use a freaking neutral safety switch

just got back from a buddies house where he was wiring another guys 30 pontiac coupe. when i drove into the driveway, half the garage door was laying in the driveway. it seems he put the coulmn up towards park and assumed it was in park. he hit the key, engine roared to life and went back and smashed door. he must of panicked, because he pulled the shifter down and it lurch forward into some of his equiptment. he finally got the key shut off. luckily, he wasn't hurt. i said " didn't wire in a safety switch did you?" didn't have one was his reply. and believe it or not this isn't his first time without wiring in a switch. you would think he would have learned from the first time. USE A SAFTY NEUTRAL SWITCH, IT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE

 

I have a neutral switch, and I still put my foot on the brake before I start the engine....

 

Ditto!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Or just put your foot on the brake pedal when starting.

 

this guy was laying on the floor from the pass. side.

 

Same here.

 

A couple of years ago at the RoundUp my car got hit head on from across the street by a guy showing off and no safety switch. People could easily have been killed. The crowd was thick at the time.

 

Ma Ma always said stupid is is stupid does!!!!!

 

I remember being there not close but yes it was very scary.

 

"Or just put your foot on the brake pedal when starting" Does not do much good when you reach inside the car to start it in the case of Andy's accident above. I have seen at least a half dozen cars damaged because the neutral safety was not hooked up, some pretty bad. Anyone running with out one is living on borrowed time.

 

This thread will not last long. The last one was closed when it degraded into a big arguement.

The believers in neutral safety switches and the nay sayers got nasty with each other.

A stupider thread I had never seen before. The nay sayers were not too bright.

 

I guess if you never reach into a car to start it, you don't need a neutral switch...but doing two things wrong is asking for trouble.

 

Always use one ... always will

 

Saw a guy starting one of those new all steel repro. '57 Belairs @ Paint & Pistons & almost backed into the show car behind him. Same deal. Amazing what a learning effect it had on me.
Chuck

 

On a positive note, this illustrates how a well-tuned engine with good compression starts easily, just bump the starter and it roars to life, you don't have to sit there and grind on the starter.

 

Hilarious.

 

pictures of said 1930 pontiac coupe please.... I have two of them, never seen another.

 

Most all stick cars before 1969 had no neutral safety switch so you call this guy an idiot for not having one in an auto? Just get use to putting on your brake when starting a car, whether it has one or not. I have two that are autos and don't have any and I like it as I have had them stall while cruising and you can restart on the go. It's only a safety issue when you do something without thinking. There are so many other causes of accidents from not thinking other than a neutral safety switch.

 

A legal requirement here, as easy as that.

 

yep... A lesson learned in Drivers Training...

even if the car is properly equipped..I dont trust any thing but my foot on the brake

 

Yep, I don't have any in my cars, however they're all stick shifts. Haven't killed anyone or hurt myself yet!

 

Back in my days of twisting wrenches I learned to start vehicles with my foot on the brake neutral switch or no. Anyone who works on or has worked on a number of cars and trucks every day tends to not trust if neutral switches are hooked up or if the vehicle is actually in park or neutral.

 

Exactly the event I thought of when I read this. I dont run auto's in my car but if I ever do they Will have a switch for sure. That was very sketchy and could have very easily gotten worse.

 

I find it fascinating that anyone would even consider building a car without one.

 

Another solution is to have three pedals... It becomes a habit to use the clutch and check for neutral... Pretty soon driving a hotrod will be illegal because of safety rules

There can never be enough safety equipment to overcome carelessness.

 

I would build one without, have had 30 + cars without them, never had a problem. Sit in the car with the brake on when you start it like you should. Saying it's dangerous without one is like saying extra horespower is too. I guess it depends on who is operating/owns the ride.

 

Have had cars with them and with out them. When I build for other people I always put one in. Now days my projects get them when I change out the wiring. Better safe than sorry.

 

Law here on automatics no choice but wouldn't build without one anyway.

 

You don't really think that a car with an automatic and a car with a manual transmission react the same to bumping the starter when in gear, do you?

Bob

 

im a naysayer and Im putting one in ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Its too damn simple just to put one in..............