“AFF” baffles too many MINI owners

Late last year, after requests from a number of people, I developed the “AFF” auto front fogs add-on to the auto-up-windows MINI circuit. Since then I have shipped about 25.
But unfortunately nearly half of the buyers have at some time been confused by the enable/disable procedure. I did not think through the programming enough, with the result that it was possible to enable then disable the “AFF” function simply by “holding the switch for too long!”

The “AFF” has given me much more grief than the MINI circuit ever has, so I might quit making it – but first here is a clarification for any owners having issues:

To disable the “AFF” function, you hold the toggle switch (when the lights are on) for more than half a second.
When you click the switch, it turns the fogs on/off because it tells the car to do that – but if you click and keep the switch held for at least half a second, then the “AFF” function is disabled.
To enable the “AFF” function, you hold the toggle switch BEFORE the lights are on, then turn the lights on.
The circuit sees the switch is closed already when the lights go on, and enables the “AFF” function.

BUT:
If you keep the switch closed for too long after the lights are turned on, then the “AFF” will first enable but then because the switch is still closed for more than half a second with the lights on, it might be disabled again.

So:
#1. Enable “AFF”
Click and hold the toggle; turn on the lights – only need to rotate the switch to first position; release the toggle immediately. Watch to see fogs come on automatically just after.
#2. Don’t hold the fog toggle for more than half a second – only give it a quick click to turn fogs manually on or off.

Also on the subject of auto front fogs, this thread on MINI2 has some enlightening comments from “back home” (England) …

More snow coming!

When I got into work on Monday, this is what greeted me – snow piled high from plowing to keep the driveway and parking clear!

Now today we are having more snow! Soon there will be nowhere to put it; our road at home is still only half plowed so maybe it will get more and more narrow …

Oh Goody – snowing again!

Only light snow so far today, but “they” are claiming another possible 6-9″! UPDATE: This is what the roads were like when I headed home (early):

 

My new non-runflat tires are performing adequately; fine for driving reasonably plowed roads but I can easily lose traction if I accelerate or brake hard (experimentally – I don’t drive that way!) The traction control & ABS are excellent at maintaining correct direction; without ABS I would not be happy in this weather.

It would be interesting to compare with real snow tires, as there are some places where I would like more traction – mostly on slopes which have not been cleared of snow; I know that if I had to stop I would not be able to go forward up a slope any more. And going down such slopes I am very careful to keep my speed low, in case the tires & ABS together cannot stop GBMINI (not happened yet and I don’t want it too).

Question for any experts reading this: Would an LSD help with maintaining traction from a stop when going up a slippery hill? Or is it only beneficial on curves?