Investigators Point To Mercedes Unconventional Gear Shifter As Cause In Fatal Train Crash

The thing was a total tragedy on so many levels. I drive a GL350 and an S550 and I will note that new drivers to my car (i.e. older people) get confused by the gear-shift, which is somewhat non-intuitive.

Worse than the Mercedes system are the BMW, Maserati, and Volvo systems (they are the same one, basically) which are also very non-intuitive - you push "forward" to reverse and push "backward" to go forward. Completely stupid.

I guess there will have to be a gigantic lawsuit and then shift levers will become more user-friendly. Just like it took lawsuits to make VW/Audi design brake and gas pedals space farther apart.

It is unacceptable, by the way, to say that the "drivers and stupid", the "drivers are old", the "drivers are women". The design should be intuitive for everyone, not just driving enthusiasts or men for that matter.

This is exactly why the Japanese brands should be respected more.

Lexus LS is far more luxurious and far more reliable than Mercedes, Rolls-Royce or Bentley.

And NSX and GT-R are so much faster than Ferrari as well. Not to mention a lot more reliable and easier to operate.

Having owned a ML350 I can agree that at first it can take a bit of getting used to, plus this driver was relatively new to the car.

A very sad incident.


JDMUSMuscle is just chiming in because he hasn't graduated from his 2004 Toyota Tercel yet and cant see beyond the copycats out there that fail yearly to innovate.

Understandable if you at still living at home with your mother at 45.

009, I already know you are a strong Europe Worshipper who basically thinks he is somehow superior to others all thanks to the almighty power of your luxury European brands, but in reality, all you are doing is being a loyal wallet opener for them.

Ignorance is bliss. In the end, the Japanese are indeed better and many people know it.

It's like how, the Japanese anime and manga are so much better than that boring stuff Michelangelo drew.

If I were Japanese I would be embarrassed to have you as a national spokesperson.

A very sad tragedy.

Continued advancement in technology is going to take us out of our normal routines and comfort zones.

I completely agree with you and would be absolutely comfortable knowing that the manufacturer wouldn't be held culpable, IF the justice system in the US wasn't so flawed.

There is nothing wrong with the MB shifter. You don't push it forward or back.
It is basically up for R and down for D. The only difference from the classic column shifter is that it has a button on the top for PARK.
I think in this situation the driver panicked. What a lot of people don't realize is that the car will automatically go into PARK if you open the driver's door. I can see this being a good safety system for forgetful people but I actually hate it.

I never once found it confusing in my GL350. Its alot like a column shifter except there is a button for park. Reverse is up top neutral in the middle ad reverse up top. Looks like the driver may have panicked.

If thats the case, then people going from American and japanese manual transmissios and european transmissions should have had alot of accidents like this, because on european cars, reverse is all the way to the left and up, while American and Japanese ones were all the way to the right and down. People could have easily picked reverse instead of first in the european car.

R 1 3 5 1 3 5
2 4 VS 2 4 R

R 1 3 5
2 4

okay it isn't allowing me to post the shift pattern, t is taking out all of the spaces, so:

R_1_3_5-------1_3_5
--2_4_--------2_4_R