The end is nigh!

[Agent_Orange]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/26/AR2010052604220.html

[Ohio48]

What happened to being aware of your surroundings??

What happened to common sense??

We need to get government out of the auto industry, other then bailing them out occasionally!!!

 

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

This isn't the first time this has been brought up.

 

From the other thread, my solution:

 

Install a truly bitchin' car stereo - with speakers and subs on the outside of the car - and you can play an MP3 on loop of whatever you want:

 

-herd of charging elephants

-troop of howler monkeys

-avalanche

-top-fuel dragster

-angry mob

-B-1 in full afterburner

-couple (or individual) in the throes of ecstasy

-Slim Pickens riding the missile down

-Fran Drescher screaming "LOOK OUT!" over and over again

-dentist's drill (pretty much the same as Ms. Drescher)

-TIE fighter

 

-all of these things at once

 

There was a freak incident a couple of years ago in which a beach jogger wearing headphones/iPod was killed by a small plane performing an emergency dead-stick landing. His death, while tragic, was arguably no one's fault; no one should reasonably be expected to be watching out for silent airplanes while jogging on the beach.

 

OTOH, pedestrians treading where cars are known to prowl have little excuse for not detecting approaching vehicles. If you are blind, well, I'm very sorry, but you live in a dangerous world; you'd best not cross the street without a seeing companion or guide dog.

 

Will deaf people shortly be demanding that all vehicles be equipped with an array of multi-colored kilowatt-rated strobelamps?

[tallman]

You could make the same argument for electric golf carts on a golf course.

Bicycles.

Joggers pushing strollerthingies.

In-line skaters.

Skateboarders.

Skiers (exception for water skiers).

Parachutists, they just drop in unannounced.

 

 

[Bob Palin]

OTOH, pedestrians treading where cars are known to prowl have little excuse for not detecting approaching vehicles. If you are blind, well, I'm very sorry, but you live in a dangerous world; you'd best not cross the street without a seeing companion or guide dog

On the streets I would agree but I suspect the biggest problem is going to be in parking lots. Parking lots almost never have proper accomodations for pedestrians, you are expected to wander about in the lanes to get to a store. With the other distractions involved in most parking lot adventures it might well be reasonable to require a noise maker on a car. But please, not on the street!

[tallman]

Slipslope, why not then require reverse signals for lots?

I see more danger from cars backing out of spaces in parking lots than pedestrians encountering moving vehicles in that setting.

 

Particularly a small hyabridski parked between 2 SUV's.

They can't see and just back up.

Dang hybrids!

[Ohio48]

You could make the same argument for electric golf carts on a golf course.

 

Not to many road crossing on the golf course!!!

[Ohio48]

OTOH, pedestrians treading where cars are known to prowl have little excuse for not detecting approaching vehicles. If you are blind, well, I'm very sorry, but you live in a dangerous world; you'd best not cross the street without a seeing companion or guide dog

On the streets I would agree but I suspect the biggest problem is going to be in parking lots. Parking lots almost never have proper accomodations for pedestrians, you are expected to wander about in the lanes to get to a store. With the other distractions involved in most parking lot adventures it might well be reasonable to require a noise maker on a car. But please, not on the street!

Baeball card and a cloths pin comes to mind.

[Danny caddyshack Noonan]

My 7th grade shop teacher would comment on the "new" backup beepers installed on heavy equipment. Mind you this was '70 or so. He was convinced it was resulting in more injuries due to everyone wearing earplugs and not hearing either the equipment or other dangerous items that were audible previously.

 

 

[Ohio48]

Slipslope, why not then require reverse signals for lots?

 

Light?? Got them there already. Or the Beep Beep Beep one??

[Francois_Dumas]

Nothing new in countries like Italy or Turkey where ALL car drivers are CONSTANTLY honking their horns ALL THE TIME.

 

Since they also have the highest accident rates, it clearly is no solution.

 

Maybe ya'll want to tell your congressmen to come and have a look ?

 

[tallman]

[ltljohn]

There is also a movement afoot to require backup cameras in all cars by 2014.

LINKY

 

I worked on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier, all you hear is jets everywhere. The only way to stay alive is to always be where you are supposed to be and keep your head on a swivel. I never rely on hearing, I always look around.

[Matts_12GS]

There is also a movement afoot to require backup cameras in all cars by 2014.

LINKY

 

I worked on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier, all you hear is jets everywhere. The only way to stay alive is to always be where you are supposed to be and keep your head on a swivel. I never rely on hearing, I always look around.

 

You gotta keep your head on a swivel no matter where you are, the world is a dangerous place.

 

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

There is also a movement afoot to require backup cameras in all cars by 2014.

LINKY

 

I have driven a Prius with one of these, and I hate it. It focuses my attention on the dashboard display monitor. I much prefer being turned around, in a position to scan not just a narrow region immediately behind the vehicle, but to either side of it as well.

 

I worked on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier, all you hear is jets everywhere. The only way to stay alive is to always be where you are supposed to be and keep your head on a swivel. I never rely on hearing, I always look around.

 

Funny, my dad was a navy pilot decades ago. He told stories of his training flights: during final approaches, he always wanted to focus on his instruments and on the runway (or carrier deck), but his backseat instructor always barked at him to keep his head on a swivel, watching for other air traffic. When I was learning to drive, he reminded me of those stories, and similarly drilled into me the need to keep my head on a swivel when navigating through parking lots. That advice works equally well for drivers and pedestrians.

[russell_bynum]

There is also a movement afoot to require backup cameras in all cars by 2014.

LINKY

 

My 1985 car already has a backup camera. It's called my head. It swivels around to look behind me when I back up. Pretty cool technology.

[Nice n Easy Rider]

There is also a movement afoot to require backup cameras in all cars by 2014.

LINKY

 

My 1985 car already has a backup camera. It's called my head. It swivels around to look behind me when I back up. Pretty cool technology.

I have mixed emotions regarding this potentially-useful technology. As someone who has limited "head-swiveling" capacity because of cervical spinal fusions I have to do a lot of body twisting to be sure I'm seeing everything I need to see behind me. And I can envision these back-up cameras being useful in minimizing the amount of contortion I'd need to do.

 

OTOH, I could see where one could get overly-dependent and confident with such technology to the point that your overall driving skills would be diminished. One of the reasons I elected to take up riding again after a 15-year layoff was the fact that I felt I was a much better defensive mv operator while riding a bike than when driving a car. I thought I had become more complacent because of the security of a cage. And I do think my overall driving is better now that I'm riding again.

[russell_bynum]

There is also a movement afoot to require backup cameras in all cars by 2014.

LINKY

 

My 1985 car already has a backup camera. It's called my head. It swivels around to look behind me when I back up. Pretty cool technology.

I have mixed emotions regarding this potentially-useful technology. As someone who has limited "head-swiveling" capacity because of cervical spinal fusions I have to do a lot of body twisting to be sure I'm seeing everything I need to see behind me. And I can envision these back-up cameras being useful in minimizing the amount of contortion I'd need to do.

 

OTOH, I could see where one could get overly-dependent and confident with such technology to the point that your overall driving skills would be diminished. One of the reasons I elected to take up riding again after a 15-year layoff was the fact that I felt I was a much better defensive mv operator while riding a bike than when driving a car. I thought I had become more complacent because of the security of a cage. And I do think my overall driving is better now that I'm riding again.

 

I'm a fan of using technology to fill a need. If you can't turn your head around to look behind you, then a backup camera makes sense.

 

I wouldn't mind having one in my truck since it's impossible to see small cars (or kids, kid's toys, etc) that are directly behind the tailgate.

 

But mandatory in all cars? No thanks.

 

But I do confess to being somewhat of a luddite. I'm apparently one of the six people in America who prefer a manual transmission (in any vehicle) and I'll take a pass on the electric windows, power seats, power mirrors, power sunroof, power steering (in small cars), and all of the other unnecessary crap we insist on stuffing into our cars to make them more expensive, less reliable, perform poorly, handle poorly, and get bad fuel economy.

[Ohio48]

So tell me, what is wrong with using in combination your rearview mirror along with the mirrors on the drivers and passenger’s doors? I use to plow driveways part-time, and after adjusting the three mirrors I never had a hard time backing up. And I had to back a ¾ ton pickup in some pretty tight places, all the while it’s usually dark outside (very early AM), and it’s snowing. No twisting of the neck needed, or turning about with the upper part of your body.

[Ohio48]

There is also a movement afoot to require backup cameras in all cars by 2014.

LINKY

 

My 1985 car already has a backup camera. It's called my head. It swivels around to look behind me when I back up. Pretty cool technology.

I have mixed emotions regarding this potentially-useful technology. As someone who has limited "head-swiveling" capacity because of cervical spinal fusions I have to do a lot of body twisting to be sure I'm seeing everything I need to see behind me. And I can envision these back-up cameras being useful in minimizing the amount of contortion I'd need to do.

 

OTOH, I could see where one could get overly-dependent and confident with such technology to the point that your overall driving skills would be diminished. One of the reasons I elected to take up riding again after a 15-year layoff was the fact that I felt I was a much better defensive mv operator while riding a bike than when driving a car. I thought I had become more complacent because of the security of a cage. And I do think my overall driving is better now that I'm riding again.

 

I'm a fan of using technology to fill a need. If you can't turn your head around to look behind you, then a backup camera makes sense.

 

I wouldn't mind having one in my truck since it's impossible to see small cars (or kids, kid's toys, etc) that are directly behind the tailgate.

 

But mandatory in all cars? No thanks.

 

But I do confess to being somewhat of a luddite. I'm apparently one of the six people in America who prefer a manual transmission (in any vehicle) and I'll take a pass on the electric windows, power seats, power mirrors, power sunroof, power steering (in small cars), and all of the other unnecessary crap we insist on stuffing into our cars to make them more expensive, less reliable, perform poorly, handle poorly, and get bad fuel economy.

 

Power windows have an effect on handling? New one for me!!!

[russell_bynum]

Power windows have an effect on handling? New one for me!!!

 

Ever held a power window motor in your hands? They're heavy.

 

Weight is the enemy of handling, performance, and economy.

[Ohio48]

Power windows have an effect on handling? New one for me!!!

 

Ever held a power window motor in your hands? They're heavy.

 

Weight is the enemy of handling, performance, and economy.

 

Well lets not stop there, pull that power steering pump off, who needs 5 lug nuts, get rid of one per wheel, and that spare tire while we are at it.

[Boffin]

I had a new VW Golf as a hire car (rental) for a business trip on Thursday. It had a backup camera but when I tried to use it I found I could not - I simply could not overcome thirty-odd years of conditioning and had to use the mirrors. The only use I could see for it would be for low-walls or posts hidden from view in the mirrors.

 

Andy

[russell_bynum]

Well lets not stop there, pull that power steering pump off, who needs 5 lug nuts, get rid of one per wheel, and that spare tire while we are at it.

 

I listed Power Steering (on small cars) as one of the unnecessary things. I've had mine disconnected on my 3-series for 5 years (commuting 120 miles/day.) As far as lug nuts go...that's an engineering issue. If it needs five, it should have five. Spare tire is a practical/safety issue. I'm talking about stuff that serves no real purpose. Complication for the sake of complication. Solutions to problems that didn't exist in the first place.

[Ohio48]

Well lets not stop there, pull that power steering pump off, who needs 5 lug nuts, get rid of one per wheel, and that spare tire while we are at it.

 

I listed Power Steering (on small cars) as one of the unnecessary things. I've had mine disconnected on my 3-series for 5 years (commuting 120 miles/day.) As far as lug nuts go...that's an engineering issue. If it needs five, it should have five. Spare tire is a practical/safety issue. I'm talking about stuff that serves no real purpose. Complication for the sake of complication. Solutions to problems that didn't exist in the first place.

 

What you doing with the disconnected pump, I may have a app for that!!! And the radio, I could use one in the garage!!

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

So tell me, what is wrong with using in combination your rearview mirror along with the mirrors on the drivers and passengers doors?

 

In a parking lot, it's not just the objects that are directly behind you when you look there. There are also objects - cars and pedestrians - that are out of view from any of your mirrors, but are moving in a direction to put them behind you. That's why it's important to turn your head around and look at what's coming down the aisle of the parking lot: so you can see it with your unaided eyes before you can see it in your mirror (or with a rear-view camera).

[ESokoloff]

What happened to being aware of your surroundings??

What happened to common sense??

 

I thought that as well until like Rep. Cliff Stearns, I too "had a personal experience in a parking lot when I did not hear an approaching vehicle".

 

Part of my situational awareness involves my sense of sound.

Using the combination of all my senses has served me well for 50+ years but the rules have changed with the advent of silent locomotion.

Unfortunately I'm a creature of habit & expect motorized vehicles to create a detectable amount of sound.

I'm sure future generations will be better equipt to deal with this loss of sensory input.

[Bud]

What happened to being aware of your surroundings??

What happened to common sense??

 

I thought that as well until like Rep. Cliff Stearns, I too "had a personal experience in a parking lot when I did not hear an approaching vehicle".

 

Part of my situational awareness involves my sense of sound.

Using the combination of all my senses has served me well for 50+ years but the rules have changed with the advent of silent locomotion.

Unfortunately I'm a creature of habit & expect motorized vehicles to create a detectable amount of sound.

I'm sure future generations will be better equipt to deal with this loss of sensory input.

 

Can you repeat that last sentence, I didn't hear you due to my hearing loss.

[russell_bynum]

Well lets not stop there, pull that power steering pump off, who needs 5 lug nuts, get rid of one per wheel, and that spare tire while we are at it.

 

I listed Power Steering (on small cars) as one of the unnecessary things. I've had mine disconnected on my 3-series for 5 years (commuting 120 miles/day.) As far as lug nuts go...that's an engineering issue. If it needs five, it should have five. Spare tire is a practical/safety issue. I'm talking about stuff that serves no real purpose. Complication for the sake of complication. Solutions to problems that didn't exist in the first place.

 

What you doing with the disconnected pump, I may have a app for that!!! And the radio, I could use one in the garage!!

 

The pump is still physically in there...mostly because I'm too lazy to take it out and figure out how to cap the lines to the steering rack. I use the radio...it serves a purpose.

 

The car's also got power windows (one of which only partly works, the other one is starting to go bad), and a power sunroof (which works intermittently). I would much prefer not to have either of those "features".

[moshe_levy]

I have driven a Prius with one of these, and I hate it. It focuses my attention on the dashboard display monitor. I much prefer being turned around, in a position to scan not just a narrow region immediately behind the vehicle, but to either side of it as well.

 

My Prius has it, and although I don't mind it, I never use it. It's just not necessary on a small low-to-the-ground car where you can see everything behind you.

 

However, my wife (a pediatric nurse) has seen her share of maimed or dead children rushed into the ER because mom or dad in the behemoth family SUV backed up over their kid. If the kid is that close to the rear of the SUV/truck, there's just no way to see it through the rear window or using the mirrors. In those cases, it might be useful to have a backup cam.

 

The idea there isn't to use the backup cam screen to actually back up, but to scan it before moving backwards to make sure there is nothing in the car's very immediate path which the driver's can't otherwise see. Don't knock it till you try it.

 

-MKL