Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2011 May 14

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May 14

Car problem

I live in New Zealand and want to buy a secondhand car (2 adults 3 children; must have 3 3-point seatbelts in the back). Problem 1: my wife is less than 5 feet tall and can't drive most cars because she can't simultaneously reach the pedals and see out with good visibility. Problem 2: the missus is currently in the UK and I want to buy the car now; so she cannot take it for a test drive. We happen to know that a Renault Megane Scenic is OK for us, but I would rather buy a Japanese car (my perception being that Japanese imports are cheaper to buy and maintain than European or American cars here in NZ). Can anyone advise? Robinh (talk) 01:30, 14 May 2011 (UTC)

Some cars have adjustable foot pedals. I suggest those. Also get a car where you can raise the seat, which likely means a power seat. StuRat (talk) 03:58, 14 May 2011 (UTC)

Thanks for this, I didn't know that any car had adjustable foot pedals. Presumably the adjustment is possible without taking it to a mechanic? You live and learn! I'll also look out for raisable seats, but the googling isn't giving me much (although now at least I have a googlable phrase, thanks to StuRat!) Best wishes, Robinh (talk) 04:10, 14 May 2011 (UTC)

They both adjust by pressing a button. My vehicle (Chevrolet Avalanche) has both of those features, but I don't think cars in NZ generally do. Still, with some searching you might get lucky. StuRat (talk) 05:02, 14 May 2011 (UTC)

I'm in the same position as your wife, and a Honda Civic is my car of choice these days: the seat adjusts forwards/backwards and up/down, the steering rack also adjusts up/down and forwards/backwards. No adjustment to the pedals was needed for me, but the dealership offered it to me free of charge. She could go to any Honda dealership and have a test drive there. Hope this helps. --TammyMoet (talk) 07:57, 14 May 2011 (UTC)

What Tammy says makes a lot of sense. Just have her go to a local dealer and ask for a test drive. They may not be that crazy about the fact that your wife won't be buying a car from them but it won't be hard to either A) avoid that detail or B) raise a stink and talk to the manager, after all your wife must have friends who she can tell not to deal with that dealer. And as far as finding a car with adjustable pedals, see this link for a start. Dismas|^(talk) 08:12, 14 May 2011 (UTC)

(OP) Thanks guys, I really appreciate it. Unfortunately, it seems that adjustable pedals are only found, by and large, on new (ie >2010) cars, which are outside my budget. But the information about Honda Civics is good. Do Honda Civics tend to have three three-point seatbelts in the back? (there seem to be dozens of different models) Robinh (talk) 08:24, 14 May 2011 (UTC)

(OP again) and I ought to mention that *I* want to drive it too (6 foot 1), so permanent pedal adjustment isn't a good option for us either )-: Robinh (talk) 08:27, 14 May 2011 (UTC)

The only "permanent pedal adjustment" is on cars that don't allow for adjustment at all. All adjustable pedals I've ever seen can be changed as needed, with the push of a button. StuRat (talk) 08:50, 14 May 2011 (UTC)

Ah, to me "you need tools to adjust it" pretty much equals "permanent"....let alone requiring a trip to the garage! Sorry to be slow on the uptake, I've just never encountered adjustable pedals before! thanks again Robinh (talk) 08:56, 14 May 2011 (UTC)

No tools required, just press a button on the dashboard or door to make the pedals rise, and another to lower the pedals back down. It uses a small electric motor. StuRat (talk) 22:36, 14 May 2011 (UTC)

I think the 3 point seat belts is an optional extra on some models. Why not get on the Honda website and build one yourself, see how much it will cost you? You might also find you can actually afford a brand new car (I did!) My husband drives my car too (we only have one car), and there seems to be plenty of room to manoeuvre with the driver's seat. It might be good for us if you explain why you need three point seat belts, there might be another way of approaching things you haven't considered.--TammyMoet (talk) 10:46, 14 May 2011 (UTC)

I don't believe there is all that much difference between cars sold in NZ and those in the UK. One possibility is to have her go to a car salesman in the UK of the same brands as you have in NZ, and look at some of the likely models. It might be a bit cheeky to ask for a test drive when you have no intention of buying from that particular salesman, but it's an option. -- 174.31.219.218 (talk) 18:33, 14 May 2011 (UTC)

(OP) I want 3-point seatbelts because they're safer (at least, that's what my wife says). The lapbelts are legal here in NZ but I think the newer models have mandatory three-point belts in all three seats. I looked at the possibility of post-fitting a three-point belt, with confusing results: the mechanic said that it could be done "if the parcel shelf is solid". But I didn't understand exactly what he meant. Best wishes, Robinh (talk) 00:01, 15 May 2011 (UTC)

Most family cars I've come across in the UK have these rear seat belts, at least in the 2 seats by each window: maybe with a lap belt in the centre seat. Of course I may have been looking at the higher end of the family car market (I'm looking for a new car myself but can't find anything to beat my Honda Civic!). I really think your wife needs to do a test drive on a Honda in the UK, and you need to get either on to the Honda website or to a Honda dealership in NZ. Even if you find you can't afford the model of your choice new, there may be something to help you. In the UK, we have pre-registered vehicles, which mean the dealership register the car as first owner and the price drops by about £3k. Or a low-mileage used car may be available. But you won't know until you talk to a dealership. --TammyMoet (talk) 07:32, 15 May 2011 (UTC)

For clarification NZ law requires three point seat belts in the outer seats including rear ones. (Well existing cars without are still allowed but the law has required it for a long time.) It allows a lap seat belt in the centre. See [1] or [2] for the actual law. So I'm pretty sure the OP is only concerned about the centre seat.

BTW, even the NZTA say a three point seatbelt is better and in fact there was an agreement that all new cars should eventually have a 3 point seatbelt for all positions [3] although most cars in NZ are secondhand imports from Japan, Singapore and places like that. In fact a coroner even suggest a lap belt may not be better then no seat belt although that was rejected by the then LTSA [4] (in any case NZ law requires you to wear one if present and as mentioned it should be present on most cars in NZ).

Nil Einne (talk) 16:33, 15 May 2011 (UTC)

CORRECTIONS - HOW TO MAKE

While going through an article on Wikipedia if I find some error of facts and figures; how these can be corrected? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Ahsan Rafique Butt (talk • contribs) 15:14, 14 May 2011 (UTC)

This is explained at Help:Editing. Looie496 (talk) 17:04, 14 May 2011 (UTC)

construction of a drywall arch in a square cornered opening, i.e., a doorway approx. 6 foot 8 inch by 2 foot 6 inch````

I would like to know how to construct an arch in a square opening using standard building materials i.e. drywall, plywood, 2x's, etc., in an accepted manner in accordance with standard building techniques.Thank you.24.177.246.59 (talk) 16:52, 14 May 2011 (UTC)

Have you thought of just googling making a doorway arch ? --Aspro (talk) 17:00, 14 May 2011 (UTC)

Picture of place, trying to find out where it is

Hello.

I don't suppose any of you recognise the surroundings of this picture? I don't have any knowledge of where it could be, except on the Eurasian continent (from the Mediterrenaen,Greece and Russia to China). The photographer is probably not facing westward, since the sun is somewhere to the right, and it's reasonably light outside. That's all I can discern.

Thank you in advance. 80.213.11.105 (talk) 19:24, 14 May 2011 (UTC)

Oh! I forgot to state: Those Russian helicopters may very well be photoshopped. 80.213.11.105 (talk) 19:33, 14 May 2011 (UTC)

Ah, it's been resolved. It is apparently Lemnos, Greece. 80.213.11.105 (talk) 19:47, 14 May 2011 (UTC)

Resolved

wrong information

I was reading about Creston, WA Schools and you have a Principal Listed who has been gone for 4 yrs and this should be updated since our current Principal Mr William Wadlington is an excellent asset to our school! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 207.118.113.191 (talk) 20:05, 14 May 2011 (UTC)

If Creston High School (Washington) is the article you read, you can raise this issue at the talk page of that article. Just click the Discussion tab of that article. Or, you can edit the article yourself if you have a citation that supports it. -- Jack of Oz [your turn] 21:17, 14 May 2011 (UTC)

In fact, you might as well change it even if there is no cite, since the old principal doesn't have a citation anyway. APL (talk) 03:02, 15 May 2011 (UTC)

I've changed it for you and added a reference. The school doesn't have much of a web presence, does it? Please feel free to add any further information from referenced sources. Dbfirs 07:04, 15 May 2011 (UTC)