Questionable modifications: pictures inside!
- Thread starter -Fred-
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- 5,987
- 358
- Penthouse
Keep on truckin'!
- 10,620
- gtp_jimprower
A Lotus suicide knob? Those are Illegal in Illinois.
- 10,620
- gtp_jimprower
Well, here's what I figure...
A: A Suicide Knob Is not only an illegal modification on everything other than industrial and agricultural vehicles, but pointless on a normal car or truck.
B: Because they're most often associated with such industrial vehicles, (and not high-end sports cars,) Having one that proudly states "Lotus," with an obviously faux Carbon Fibre Background does seem a bit...chav-ish.
A: A Suicide Knob Is not only an illegal modification on everything other than industrial and agricultural vehicles, but pointless on a normal car or truck.
B: Because they're most often associated with such industrial vehicles, (and not high-end sports cars,) Having one that proudly states "Lotus," with an obviously faux Carbon Fibre Background does seem a bit...chav-ish.
Roo
Premium
- 7,418
- Hampshire, UK
- GTP_Roo
It's a knob on the steering wheel used in gymkhanas to turn the wheel quickly with one hand. It's called a suicide knob because in a crash with no airbag, your head is likely to connect with the steering wheel and a hard piece of plastic/wood/metal sticking out of it will do a bundle of damage.
boiltheocean
Premium
- 7,756
- Samoa
That guys not doing himself any favours anyway, not wearing his seatbelt. tut tut.
- 10,620
- gtp_jimprower
Actually, it's primarily used so you can put one arm around your girlfriend while driving (in normal cars, Hot Rods, and pickemup trucks, anyway.) Don't know many people who actually use them for RACING...
- 3,987
- Gaithersburg/MD
- landseaair
I can't tell if that's sarcasm, the only times I ever see one used on a car is when my friend autocrosses his 500SEC. Its a big car with a huuuge steering wheel so it does make sense, however, he always removes it when he's not crossing.
- 5,428
- Midship_Express
I would have called that a drift knob.
- 5,428
- Midship_Express
That old timer still seems to know how to use it.
- 10,620
- gtp_jimprower
Well, not everyone who buys one is an autocross enthusiast, are they?
I was being semi-serious. They first became popular on industrial vehicles where one has to crank the steering wheel 20 times to go from lock to lock, but guys began putting them on hot rods so they could drive with one hand...
- 3,987
- Gaithersburg/MD
- landseaair
gotcha
- 3,987
- Gaithersburg/MD
- landseaair
handicapped hand controls are a bit different if that's what you're referring to, one of the cars I was in for drivers ed happened to have full hand controls for the handicapped and if I remember correctly it didn't have a suicide knob, it had bars attached to the wheel that connected to the gas and brake pedals and could also be used to steer.
opelgt1969
Premium
- 2,235
- Bristol,Va USA
- opelgt1969
The best way to see why people used these is simple. The next time your at a junk yard jump inside an old 40's or 50's car and try turning the wheel. Remember these cars didn't have power steering so the knobs made it easier to turn the wheels. A lot of truck drivers used them years ago. Yes they were illegal in most states, my father used to use one on a lot of his cars.
- 6,009
- Austin, Texas
- D-Nitrate / GTP_DNitrate
I remember seeing these steering knobs on Greyhound buses and even street buses. They were quite common thirty years ago.
- 5,230
- Buckeye Nation
boiltheocean
Premium
- 7,756
- Samoa
...Anyway
Why, just why?
Why, just why?
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