
Hofmeister Kink - smacktoward
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hofmeister_kink
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J-dawg
I'm not exactly sure why, but I absolutely love this type of post.

Actually I do know why, it's because I get the warm feeling of knowing I get
to be a smartass and point out Hofmeister Kinks to other people all over the
place.

And for anyone else thinking "that would make an awesome band name"... it
seems a duo from Adelaide with 66 likes on Facebook have beaten you to it.

~~~
IgorPartola
Several years ago there was an Ask HN post inquiring what it is called when
you want that fuzzy feeling of knowing more random mostly useless trivia than
others. Some obscure knowledge was left there.

If you like random car stuff: apparently the fuel gauge on most cars points to
the side of the car with the fuel fill, when it is at half full of course. And
on cars with the muffler on only one side it is I believe the opposite side
from the filler opening.

Edit: there was also a thread many many years ago where it was agreed to not
post links to just a random Wikipedia article and instead to something that
provided a bit more context as to why the thing is interesting. But I guess a
couple of years after that it was abandoned.

~~~
scatters
Knowing how to find out which side the fuel cap is is very much not mostly
useless if you hire regularly; it saves considerable time and effort knowing
you can just look at the gauge as you pull into the fuel station.

~~~
taneq
It's actually useful even if you just don't drive much and only fill up every
month or two. My brain has filler-cap-side down as "readily available
information, do not store" so I don't bother remembering it. Gotta save those
neurons for something I can't just look up at a glance when I need it!

~~~
soylentcola
I also don't fill up too often and unintentionally memorized this after owning
the car for a few months.

At first I'd have to look at the little arrow on the fuel pump symbol, but
early on, I made the joke to myself that the fuel port is "'pon the left hand
side" (like that song "Pass the Dutchie").

Now to this day, when I pull into the gas station and momentarily think "what
side is it again?" I immediately remember "'pon the left hand side".

It's kind of ridiculous but it amuses me.

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mywittyname
Now you people will be seeing this everywhere.

I've noticed that Infiniti goes out of their way to not have a Hofmeister Kink
on their "BMW 3 Series killer" the G35/Q50. The Q50 has an especially
pronounced Not Hofmeister Kink.

~~~
akavi
I'm confused. Looking at pictures of the Infiniti q50 [0], it definitely has
the kink, as I understand it. In fact, an even more "assertive" version, to my
eyes.

[0]:[https://www.infinitiusa.com/content/dam/Infiniti/US/vehicles...](https://www.infinitiusa.com/content/dam/Infiniti/US/vehicles/Q50/2019/overview/2019-infiniti-q50-sedan-
forward-emergency-braking.jpg.ximg.l_6_h.smart.jpg)

~~~
mywittyname
The Q50 has an inverted Hofmeister Kink: instead of having the window sill
flow upwards like a wave, it has an abrupt angle that decays flat, like a
shark fin.

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kwoff
One of those quirky HN posts. :)

I didn't understand what was meant at first. It's the part at the bottom of
the back window that changes angle toward the front.

The link in the article to C-pillar was also interesting: "As an example,
rescue teams employ pillar nomenclature to facilitate communication when
cutting wrecked vehicles, as when using the jaws of life." (wondering if
anyone can confirm)

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RickJWagner
Along the same lines as "Bangle Butt" on later BMWs.

I suppose you know you've made it as a designer when there is a phrase with
your name in it.

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namdnay
> the Hofmeister kink is said by BMW to suggest that all BMW models have rear-
> wheel drive

And yet the 2 series active tourer also has it :)

~~~
cs02rm0
I think that meaning was probably pretty tenuous when it was introduced and
more or less gone today.

I drive a FWD Ford Focus ST, which also has one.

