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James Moylan, engineer behind arrow signaling which side to refuel a car, dies

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Re: James Moylan, engineer behind arrow signaling which side to refuel a car, dies

#111

Post by fragmede »

IncRnd wrote: post #101
charcircuit wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For those curious, the first sentence of the response from ChatGPT gets it correct. >On a 1978 Buick Riviera, the gas cap is hidden behind a flip-down license plate on the rear bumper.

That's not what I received from ChatGPT. This is: The fuel filler door is on the left side (driver’s side) of the vehicle. Therefore, the little arrow on the dash fuel gauge should point to the left to indicate that. (Most Buick Rivieras of that era had the fuel filler on the driver’s side, though official Buick manuals or build sheets from 1978 confirm this location.)

https://chatgpt.com/share/6957819f-b9d0-8009-a5d2-cfbde7daa6...

Paid account, ChatGPT 5.2

Share the links, people!

Re: James Moylan, engineer behind arrow signaling which side to refuel a car, dies

#112

Post by fragmede »

lostlogin wrote: post #99
hexbin010 wrote: post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's almost impressive that they designed a port that feels so wrong when you actually get it right

I worked in an IT department at one time and encountered USB-A plugs forced into Ethernet ports. It seems so unlikely that I’ve just searched it to see if it’s possible, but am getting no hits.

no, they definitely fit. They're just awkwardly exactly the right size that while you're trying to plug things in punched over under the desk and crawling around and feeling around the backside; it just yeah.

Re: James Moylan, engineer behind arrow signaling which side to refuel a car, dies

#113

Post by snozolli »

nutjob2 wrote: post #9
phibz wrote: post #6

On cars without the arrow they often follow the convention where the gas filler handle is depicted on the same side of the gas icon as the filler door is in the car.

First time I've heard of that convention.

Because it's a myth. It used to go around Reddit regularly.

There's even a Snopes entry:

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/fuel-icon-foolery/

Re: James Moylan, engineer behind arrow signaling which side to refuel a car, dies

#114

Post by dmead »

apparent wrote: post #51
KellyCriterion wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Isnt it that nowadays usually on the side of the driving seat? Or does this apply only to EU vehicles? Im not a regular car user, if at all Im renting - but the last 10 times(?) it was always just on the side of the driving seat

I think it depends. Especially with PHEVs, which also have a charge port, whose location is determined by charging infrastructure, and which is not IME on the same side as the gas tank opening.

My phev has charging and gas on the same side. I'm american

Re: James Moylan, engineer behind arrow signaling which side to refuel a car, dies

#115

Post by rounce »

lostlogin wrote: post #100
dxdm wrote: post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't find it weird. Not even having to work out a correct orientation is a great convenience. The micro-USB connection (or is it "min"?), which I need to fiddle with to charge some older gadgets, is a testament to how annoying an "asymetric exterior" plug can still be.

With micro USB you end up with damaged plugs and ports in my experience.

Yes, micro USB is far too flimsy for a lot of things it’s used for from what I’ve observed. The connector seems to have a lot of leverage for ripping its tracks off, but often not a great mechanical connection to the board.

Re: James Moylan, engineer behind arrow signaling which side to refuel a car, dies

#117

Post by cake-rusk »

Cars in India don't have this arrow. The inlet is always on the left (passeger) side. I wonder if there is some regulation governing this.

Edit: though I have never seen / noticed any cars with the fuel inlet on the driver's side some imported cars may have them.

I guess this is a first world problem.

Re: James Moylan, engineer behind arrow signaling which side to refuel a car, dies

#118

Post by thaumasiotes »

iainmerrick wrote: post #102
thaumasiotes wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's very weird that USB-C solved the problem of "we can't tell which way to insert the plug" by mandating that both orientations should work, as opposed to just making the exterior of the plug as asymmetrical as the interior.

You mean something like HDMI? If you’ve ever tried to plug one of those into the back of a TV, you’ll know it’s still pretty difficult to get it the right way up.

> If you’ve ever tried to plug one of those into the back of a TV, you’ll know it’s still pretty difficult to get it the right way up.

That's true, but the difficulty in that case comes from being unable to see the hole or fit into the space between the television and the wall.

For example, plugging an HDMI cable into the back of a monitor involves none of the difficulty of plugging an HDMI cable into the back of a TV, even though the connector and the port are the same in both cases.

Re: James Moylan, engineer behind arrow signaling which side to refuel a car, dies

#119

Post by Sebb767 »

KellyCriterion wrote: post #48
ryanjshaw wrote: post #15

Anybody else get confused by whether the arrow represents where the car should be or the pump?

Isnt it that nowadays usually on the side of the driving seat? Or does this apply only to EU vehicles? Im not a regular car user, if at all Im renting - but the last 10 times(?) it was always just on the side of the driving seat

Usually, it will be where the passenger side is in the cars home market. That is left for Japanese and British vehicles and right for US and German ones.

Fun fact, for single exhaust cars, the exhaust will usually be on the driver side, in order to route around the fuel tank :-)

Re: James Moylan, engineer behind arrow signaling which side to refuel a car, dies

#120

Post by mschild »

jquery wrote: post #63
gk1 wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I actually use it all the time when driving a rental.

That isn’t in conflict with it being bad design.

True. Though im unsure of what would be a better one. Doesnt get much simpler than an arrow.

Id think that for a car you own you wouldnt need it after the first few times though.

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