Climate control rant
Discussion
Now I know some systems are crap (the Evo has a 15 minute cycle of slightly too warm then slightly too cold), but is it really that difficult? Hardly anyone I know sets their car's temperature and leaves it on Auto to do it's job, they usually keep fiddling with it turning it up and down and on and off.
Some people are worse though.... I was in a booked minicab a little while ago back from London, and the African chap driving, despite clearly being well educated and a competent and observant driver, just did not f
king get it for some reason.
When we got into the back of his fairly new Volvo, it was absolutely roasting on full heat. Fine I thought, he's kindly warmed it up for customers who've just come out of the cold, but after about 5 minutes, at the point I was starting to sweat and politeness was about to run out, he turned the fan down to about half speed and opened the front windows a crack.
At this point, the rate of temperature increase reduced significantly, although not completely, and the rush of cool air just about prevented me from passing out, however it still wasn't particularly comfortable.
Again after another 5 minutes when my jacket and jumper were off and my patience was starting to run out, he closed all of the windows, and cranked down the climate control to full cold, and turn the fan back up to maximum. At this point the girlfriend has spotted the oncoming signs of a not uncharacteristic opinionated outburst and I've received the standard issue elbow to the ribs.
Another 5 minutes pass and the beads of sweat that had previously formed were beginning to form icicles on my chin, and I was starting to feel the symptoms of onsetting hypothermia. The jacket was back on, two bruises now in my ribcage, and I was about to open my trap again when.... Windows go up, and he cranks the heat back up to full blast.
Another 5 minutes ensue and, you've guessed it, the windows open a crack and the bizarre cycle is established. We got as far as Croydon, having endured 3 repeats of the cycle, before I feared I would either have a heart attack or my bones would become brittle from thermal shock.
The right hand side of my body now completely contused from repeated blows, I couldn't hold it in any longer... As politely as possible I said
"Excuse me, do you realise that if you put the dials about half way between the extremes you're using and set it to Auto, you wont have to bugger around with it every 5 minutes and it'll stay at a half reasonable temperature, then you can adjust it with a nudge up and down"
While the girlfriend forms a position closely resembling Captain Picard in that heavily overused picture, the bloke jokily huffs something about knowing how to use his own car properly, then achieves a compromise solution of turning the heat to half way and leaving it on full blast with the windows open.
I still gave him a tip as he was a decent driver and a seemingly decent chap, but do people really not get it?
Has anyone else noticed this, or do I just associate with stupid people?
Some people are worse though.... I was in a booked minicab a little while ago back from London, and the African chap driving, despite clearly being well educated and a competent and observant driver, just did not f
king get it for some reason.When we got into the back of his fairly new Volvo, it was absolutely roasting on full heat. Fine I thought, he's kindly warmed it up for customers who've just come out of the cold, but after about 5 minutes, at the point I was starting to sweat and politeness was about to run out, he turned the fan down to about half speed and opened the front windows a crack.
At this point, the rate of temperature increase reduced significantly, although not completely, and the rush of cool air just about prevented me from passing out, however it still wasn't particularly comfortable.
Again after another 5 minutes when my jacket and jumper were off and my patience was starting to run out, he closed all of the windows, and cranked down the climate control to full cold, and turn the fan back up to maximum. At this point the girlfriend has spotted the oncoming signs of a not uncharacteristic opinionated outburst and I've received the standard issue elbow to the ribs.
Another 5 minutes pass and the beads of sweat that had previously formed were beginning to form icicles on my chin, and I was starting to feel the symptoms of onsetting hypothermia. The jacket was back on, two bruises now in my ribcage, and I was about to open my trap again when.... Windows go up, and he cranks the heat back up to full blast.
Another 5 minutes ensue and, you've guessed it, the windows open a crack and the bizarre cycle is established. We got as far as Croydon, having endured 3 repeats of the cycle, before I feared I would either have a heart attack or my bones would become brittle from thermal shock.
The right hand side of my body now completely contused from repeated blows, I couldn't hold it in any longer... As politely as possible I said
"Excuse me, do you realise that if you put the dials about half way between the extremes you're using and set it to Auto, you wont have to bugger around with it every 5 minutes and it'll stay at a half reasonable temperature, then you can adjust it with a nudge up and down"
While the girlfriend forms a position closely resembling Captain Picard in that heavily overused picture, the bloke jokily huffs something about knowing how to use his own car properly, then achieves a compromise solution of turning the heat to half way and leaving it on full blast with the windows open.
I still gave him a tip as he was a decent driver and a seemingly decent chap, but do people really not get it?
Has anyone else noticed this, or do I just associate with stupid people?
Cab drivers always seem to do this - they're often roasting.
The ones that get on my tits (anybody, not just cabs) are people that leave the fans off completely all the time - as soon as anyone extra gets in the car they steam up - they don't seem to get it.
And don't even get me started on people who won't use aircon because it uses more fuel
The ones that get on my tits (anybody, not just cabs) are people that leave the fans off completely all the time - as soon as anyone extra gets in the car they steam up - they don't seem to get it.
And don't even get me started on people who won't use aircon because it uses more fuel
OMG! My dad is the worst for this. He cannot grasp the basics of climate control, heater on full blast set at 28c for twenty minutes until everyone in the car has started to cook, then someone wil pipe up about the heat and dad will set it to 12c for twenty minutes! Repeat until everyone feels sick. I've explained the system to him but he preferes to control it himself!
Symbolica said:
Orb the Impaler said:
And don't even get me started on people who won't use aircon because it uses more fuel
I've got a friend like that, so we get to blast down the motorway with both front windows wide open 
I leave my climate control on 19C and rarely touch any of the controls except that on a temperate, dry day I may switch it off.
Edited by Glosphil on Wednesday 10th February 18:11
Orb the Impaler said:
The ones that get on my tits (anybody, not just cabs) are people that leave the fans off completely all the time - as soon as anyone extra gets in the car they steam up - they don't seem to get it.
Christ, you've hit the nail right on the head. I lift share to work with a guy who does this and he'll only use the ventilation to clear the steamed up windows and as soon as it's clear, he turns it off again! Repeat as often as required for the entire journey. I don't know why he does this and haven't asked as I don't want to annoy him.FunkyNige said:
I think I set mine to 20 degrees, medium fans, back on the day I bought my car 18 months ago and don't think I've changed it more than twice since...
Mine stays on "Auto" fan location, 20 degrees, and "Auto" fan speed. It's been like that for five months and I have only changed it when I've put the roof down on a particularly cold day - and that was only to direct the air flow to the hands. Climate control works when you know how to use it.Glosphil said:
Symbolica said:
Orb the Impaler said:
And don't even get me started on people who won't use aircon because it uses more fuel
I've got a friend like that, so we get to blast down the motorway with both front windows wide open I leave my climate control on 19C and rarely touch any of the controls except that on a temperate, dry day I may switch it off.
Edited by Glosphil on Wednesday 10th February 18:11
) and rarely changes - just a bit of bum warmer for the first few miles in the winter!i just set mine onto 18D and fully auto.
my mum drives me nuts though, when she starts the car (from cold), then turns the temperture up from 20 up to maximum, then once its warmed up as the engine is now hot, turns it back down to about 20.
my sister does the same with her blowers (no CC).
do they not realise that the heat from there heaters come from there engine, so when the engine is cold there is not going to be any fking heat from your heater till your engine has warmed up.
my mum drives me nuts though, when she starts the car (from cold), then turns the temperture up from 20 up to maximum, then once its warmed up as the engine is now hot, turns it back down to about 20.
my sister does the same with her blowers (no CC).
do they not realise that the heat from there heaters come from there engine, so when the engine is cold there is not going to be any f
king heat from your heater till your engine has warmed up.Symbolica said:
Orb the Impaler said:
And don't even get me started on people who won't use aircon because it uses more fuel
I've got a friend like that, so we get to blast down the motorway with both front windows wide open nsmith1180 said:
Symbolica said:
Orb the Impaler said:
And don't even get me started on people who won't use aircon because it uses more fuel
I've got a friend like that, so we get to blast down the motorway with both front windows wide open Sources: 123
Edited by ookware on Wednesday 10th February 18:50
Edited by ookware on Wednesday 10th February 19:20
ookware said:
nsmith1180 said:
Symbolica said:
Orb the Impaler said:
And don't even get me started on people who won't use aircon because it uses more fuel
I've got a friend like that, so we get to blast down the motorway with both front windows wide open Sources: 123
Edited by ookware on Wednesday 10th February 18:50
nsmith1180 said:
ookware said:
nsmith1180 said:
Symbolica said:
Orb the Impaler said:
And don't even get me started on people who won't use aircon because it uses more fuel
I've got a friend like that, so we get to blast down the motorway with both front windows wide open Sources: 123
Edited by ookware on Wednesday 10th February 18:50
nsmith1180 said:
I dont use aircon, because I prefer the window open and it uses more fuel. I dont go soley for economy, but why to try to get the best economy you can out of your car? Saves you money!
I'm not actually fussed by fuel economy (I've yet to spot a noticeble mpg difference when I use the A/C a lot, but I don't really measure it much). I tend to use A/C because:- I find it much more comfortable, especially on humid days, nothing worse than sitting in a car sweating your 'nads off.
- I can't tolerate the turbulance effect you get at high speeds with an open window.
The Wookie said:
Now I know some systems are crap (the Evo has a 15 minute cycle of slightly too warm then slightly too cold), but is it really that difficult? Hardly anyone I know sets their car's temperature and leaves it on Auto to do it's job, they usually keep fiddling with it turning it up and down and on and off.
Mine is set to full auto with air conditioning @ 20.0c unless it is completely baltic outside and then it goes up to 22.5c. Anything more than that gets a bit uncomfortable.Symbolica said:
nsmith1180 said:
I dont use aircon, because I prefer the window open and it uses more fuel. I dont go soley for economy, but why to try to get the best economy you can out of your car? Saves you money!
I'm not actually fussed by fuel economy (I've yet to spot a noticeble mpg difference when I use the A/C a lot, but I don't really measure it much). I tend to use A/C because:- I find it much more comfortable, especially on humid days, nothing worse than sitting in a car sweating your 'nads off.
- I can't tolerate the turbulance effect you get at high speeds with an open window.
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