese if that makes a difference.

My Jag XF had a central horn and airbag - as I discovered within about a second of each other just before I found myself abruptly parked on top of a young tree in someone's front garden.

Maybe that's why whenever you see a crashed car on a film the car is always going "paaaarp"!