Nader's scare stories aside, I would not keep a sharp-edged hard object between my face and explosive charge. Kenwood booklet that comes with remote is very specific about that (as is Renault's), and they provide a transparent sticker with diagram of the remote to be glued on the front side of the wheel. Besides, I found it easier to operate the remote (actually, remotes, I have an older model which consists of two remotes, one with four and other five buttons, one for each side of the wheel) with my index and middle finger than thumb.