Sorry, if I dont know the technical name for the hand grips above the window.
My question is, Is that I have owned and do own several cars, and none of them have the hand grip, on the drivers front side. I assume, thats because the driver should have his hands on the wheel.
Yesterday, I noticed for the first time, that my tl, has one there, when I let my partner take car for a spin, and he asked me what the hand grip was for?
Can anyone clue me in, on why the driver has one in the tl. My toyota, or dodge, neither had them for driver, nor my older nissan(which I no longer have)

Much regards flatfoot

 

It can be helpful as a grab handle for exiting the car.

 

For whatever reason alot of Japanese cars in the past never put them on for the driver, whereas in European cars they always seem to put them there.

I use them as TampaMike indicated to exit the vehicle, my daughters use their grips to hang their ballet outfits from

 

Legend2TL,

Isn't a bit distracting to drive with a pink Tutu in your face? I'd have a chat with the daughters about that. Maybe they should use the rear assist handles?

 

They're called "Oh $hit! handles." They are there to hold onto when the driver is doing crazy stuff behind the wheel and the passengers are holding on for dear life screaming "Oh $hit!!!!"

 

That's what I have always called them.

 

I understand what they are for, but not the one for the driver.
Thats what I am trying to understand..............LOL

 

The driver has to have one too in the event that even he/she feels they have lost control. But, all kidding aside, without the driver having a overhead hand grip, all other passengers would get to cooly hang subway-style, and the driver would feel left out.

 

Aesthetics? Personally, I always hated cars that had only three...just didn't look right. Functionally, it's useless, in my opinion, but it adds symetry to the interior, as opposed to the "something's missing" look.

 

TampaMike, yes it is somewhat embarrising sing to drive with a pink tutu hanging from the handgrips. Ahhh another small price of shame to pay for having kids.

 

I often use mine on longer drives. I rest my left elbow on the window sill and hook my fingers over the handle. It fits quite comfortably for the length of my forearm.

 

Just reread the owners manual. Funny you said that. It states on page 142, that because of the stability control functions built into the tl, on long journeys on flat long roads, opening the window, and using the door sill to rest your elbow, and the upper hand grip to hold onto it, is an option they recommend for comfortable driving position if using an automatic transmission, in auto mode.

 

LOL are you serious? Might have to get my manual out of the car... "acura reccomends resting your arm" LOLOL

 

Oh! Sh*t!!!

 

HAHAHA. They're called "Oh $hit bars" b/c whenever a driver makes a sharp turn, the passengers grab onto it and say "Oh $hit!"

 

I use the handles to help get my butt out of the car.

 

I use them to pull myself out of the seat so I don't crush the bolsters by sliding across the seat. They help getting out of the car.