Darkoshi

For my new used car, I've decided that a hatchback would be good, in terms of having a nice compact car with good cargo space.

I've been checking the specs for all the hatchback models I could find which are about 3 years old.

Regarding the 2009 Pontiac G3, yesterday I read "In other words, the G3 is an Aveo5 hatchback by another name -- and at a higher price". So I quickly knocked the G3 off my list, as the Chevrolet Aveo was also on it.

Today, I found out that the Toyota Matrix* and the Pontiac Vibe are pretty much the same, too. From Wikipedia: "Identical mechanically, and nearly as much internally, the Matrix and Vibe are clothed in different sheetmetal designed by their respective brands."

Comparing the photos from Edmunds.com, they are indeed very similar. Can you spot the differences?
The 2010 Pontiac Vibe is in the top photo of each set; the 2010 Toyota Matrix is below:













The last set of photos demonstrates an issue with the headrests (aka "head restraints") which I'm very concerned about.

For the front passenger seat, do you notice how the headrest in the bottom photo looks fairly straight & comfortable, whereas the one in the top photo looks like it would push your head slightly forward? This difference is due to the seats being leaned back a different amount in each photo.

The little cartoon on this page also demonstrates the issue.

An NHTSA regulation was passed some years ago which mandated new headrest designs for all cars manufactured after 2008. It details the maximum distance that the headrest is allowed to be behind the driver's head. As (supposedly) most drivers lean their seat back, the headrests are designed with that in mind.

Personally, I like my seat to be in a fairly upright position when I drive. That's more comfortable for me, and I see better that way. So now I'm worried that I won't find any car which will feel comfortable. There are many complaints to be found on the web where other people mention these kinds of headrests being uncomfortable for them too.

The issue was even mentioned in the above regulation document: "In opposition, a majority of the manufacturers ... suggested that vehicle occupants would prefer a head restraint backset of more than 50 mm. Specifically, they maintained that smaller female occupants tend to utilize steeper seat back angles. According to these commenters, a backset of 50 mm may cause significant intrusions into the space where these occupants typically place their heads, forcing their heads into an unnatural forward-tilting position.

Based on [UMTRI's] research, a 50 mm backset would result in head restraint interference for 13 percent of the driving public. The head restraint would actually come in contact with the hair of approximately 33 percent of drivers, assuming a hair margin of 25 mm. ... the individuals who preferred seat back angles more upright than 25 degrees (usually small stature people) were most likely to be subject to the head restraint interference. UMTRI estimated that with current seat designs, a backset of 91 mm would accommodate the preferred head positions of 99 percent of the population and a 70 mm maximum backset would accommodate all but a small percentage of the population.

But then the document goes on to state:
We concluded that comfort-related issues are not insurmountable in front seats because front seat backs can be adjusted to alleviate discomfort.
...we have decided to increase the maximum allowable backset to 55 mm, with the seat back positioned at an angle that gives the HRMD a torso reference line angle of 25 degrees.

Sigh.

Some cars have headrests which can be tilted forward and back. But from what I've read, those don't necessarily help, as they are mainly designed to tilt *even more* forward, rather than to give your head more space behind it.


*Just in case anyone wonders, I did hear the news that Toyota has issued a recall of Matrix vehicles due to an airbag issue - but that's only for older models.

Internet friends aren't real friends, they just let you pretend you have some kind of social circle.
Internet friends are entertainment like TV, like a book, for when you're bored, with the added bonus of being interactive.
They can be ignored when you're busy or tired or not in the mood, and they don't get mad at you when you do so; it's the same way for them.

Maybe I don't want real friends, maybe I really do just want to be entertained, and to pretend.
The thought of having real friends, and having to spend time doing things with them... doesn't actually sound so great. What kinds of things would we do? Would I enjoy the activities, or would it seem like a waste of time which I could have spent doing other things? I can't think of much of anything I'd really want to do, which I couldn't do as well by myself. One friend actually is all one needs, a companion for the things you wouldn't feel like doing alone. And you to accompany them. And I have a friend. Would I want more? I suppose you could do different things with different people, if no single person enjoyed all the things you wanted to do.

How much of my not having friends is due to me not being able to make them, versus me not wanting them? Friendships always sound nice in theory; books and stories make them sound like fun... but in real life? Real life isn't a book or a story, and real people don't tend to be from my preferred genres. I'm living in the Regular Fiction/Non-fiction section, not the Sci-Fi/Fantasy section.

.

I walked to a nearby store last week. Another day, I just went for a walk, to walk. There are places I walk by, which call to me.... wouldn't I like to walk into that section of trees? I bet it's magical in there, or spooky.... but I daren't. There may be people watching. There may even be people within that section of trees.. they would look at me or maybe even shout at me, and make me extremely uncomfortable. Better to just keep walking along the street. But I wonder, why do I seem to shy away from the things that most attract me?

That was always one of the rudest surprises... Walking along the paths through the trees, my private secluded areas, and suddenly catching sight of someone else... a solitary adult man sometimes, a potential danger (act confident; walk briskly; ignore them and they'll ignore me)... or hearing other people's voices.... making me anxious, destroying my peace... it's no longer my own private secluded area. I can no longer go there to get away from people... now there is the possibility that there may be eyes even there, watching me. Why does my feeling of belonging disappear, once I realize there are other people there too? Then I become just an interloper, myself.