How to deal with this embarrassing phenomonomonom

[Andy Stanton]

Ok, I took delivery of my E220 demo yesterday. It's in a flat Blue colour with grey interior and frankly it doesn't look great. The 17" a/g wheels do lift it a bit though. Luckily I already love the car so it doesn't matter to me.

To the problem: Last night and this morning I had to play 'finger gestures' with other kind motorists who probably thought I was barking mad or taking the wotsit.

You see, the 'follow me home' light feature kicks in when I lock the car and walk away and they very kindly bibbed their horn and did some frantic pointing at my lights. Very nice you may think, but how am I supposed to say 'that's supposed to happen' through hand gestures??? By the time you've finished trying to explain the damned things have gone off leaving both parties a bit embarrassed!

Am I alone here? Any thoughts on how to gesture back without getting abuse back? The thumbs up route didn't work.

HELP!

 

[RichardM]

You can switch that off, or adjust the time they are on for.

I've never been gestured or been beeped at, but I have had lots of people say to me as I'm walking away from the car 'you've left your lights on'. I normally just say its ok, they switch off on their own. I do think its funny.

 

[Steve_Perry]

Walk down the street with your eyes closed, I work on the principle that if I can't see them then they can't see me

Umm after that silliness I hope more useful suggestions will follow.

Unfortunately, these days I find most of Joe Public seem to think that any kind of hand gesture is a an unfriendly/abusive gesture. You could always try the friendly acknowledgement and just carry on walking to your destination.

S.

 

[pammy]

If they work in the same way as our Voyager's lights, if you switch them off before turning off the ignition, they will go out straight away. They stay on if you switch the lights off after the ignition.

I've been known to stand there waiting for the V'ger's to go off, just in case I'd left them on - Blonde or what!!

 

[Satch]

Sadly, Debrett's New Guide To Etiquette And Modern Manners does not cover this. But should, and as follows:

"Smile broadly and wave. "What a very, very nice chap, despite the unspeakable naffness of his choice of car decor, redeemed only very slightly by stylish alloys" many will think.

One could try making an "OK" gesture with forefinger & thumb, but unless fully prepared for what follows make sure your target does not hail from those parts of the Levant where such a gesture has an alarmingly different meaning. In some circles this may also be construed as a form of invitation to engage in activities distasteful to many.

Exploring the Setup menu and changing the timer settings will avoid such potential social gaffes."

 

[Brian WH]

You can switch that off, or adjust the time they are on for.

I've never been gestured or been beeped at, but I have had lots of people say to me as I'm walking away from the car 'you've left your lights on'. I normally just say its ok, they switch off on their own. I do think its funny.

As you say, they can be adjusted.

When someone points it out to me I tell them that it is automatic, and they just look as if to say - Poser - Or they say thats neat as they go out.

When I open the boot as I approach loaded with shopping I get funny looks as well, particularily when people are just passing it.

 

[Steve_Perry]

When I open the boot as I approach loaded with shopping I get funny looks as well, particularily when people are just passing it.

That is fun that does surprise passers by when opening the boot remotely.

S.

 

[samuelellis]

you all ahve too many toys

im jealous, my car has central locking, thats it, nothing else, not even poswer steering

 

[samuelellis]

I've been known to stand there waiting for the V'ger's to go off, just in case I'd left them on - Blonde or what!!

that is probably the blondest thing ive heared all week

/me runs away very quickly

 

[fuzzer]

I tend to just do the thumbs up kind of thing ....


I quite like this lighting when youre coming back to the car ...

Looks Groovy with the flash of the lights .. beep of the siren and then the follow me home lights :d

 

[Andy Stanton]

Thanks guys. lol at your geture idea Satch. Definitely a concern over the single forefinger and thumb vs the four fingers and a thumb version. Could well be misconstrued in some areas and would end up with broken headlamps when my back was turned.

Ref turning them off. Never. It's a great feature. Top posing and all that.

My daughter loves it when I lock the car. The lights go on and the wingmirrors fold in. She thinks it's a big puppy flapping it's ears!

 

[Shude]

This looks like it should have been posted in the electronics section! Moving...

 

[Flash]

Fuzzer,

On ur W203 - when ur headlamp locators are actiaved, whenever u open the "boot" from the key thob at night, do your headlamp locators always function i.e. if u have left ur car idle/not started for more than 10mins ? - On my car the headlamp locators only function in relation to the "boot" being opened (if the boot is released/opened within the first 10minutes after the engine has been switched off...) - however, the headlmap locators work as per usual when the vehicle is locked/unlocked.

On the W211 the headlamp locators can be set to function 24/7 i.e. regradless of day/night when the doors and "boot" are locked/unlocked where on the W203 the headlamp locators only function according to the level of light as per sensor.

On the W203 the headlamp locators switch off as soon as the key is turned in the ignition to ie. strat the car, or can be deactiavted by turning the ignition off and then turing the key thob to postion 1 in the ignition.


Regards

Flash