The sideways turbo boost

[Rainack]

Yeah, just watched it, it does sound more like Justin than KI3T. Maybe Mike was trying to play it off....

Additionally, I didn't notice that KI3t said "not on a turn, Michael" before the boost.

Does make you wonder, why not on a turn? They could have followed up on that a little.

[lunchmeat]

I think the followup was the sideways flip to hard landing to tailslide...

But yeah, it's similar to the principle of flipping an SUV (or any vehicle with a high center of gravity) by making a sharp turn at a high speed. This is essentially what Mike did, except with thrusters added in, and I don't think that KI3T was very happy about it.

[Lynda414]

Poor KITT. He'll have to watch out for Mike's daredevil tendancies.

[lunchmeat]

From what we saw last week, it seems as though they're both going to have to watch out for each other.....in both senses of the phrase.

If the show continues, I want an argument between KI3T and Mike about something like this. Some type of "that wasn't worse than the time when" argument. Hah.....they're such guys.

[Rockatteer]

I asked this question in the episode thread, but I'll ask it here as well.

Can someone tell my why Kitts turbo boosters only fired on the left hand side?

Normal Turbo boost provides a forward and upward boost of equal pressure to produce a jump. Why then would we suddenly and for no apparent reason , and with no specific command given, see two left hand boosters fire by themselves?

It makes no sense. All that should have happened is that Kitt fired off in the direction that he was facing.. not a sideways jump.

[K.A.C.I.]

I have no idea - I hadn't even noticed until you pointed it out.
What amuses me is KITT's deadpan "Michael, this is exhilarating." early in the chase - because he doesn't even sound remotely close to exhilarated.
But IMO this is still #1 of the series's Top 3 Turbo Boosts.

[TurboMathKid94]

Hey guys... while my brother and I were rewatching the turbo boost to hear who it was that was really screaming, I noticed something. I am kind of surprised no one else caught this.

Do you notice it? Here is an HD snapshot of KITT mid-boost...


The bottom plate is gone! Is it something that is only there during attack mode perhaps? It is nice seeing the normal undercarriage of the car instead of that...

[BlueChaos]

Hey, I just caught that and was going to post here, but you did it earlier, good catch!

If Mike is going to do more of these kinds of manuevers with KITT, maybe it would be better for KITT to be equipped with the bottom plate. It will make more sense actually...

[BlueChaos]

By the way, this episode made me wonder if the functions in KITT are voice activated, or if the commands have to be recognized first by KITT before it is run. In the transformations, it is implied that it works this way: Mike orders KITT to transform --> KITT recognizes command --> KITT transforms. In this sense, KITT can reject the command if he thinks it would not be suitable for the situation.

But last episode, it seems like the Turbo Boost activated on Mike's command, even though it seems that KITT didn't want to do that, and he was caught by surprise. I liked this a lot, I kinda envisioned in my mind a conversation between Mike and KITT that would happen if there was a Turbo Boost button in that situation.

Mike: "I'm gonna try something new, KITT...."
KITT: "Michael, don't....."
*Mike presses the Turbo Boost button, KITT flips..."
KITT: *screams*
KITT: "Michael, please DO NOT do that again, EVER!"

So, I was glad that the Turbo Boost seemed to have iniatiated directly after Mike gave the command, to the point that it works almost like a button and KITT didn't have a way to cancel that command. In TOS, I don't remember if there was a point where Michael pressed a button and KITT blocked that function from activating. So I'd like it very much if Mike can run the functions of the car without KITT being able to deny it.

[KITT_Vs._KARR]

Well if anyone remembers correctly, KITT can't transform while turbo boosting. Last time they did that, it knocked KITT out.

[NeoRanger]

I find it really hard to believe that there can't be manual activation of KITT's functions. Voice activation looks like the better option for this new age, but I'd find it ridiculously stupid on Graiman's part to not include a way for manual activation, should voice-activation not do the trick for this or that reason.

[Sty Knight]

NeoRanger, it's mainly because KITT can be driven without the CPU being active as we saw in the Pilot movie. If you had buttons when the CPU is inactive, they would be pointless. It more or less implies that things can only be done when KITT is active.

Unlike the original KITT where the CPU controlled the whole car. Therefore it was a given that nothing can be used when KITT is offline cause he couldn't even be driven.

[NeoRanger]

I was hoping that little "inconvenience" from the pilot was removed. I'm not particularly fond of it.

But that aside, KITT's a neural AI, which means he'll start thinking for himself at some point. It would be quite unwise -not to mention dangerous, to the point of idiocy- not to include a manual override.

[PunkMaister]

Luckily I didn't see the preview and it was a complete surprise to me. And boy did I love it. From KITT assuming that it would be a bad idea till the moment Mike said that KITT screamed like a girl it was funny and in my opinion very well executed.

Me too I absolutely loved it!

[Dave Knight]

how bout a GIF?

[K.A.C.I.]

Thanks for the GIF, Dave.

Here is something else I noticed: The episode footage does not match the corresponding footage in the preview.
The preview shows flame practically all over KITT's underside as he boosts - presumably as all the TB thrusters activate. The episode just shows two small bursts of flame on KITT's left side.

[PHOENIXZERO]

NeoRanger, it's mainly because KITT can be driven without the CPU being active as we saw in the Pilot movie. If you had buttons when the CPU is inactive, they would be pointless. It more or less implies that things can only be done when KITT is active.

Unlike the original KITT where the CPU controlled the whole car. Therefore it was a given that nothing can be used when KITT is offline cause he couldn't even be driven.

Uhhh, what? Maybe I'm confused but are you saying that when the original KITT was offline that the Knight 2000 and its functions were useless? Because the original KITT and the on board computer (not KITT) on the Knight 2000 was far from useless when KITT was deactivated. The car was still almost fully functional and the buttons still worked. The original KITT could do things without the buttons being pressed but they could also serve as a manual override. They could have gone the whole voice activation route also, but pushing a button is a much more exciting visual, not to mention faster than speaking a command. The original KITT worked with the Knight 2000 computer to assist in driving at high speeds, Turbo Boost and that sort of thing. But pretty much everything still worked.

It's the new KITT, which is apparently much more integrated into his shell, that when off pretty much reverts back to a normal car with none of the functionality other than just being a regular Mustang. Buttons would have still served a purpose if this wasn't an issue. Actually they still could since like I said, it's much exciting and faster than just saying what to do.

[Rockatteer]

um... didn't Ki2ts tires deflate when he shut down? Like in the episode where Zachary steals Kitt and Micheal tells him to shut down in the back of the truck.

[Sty Knight]

KI2T was never able to be used when the CPU was shut down. The entire car turned off. You couldn't drive it even. Never once did I see KI2T moving without the CPU except for the time the kid removed KITT from the car and took control by remote.

[KnightINSTINCT]

I just read PHOENIXZERO's comment that pushing a button is much faster than saying a command. To me, if I was in pursuit and ran into an obstacle that would require turbo boosting: if KI2T was offline and I still had functionality with the car's functions by using a button, I think I may end up killing myself. 1. KI2T's offline, so there is a real good chance I'll hurt myself when landing after the jump. 2. Looking away to find that damn button that is going to turbo boost me sucks! YEAH, VISUALLY EXCITING INDEED. This is also where I find more benefit with KI3T's HUD than dash tvs, because even though KI3T does aid with auto collision avoidance, Mike is still partially focused to whats on the road. Saying "turbo boost" is more efficient than reaching for a button, and defeats irrelevance (never made sense why MKS did both in TOS).

[Knight007]

I just love it. this was something different indeed. that was something really opned our eyes in amazement.

[PHOENIXZERO]

KI2T was never able to be used when the CPU was shut down. The entire car turned off. You couldn't drive it even. Never once did I see KI2T moving without the CPU except for the time the kid removed KITT from the car and took control by remote.

Of course you wouldn't see KITT moving while turned off, how many times was KITT was turned off? There were instances of manual over ride but how many where KITT shut everything down? How aside from the instance of one episode where the tires deflated, there was nothing to show the car couldn't be driven. It was still invulnerable and I'm fairly sure it still had an ignition and would run without KITT or the K2000 computer. Yes, that kid removed KITT and the car still worked, but of course never mind that it shows that the car could still be driven without KITT, though naturally the Knight 2000 on board computer was still there, with or without the AI unit. The fact of the matter is that the car could be driven without KITT and all the functions were still there. The new KITT is much more integrated into the car itself so no KITT, then it's pretty much just a regular Mustang.

I just read PHOENIXZERO's comment that pushing a button is much faster than saying a command. To me, if I was in pursuit and ran into an obstacle that would require turbo boosting: if KI2T was offline and I still had functionality with the car's functions by using a button, I think I may end up killing myself. 1. KI2T's offline, so there is a real good chance I'll hurt myself when landing after the jump. 2. Looking away to find that damn button that is going to turbo boost me sucks! YEAH, VISUALLY EXCITING INDEED. This is also where I find more benefit with KI3T's HUD than dash tvs, because even though KI3T does aid with auto collision avoidance, Mike is still partially focused to whats on the road. Saying "turbo boost" is more efficient than reaching for a button, and defeats irrelevance (never made sense why MKS did both in TOS).

You must have a terrible time driving then if you have to take your eyes off the road to find something that's basically in position that's no worse than a turn signal and reaching?? Even if it's in a heightened situation.

You wouldn't even need to take a hand off the steering wheel or do any reaching to where the buttons were on the original KITT. Have you even driven even driven a manual transmission? Do you have to keep looking down to make sure you're shifting into the right gear? Do you take your eyes off the road while changing your vehicles thermostat or changing radio stations? Besides that, once you get use to a location of an object it because easier to find. It's not like the buttons were on the other side of the car or in any hard to reach place, they were right behind the steering wheel as shown in the dash "smilies".



Having the HUD in the windshield blocking ones view in the way it does isn't that much better. The way the video is place averts your eyes away from where you're driving.

[My_Friend_KITT]

Dave Knight,

That .gif was AWESOME!
Thank you for sharing!

[Knight Wolf 619]

I had to re watch that turbo boost a lot because it had me cracking up so much, I know it wasn't a traditional jump and the logic was kinda off but still, When i heard the scream i also first thought it was mike, but after awhile you could tell it was val, Maybe that was there homage to dukes of hazzard, All that was missing was the general lee horn.

[Sty Knight]

In all seriousness PHOENIXZERO, this is being observed way too carefully. It's a TV show. Knight Rider says to me to check my sense of realism at the door and enjoy the show for what it is. Action paced and fun. I just got involved in the discussion cause it wasn't bad, but now it's turning into a game of he said this and you said that. Speculating that KI2T could be driven without the CPU being on is just that. There is no proof since it never happened.

We're well beyond the topic of this post. The sideways boost was out there, original and very surprising to see even with the previews. I enjoyed it and find myself wanting to re-watch it. Knight Rider is quickly turning into the show with the largest fun factor on TV, IMO.