Sunday, May 6, 2018

Keyless Has Left Me Clueless

(Reminder: in case you forgot, I drive a 2016 Toyota Prius Hybrid. It’s keyless, with push button start and touch-lock/open driver’s door.)

On my most recent visit to family in California’s East Bay Area, I rented a 2017 Hyundai Accent from Hertz. Nice car, very comfy, good get-up-and-go. Except that ... it had a key.

“What’s wrong with that?” you may ask. I refer you to the reminder above.

The first time I drove the car was an adventure. I slipped into the driver’s seat, reached forward to start the car ... and couldn’t find the start button.


Forehead slap. I forgot I had to use the key. So I had to unbuckle my seat belt, arch my back, and squeeze my hand into my tight jeans pocket to retrieve the key ring with the key and remote. Then I had to find the ignition, which wasn’t in plain sight, on the steering column, step on the brake, aim the key, stick it in, and turn it.

How many steps is that? Five, right? Or is it six? Anyway, with my Prius, I just step on the brake and press the start button. The car even tells me what to do on its dashboard screen

At our destination, I had to lock the car, so I touched the driver’s-side door handle (my Prius has three small ridges on the door handle to touch-unlock the door).


Forehead slap. I had to dig out the remote and key from my pocket again.

Later, I tried to unlock the car by just opening the door like I do on my Prius (just grab the handle and the door unlocks). Nope. Need the key or remote, which I had to dig out of my pocket again.

(I should clarify that the automatic features on my Prius only work when the special remote is close by, like in my pocket.)

The final frustrating moment came when I had to open the trunk. After fruitless groping for the latch with my arms full, I had to put bags back in the shopping cart and dig out the key ring, discover there was no trunk opener on the remote, and open the trunk with the key.


Frustrating indeed.

Upshot? The convenience of a keyless car has made me lazy and reminded me of what I used to do without even thinking (or complaining about it.

But then, that’s why they invented blogs, right? So I can grumble.