I finally got my Prius yesterday (yay!), and I want to put a bobbing head toy in it. It'll be not-so-easy with the dash being all curvy, but my main concern is blocking the displays and airbags. Are there any specific places where it's okay to put stuff on or any specific spots I should avoid? I'm also wondering how other owners decorate their own vehicles. (Also, if this is a repost, if you could kindly point me to the link...) Thanks!
Not a good idea in CA. It is against the California Vehicle Code to have any object, especially a moving toy, on the dashboard where is could obstruct your view or divert your attention from the road.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not one of those people who thinks everything has to be maximum safe all the time. But I believe the "safety experts" may be right on this one. Those kinds of things (bobble heads etc.) can turn into missiles if you have a wreck. We don't want to lose any priuschat members, please reconsider. BTW congratulations on getting your Prius, I've had mine a bit over two months now and am still like a kid with a new toy.
The item I want to place is not big enough to obstruct any portion of the windshield as long as it isn't on top of the display panel. That's why I'm asking if there's any spot that doesn't block the display (looking at the user guide, there seems like there is a gap with no lights). In terms of projectiles, I was mainly concerned about putting in front of airbags, but I can see the danger regardless of where you put it. I had a dash decoration in my last (and previously only) car, so it's weird for me not seeing it on my dash Ah, well...
Well, the driver's airbag is in the steering wheel. The passenger's is that flat area in front of the top glove box.
I agree 100%. The moving object can be an issue. :blink: I bought a used NAV (Magellan 700) which mounts with a suction cup to the windshield. The standard mounting "arm" is an adjustable flex type and it allows the unit to move around. It's very distracting. Recently I bought a rigid mount and located the NAV on the left side next to the side window. Lots better now.
I have a small stuffed turtle hand puppet on the driver's side of the dash, up by the tiny little triangular window. It's small, weighs practically nothing, and doesn't obstruct vision. I have a carpeted dash cover which prevents it from sliding off. The only place you can't safely put stuff on the dash is on the passenger side. The airbag pops out at the seam between the glove box door and the upper portion of the dash, and anything on the upper part could become a projectile. The airbag for the driver comes out of the steering wheel, so the driver side of the dash is ok for small things. Go for it. You can use one of the cup holders in the console for flowers, too. In the photo album are a few pictures of the interior of my Prius. Bob
I put my Pooh bear behind the centre speaker, and a bit to the right. There's a big blank on the dash btwn AUTO A/C and the passenger seatbelt light. Also, it just happens to be tall enough to have the windshield hold it in place. Of course it's soft enough so it should have that much of an impact should something happen. Anyway, try that area around the centre speaker.
<_< Owner's Manual - Section 2-2 "Operation of Instruments and Controls" - pages 70-78 contain information regarding the airbags on the Prius inclusive of extensive diagrams and numerous warnings. Lots of helpful information in your Owner's Manual.
They did a thing on MythBusters on the discovery channel about a box of tissues on the rear deck of a car becoming a missle and hurting you in an accicent. As I recall they proved that the box really didn't do much damage at all; I was quite shocked consiering the speeds that it was getting flung at the drivers head at.
I saw the episode, and it seems that, while an empty kleenex box just doesn't have enough mass to crack a skull, something as seemingly harmless as, say, a Harry Potter book could be rather injurious if it manages to dodge the headrest. Of course, that was testing for an effective front-end collision, where objects in the car would suddenly fly forward (relative to the abruptly stationary car). Objects on the dash are only harmful if your car is severely and suddenly accelerated, as form a rear-end collision, or if they are 'launched' by a deploying airbag. That said, I would be inclined to discommend having anything on the dashboard; I once had a small plush critter roll down to the floor after the adhesive was nullified by heat, and somehow manage to wedge itself under the brake pedal. Not fun, but thanks to the clutch and the handbrake (obviously, this was not in my Prius), I managed to safely stop once I noticed the resistence from the footbrake.
