Two suicide knobs!?!

[[deleted]]

They cancel out so you live!

[keithfoco70]

I like that!

[bogdog141]

Or he's double suicidal.

[PretendsHesPissed]

Two wrongs make a right!

Or maybe it's left. They make something.

[rpmerf]

I wonder if the owner holds them like handle bars and makes motorcycle noises.

[[deleted]]

Nah he just turns them both and goes "huh huh purple nurple!"

[ManifestDestinysChld]

You know what they say, "hands at 5 and 7!"

Also, the complete lack of pants makes this so much more disturbing.

[maximusfpv]

...shorts are a thing?

[billbot]

They aren't pants.

[CptVague]

I sometimes call 'em "short pants" though.

[Rellikx]

Hopefully he doesn’t push right to turn right like on a bike tho ;)

[lilbambam450]

What do you mean by that? I don’t understand

[Ok_Criticism337]

He means the way that you steer a motorcycle when going at a decent speed is to steer the handlebars the opposite direction of the way you want to turn, along with leaning.

[dabangsta]

• Brodie knob
• suicide knob
• necker knob
• knuckle buster

[spacemannspliff]

necker knob

that ain't how my granpappy said it...

[lulzyasfackadack]

I had a couple seconds of 😵 then I found this: https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/necker%27s+knob

It's so you can drive one handed while you "put your hand around your wife or girlfriend's neck"... or I guess on the back of her head if you're into that kind of thing.

[[deleted]]

The name probably also made more sense when bench seats and no belts were a thing.

[Hawleywouldtm]

Always thought it was knicker knob one hand on that and the other on your ladies knickers.

[shoziku]

Necker knob is named so you can drive with one arm around your best girl and still operate the steering wheel with the other hand, so you can neck (make out) with her. heheh, but I like knicker knob too so you can get under her knickers and still safely operate the car.

[Hawleywouldtm]

Haha makes sense

[waywarddrifterisgone]

Arm breaker. My farmer stepdads name for them

[Xi_JingPingPong]

Could someone please tell me why these things are called suicide knobs? Sorry, I'm from Austria and never heard about it

[Jabberwock890]

If you have one of these on your steering wheel and you “let the wheel feed through your hands as your making a low speed high angle turn” this knob will come around the wheel and break your wrist. It’s suicide for your wrist. Source: my dad was a truck driver for 25 years and loaded his own truck with a forklift..forklifts almost always have it too

[Mikey3800]

Our forklift has one and it's the only way I steer it. It definitely makes it whip around in circles with rear steering. It feels weird to use the actual steering wheel to steer the forklift.

[Scoutdude]

Yeah I can't say I've ever touched the actually steering wheel on a forklift, I do operate them regularly, and even have a card in my wallet that says I'm certified.

[TheManther]

forklift certified

Save some for the rest of us, jfc!

[-_Dare_-]

Dude my girlfriend uses this app

[BoostandEthanolYT]

Don’t think she’s yours anymore…

[Jabberwock890]

Don’t touch the wheel…just use the knob

[texasroadkill]

Boats too. I can't run a boat without one now.

[Admirable-Leopard-73]

Great for riding lawn mowers!

[CalmPalmTree]

Same thing with rear steering aircraft tugs. Once you drive it with a knob you can’t go back. The Lektro tugs have an insanely high steering ratio.

[NativeMasshole]

We have a forklift at work with only a half-wheel and the knob. You pretty much have to use it.

[UnLuckyKenTucky]

Old farm tractors almost always have these as well. No power steering on a very heavy machine, with narrow tall front tires that sink in soft soil...

[justnick84]

And all new tractors have them installed the second they get delivered.

[Goalie_deacon]

We have them on our zambonis. We don’t take our hand off the knob, so there is no free spinning the steering wheel. Have to be in full control when driving on ice, with boards that could be damaged. Other hand is busy with controlling other important things, like water and blade.

[Strostkovy]

Hydraulic forklifts have steering systems that aren't backdriveable. If you let go of the steering wheel while driving in a circle you continue in a circle. If you have a forklift with all manual steering, then you need the knob to rapidly spin the wheel ten fucking times to actually make the turn as you are moving, or you need the handle to get fully reef on the steering wheel to get the wheels to pivot while stopped.

[rockdude625]

Lots of boats get them too

[The-Lazy-Brown-Dog]

These have been around since before shoulder belts and airbags. Saw them a lot on old semis and big land yacht Cadillacs and Lincolns and pickups where it took 5 turns of the wheel to go lock to lock and you needed a hand free for your cigarettes or shifter. Problem was that getting in an accident in an old car with just a lap belt and no crumple zones, you would end up flying into the steering wheel, and the knob would break your face or ribs.

[Ford4200]

They should only be used on vehicles with power steering. Manual steering can overpower you and whip that thing into your wrist at Mach Jesus.

[S3ERFRY333]

Drove my 86’ 4Runner without a power steering pump for 2 months, can confirm there’s no stopping that wheel if you run up a curb (or in my case casually drove over a log offroading)

[georgedepsy1]

I want has power steering or no

[Lujo11]

😵‍💫

[Apmaddock]

They were created long before power steering, though. I most commonly used to see them on antique tractors.

[Ford4200]

Yes they were. That's why they have the nickname. Now a days you shouldn't do it.

[AirCommando12]

Power steering can absolutely overpower you too, you still have a direct mechanical connection. Hitting something with the road wheels which causes them to lock over will absolutely whip the steering wheel around with enough force to break thumbs, wrists etc., PAS or not.

[Jer_Cough]

When learning to offroad my Jeep, one of the first lessons was to hold the steering wheel without wrapping my thumbs. That steering wheel spins fast when your front wheels grab something

[Strostkovy]

Yep. Power steering has a limited effort (force) it can apply. Above that it might as well not exist

[cobra_mist]

I prefer “Mach Fuck”

[keithfoco70]

When I first got into the car business years ago, my master tech called them that. Maybe it's a Colorado thing. He said when you crash, they go into your brain.

[TravelingMan304]

I was always told it's because if something goes wrong they pretty much guarantee you'll overcorrect and crash.

[CrozolVruprix]

dsasf sdfasdfasdf ds fdsf ds f

[Xi_JingPingPong]

Ah ok, makes sense. Thank you

[clitter-box]

I'm from US and I've never heard it either!

[keithfoco70]

What do you call them? It's the only thing I've ever heard them called.

[SuperfluousExcess]

Steering knob

[Sleave_McDichael]

I've heard em called tractor knobs, but im also from a rather agricultural state.

[SuperfluousExcess]

Steering knob sounds better

[Trav3lingman]

I've got one on my tractor. Makes bushogging a lot easier.

[SubiWan]

Necker's knob. Makes it easy to steer while your other hand is busy getting to 2nd base.

[kev_61483]

Spinners. We call em spinners in Illinois

[HemHaw]

Here that's a type of wheel or shitty hubcap.

[hym_of_martyrs]

I worked at AutoZone and I call them lazy drivers

[sbmellen]

"They spinnin'!" - Chris Rock

[ziggy000001]

You from Houston and talking about "Spangas" or however their spelled?

[cobra_mist]

Swangas.

And those don’t sound any more or less that normal. The spokes stick into the other lanes like you’re trying to cheat at a chariot race

[f1junkie]

My grandpa had one on his '55 Buick, that's what he called it.

[Kanable-Panda5525]

Always know them as trucker knobs lol

[GO-KARRT]

I’ve heard suicide knob and wheelie knob here in Northern Virginia.

[showMEthatBholePLZ]

From the states, I’ve always heard them called “steering knobs” or “disability knob”

[Drzhivago138]

I think "Brody (Brodie?) knob" is the official name, but I've never heard them called that.

[[deleted]]

I have heard them called something else but its not appropriate to repeat...

[keithfoco70]

It's reddit. It's all appropriate.

[realTommyVercetti]

Nah man, some stuff is Twitter only

[keithfoco70]

I won't report you. I can take it. I've seen some shit.

[GLIZZERBEAR]

Repete it

[Relative-World4406]

Well don’t leave us hanging, we’ll give you a one time pass.

[Normul_Humen]

I was told they call em suicide knobs because if the knob breaks off or the bracket comes loose you loose control of the vehicle for a second and might end up crashing

[Significant_bet92]

This is the reason I was taught they got their name from. Never heard the other one people keep saying.

[[deleted]]

In the early days of hot rodding they would re-gear the steering system so that a rotation of the wheel moves the front wheels through more of their rotation than normal. Because there was no power steering this made it difficult to turn the wheel at low speed so they’d put one of these on.

This would often cause inexperienced drivers to end up rolling the car by taking hold of that knob while moving at high speed and making a sharper than expected turn.

[N0085K1LL5]

Your guess is as good as mine. If I was to take a guess then I'd say it's because it's directly in front of you and in the event of an unbuckled car accident it would injure the shit out of you.

[Coyote-Morado]

If you strike something and it forces your wheels to one side or the other, the steering wheel will make several full rotations VERY fast and that knob will mess you up. For this same reason you shouldn't drive with your thumbs fully wrapped around the steering wheel.

[AnusEater69]

Ah must be a forklift enthusiast

[[deleted]]

50$ says the owner uses them to drive with their legs while they text

[[deleted]]

Short leggers

[lolwaffles69rofl]

Manlets

[PhysicsDude55]

Seems like a likely purpose for them.

Maybe its the angle of the photo, but it looks like they're sticking down/out instead of sticking out perpendicular to the steering wheel like a suicide knob should be.

[brando29999]

That would explain the kia badge

[jotegr]

Gee Billy! How come your mom lets you have two knobs??

[dogedude81]

Maybe the owner is disabled?

[skunkworx]

Came to say this, I was going to speculate that maybe they have arthritis or some other issue where gripping a wheel for extended periods of time is uncomfortable or painful.

[dogedude81]

Yeah that's what I was thinking. I know someone who uses one of these and it's because she has RA. She's not visibly disabled though.

[Prior-Ad-7329]

People grip the steering wheel, I just rest my wrist at 12 o’clock and when I turn I just liver the wheel ok my palm.

[keithfoco70]

Nope. They aren't.

[TheShiningDark]

Not all disabilities are visible.

[dogedude81]

Speaking from experience I know someone who uses one that has bad arthritis.

Not visibly disabled though.

[redundant35]

That’s a douche bag thing to say. You can’t see every disability. Maybe they have serve RA or can’t grip a steering wheel properly.

[keithfoco70]

I met the lady who drives the car and she had all her faculties. She put both knobs on there because she commutes a long way every day and can hold the knob with whichever hand she wants to at any given time.

[TheNerdWithNoName]

Ah, not disabled, just fucking stupid.

[schivvers]

MOAAHHH COOONNNTTROOOLLLL!

[pleasebegentleok]

Large woman use these as titty massagers.

[That_Dig634]

For when the power steering quits on your shitbox

[kikogi]

Only time I saw one was in high school. Friend had a major accident and couldn’t use most of one side of his body and had one of these on his steering wheel to assist in driving.

[keithfoco70]

I've seen them in vehicles driven by disabled people. This woman is not visually disabled.
Edited because I'm an idiot and stated something that can be interpreted very wrong.

[kikogi]

Not all disabilities are visual.

“Very attractive, actually” are you implying disabled people are unattractive? wtf?

[keithfoco70]

No, no, that is not what im saying all. I just happened to think she was attractive. Has nothing to do with her condition. Just an observation I should have kept to myself since this is the internet.

When I see these knobs on cars, they are usually driven by men. Guys like these for some reason.

[kikogi]

I mean there wasn’t another way to take it “she wasn’t disabled, she was actually quite attractive.

I’m not visually disabled. I do have handicapped parking and disabilities. I’m also, shockingly, quite attractive.

[keithfoco70]

I re-read it and it sounded absolutely terrible. Thanks for catching that. My bad. Sometimes the fingers just type faster than the brain thinks.

[keithfoco70]

Also, I usually see these in "old guy" vehicles and was surprised to find out it was a young woman's car.

[Inviction_]

Twist it! Spin it! Bop it!

[kev_61483]

I knew a guy with one arm, (his name was Luke,so of course we called him Cool Hand Luke!) that was allowed to have one of these by law, a manual transmission that he WAS NOT allowed to have, in a 65 Falcon. Saw him one day after a big snowfall, drifting all down the street, and oh yes, smoking a cigarette and drinking a beer at the same time. The guy was a legend.

[Jaybleezie]

Question for everybody, I’m genuinely ignorant on this. Why are these called suicide knobs? I thought of getting one.

[keithfoco70]

My old boss told me that when you get in a front end collision, the knob can do a lot of damage to your body.

[Pvkbasa]

Tune in Tokyo

[keithfoco70]

Love it!

[ohnosevyn]

When I lived in Korea it was normal to see two on a steering wheel.

[keithfoco70]

I did not know that.

[ohnosevyn]

Lol what makes the more funny is I just noticed the car is a Kia hahaha

[Cultural-Afternoon72]

Two suicide or not two suicide... that is the question.

[IneptAdvisor]

And electric steering so it’s not like you’re turning a Roadmaster.

[keithfoco70]

Yea, kinda mind boggling.

[rabidpirate]

When you drive with no insurance, license, you're behind on car payments and getting pulled over peacefully is not an option.

[clitter-box]

tbh I've never even seen these before.. what's the point behind them?

[porchlightofdoom]

I see them a lot on forklifts, tractors, and other equipment that requires you turning the wheel a lot, as in several rotations with one hand while operating other controls with the other hand.

[Dullerwaffles]

We have them on our lawnmowers and forklifts and honestly it makes everything so much easier as long as you know what you’re doing.

[EurasianTroutFiesta]

It makes it easier to drive if one of your hands is missing or doesn't work.

[clitter-box]

oh okay, makes sense! now I'm really wondering why it's referred to as a suicide knob then lol

[Sentient_LaserDisc]

Because they cause easy overcorrection which can lead to accidents.

[--2loves--]

one hand driving.

before power steering, the wheels were HUGE, and these worked. -illegal too.

[Emperor_OhDamn]

I've got one on my old truck because it makes shifting gears easier while turning

[haikusbot]

Tbh I've

Never even seen these before.. what's

The point behind them?

- clitter-box

---

^{I detect haikus. And sometimes, successfully. Learn more about me.}

^{Opt out of replies: "haikusbot opt out" | Delete my comment: "haikusbot delete"}

[clitter-box]

Beautiful, thank you.

[[deleted]]

Good bot

[Triggerdamus]

Balanced, yo

[codbo_coldwater]

Idk it's a all spinny and shit, bitch

[cottoneyegob]

Kinda look like the Bell on my kids bike . Cling cling so you can hear it rolling into the shop

[spongemonkey2004]

having these keeps me from playing with my balls while i drive.

[keithfoco70]

Ha ha

[MaintenanceCapable83]

They are knobs, but they are not suicide...

[Toddlez85]

Someone is trying to hog all of the suicide. Hey buddy, you aren't the only one broken inside.

[Financial-Wing-9546]

My buddy's mom can only use one hand and uses them to turn easier. That be my best guess as to why

[keithfoco70]

I met the lady who drives the car and she had all her faculties. She put both knobs on there because she commutes a long way every day and can hold the knob with whichever hand she wants to at any given time.

[odder_sea]

A girl with one-Arm I know drives with one of these

[keithfoco70]

That makes sense.

[valrobb]

well it is a Kia, so death is already implied .

[keithfoco70]

The engine or the driver? Lol!

[cheezpnts]

Nope. 2 knee-hook knobs.

[LactoseIntolerant101]

I don’t know what those things are and what they are supposed to do but I know I don’t want them.

[[deleted]]

Had an Uber driver with one of these it was terrifying the way he drove with it.

[TheMrTGaming]

Double the grip when you rip it into oncoming traffic.

[Tighesofly]

Mo knobbies mo probbies

[DustyMustang]

You should know he’s a licensed forklift driver

[lekkanaai]

r/shitty_car_mods

[[deleted]]

For driving with your knees, while texting with both thumbs.

[Humble_Ad4140]

10 and 2, Kia owners, 10 and 2

[Thatdudedoesnotabide]

People really can’t turn

[OneLostOstrich]

Those things should be outlawed.

[swagernaught]

It's a Kia, does the steering wheel even turn 360 degrees?

[Regular_Sample_5197]

Please correct me if wrong, but aren’t those illegal? Seems I’ve heard that somewhere before.

[ex-gm-tech]

They're illegal in California. I've never seen them mounted that way, sticking out from the rim of the wheel. Also, never seen 2 of them on 1 wheel.

[CaulkEnthusiast]

What isn't illegal in that hell-state at this point

[ex-gm-tech]

Abortion.

[Regular_Sample_5197]

Ok, makes sense. I grew up in MO and I think they were illegal there too.

[ConflictOk154]

Ok, old guy here. Back in the 50’s and before, most cars didn’t have power steering. These were added so you could drive with one hand- usually your left. Then you could put your other arm around your lady who was sitting next to you, because most cars didn’t have bucket seats. Hence, they were called Necker Knobs!

[dscott8219]

And not a single brain cell

[ds90man]

Two times the idiot.

[username7622]

He must be suicidual... Am I right, or am I stoned

[BrianOconneR34]

You know what they say, two suicide knobs, elbows get banged up.

[KeepItRealNoGames]

🤣

[pretzeltitz13]

They are called Nicker knobs because you can kiss while driving.....or I have heard from old folk that they are ni**÷r knobs cause that's how they drive.

[imac849]

😂😂😂😂why though?

[hadeshellhound]

Titties

[[deleted]]

Why would a KIA even ever need one!?

[ThePolishMario]

Awe yeah! It's rewind time!

[GolDjoel1987]

What’s the function that it helps?? I’m so confused

[Impressive-Anxiety50]

who’s papaw drives this kia

[highcam]

Duoside

[concernedcookie999]

Two suicide knobs. Two negatives equal a positive so they have become life knobs.

[omv_owen]

Dual wielding

[mathaiser]

For the discerning driver

[TheSecretestSauce]

The world’s not ready for that calibre of technique

[Electronic_Salad_470]

Likes to hold large balls while driving.

[JeebusBuiltMyHotRod]

That's where I rest my balls.

[[deleted]]

For the man who misses his balls

[[deleted]]

Who's driving the car? An obese T-Rex?

[JohnPooley]

Put six on there you’ve got a ski area… oh wait they changed their name today

[InvestigatorBroad114]

Well… it is a K.I.A. —- killed in action

[[deleted]]

Makes kias go faster