driftwoody
Trail Wise!
Take the path closer to the edge, especially if less traveled
Posts: 15,134
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Post by driftwoody on May 26, 2024 19:33:04 GMT -8
But thankfully I can still swivel my neck That's great; just don't do that Linda Blair thing!
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rebeccad
Trail Wise!
Writing like a maniac
Posts: 12,772
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Post by rebeccad on May 26, 2024 20:43:31 GMT -8
AS for the not being tall enough to see thing: if she can’t see back over the seat, she’s probably also looking through the steering wheel rather than over it. Get her a cushion. Experiment until you find something that’s right for her (comfortable). I have a piece of memory foam on my front seat—somewhere between 2010 and 2020 Toyota dropped the driver’s seat on the Prius until I am sitting in a hole, even with the seat jacked all the way to the highest setting. I hate that.
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Post by va3pinner on May 27, 2024 2:23:19 GMT -8
Another reason to love old cars. I can work on them myself, parts and even testing equipment are relatively easy to find. And in the case of my old Jeep, my mechanic down the street is also a Jeep head, who was also been very helpful in diagnosing stuff, and letting me know how to fix it.
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Travis
Trail Wise!
WYOMING NATIVE
Posts: 2,667
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Post by Travis on May 27, 2024 6:31:05 GMT -8
If I were teaching someone to drive, I’d urge them to use their mirrors when backing up. If they have a back-up camera, go ahead and use it but just to double check what they see in their mirrors. I myself don’t find turning my neck necessary. Only the mirrors are needed.
A couple years ago I had to parallel park in front of the bank. There wasn’t much space between cars. But I did it smoothly using just my mirrors and backing only once. When I got out and stepped up to the sidewalk, a neatly dressed older woman approached me and said, “That was the best job of parallel parking I’ve seen in a long time.”
I thanked her, but in fact, I’d rather park farther away where I never back up. At shopping centers and the grocery store, I also pull all the way through so that I don’t have to back out. At home, I always back into my garage rather than out of it.
Engineering has improved in many ways in recent decades, but I don’t like some of the changes. The steering is too tight, made for city corners rather than the open road. Touchscreens are distracting. Cruise control and electric mirrors are good. But despite my liberal tendencies, I’m clearly exploring my options to become an “old fogey.”
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ErnieW
Trail Wise!
I want to backpack
Posts: 10,259
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Post by ErnieW on May 27, 2024 12:17:29 GMT -8
Side mirrors can be electrically tilted more down so one can see the white stripes. I keep my side mirrors down a little. Mostly to stop the headlights of cars behind me from shining in my eyes at night. I just duck down a little when I need to check them. They also then can see the line or curb if I sit up a bit when backing up.
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Post by Coolkat on May 28, 2024 3:58:09 GMT -8
is it OK to let her use the backup camera & mirrors exclusively? My grandfather who drove a truck for over 30 years always use to get after me when he saw me turning around in the seat to look backwards. He'd always say.... USE YOUR MIRRORS. I still turn around look and once in a while but because of him I'm a big fan of mirrors. None of my cars to date have had a backup camera. However, my wife's car does but I don't use it when I'm driving her car. I know the image is distorted and that un-nerves me a little. So I... use my mirrors.
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sarbar
Trail Wise!
After being here since 2001...I couldn't say goodbye yet!
Posts: 1,136
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Post by sarbar on May 28, 2024 6:59:21 GMT -8
I know the image is distorted and that un-nerves me a little. How old is her car? I have found the cameras vary on age and car company. I like the ones that have all the lines. Really helps in tight spots. Our truck has white lines, green lines and stop you idiot red lines. lol.
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Post by Coolkat on May 28, 2024 7:07:02 GMT -8
She has a 2013 Camry. I'm sure I'd get use to it if I drove her car more but some habits die hard.
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ErnieW
Trail Wise!
I want to backpack
Posts: 10,259
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Post by ErnieW on May 28, 2024 9:20:37 GMT -8
My Honda has three camera modes. One wide angle, one normal and a straight down. The first two have lines. The wide angle isn't that useful from the distortion. The straight down is nice. I can come within a couple of inches of the car behind me when parallel parking. Most of the time is the normal view.
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sarbar
Trail Wise!
After being here since 2001...I couldn't say goodbye yet!
Posts: 1,136
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Post by sarbar on May 28, 2024 12:30:07 GMT -8
The cameras are def better now. Far, far better!
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Travis
Trail Wise!
WYOMING NATIVE
Posts: 2,667
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Post by Travis on May 28, 2024 15:15:27 GMT -8
The 2024 Chevy Colorado — both Motortrend's and Edmunds' truck of the year — can be ordered with 10 different cameras. That includes not only front and rear views but also the underbody of the truck. I was hoping to order one this year, but like previous years, the only colors available are basically red, white, blue, and shades of gray.
And that leads me to another track of older versus newer vehicles: color. I want a color green that blends in with a forest trailhead. Decades ago there were far more colors available, it seems. But now I am limited to what seems to me the same old tired colors year after year, and no green.
First World problem, I know.
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gabby
Trail Wise!
Posts: 4,544
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Post by gabby on May 28, 2024 19:48:19 GMT -8
I am limited to what seems to me the same old tired colors year after year, and no green. First World problem, I know. Okay, but Mary Kay STILL manages to paint a car that obnoxious pink! (Though I now read they're discontinuing the program because agents can't do well enough to earn the obnoxiously-colored car!) FYI: I even saw a Mary Kay Pink Tesla the other day at the grocery store.
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sarbar
Trail Wise!
After being here since 2001...I couldn't say goodbye yet!
Posts: 1,136
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Post by sarbar on May 29, 2024 7:32:51 GMT -8
Get a wrap on the vehicle. It's not hard to have that done.
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Post by Lamebeaver on May 31, 2024 4:56:28 GMT -8
But when the guy tried to sell me an extened warranty based on how much it cost to fix or replace some of the new tech, I balked. He told me it cost $3500 to fix the rear camera, and what would I do if someone damaged it in a parking lot wreck and didn't leave me a note? I told him I couild go back to backing up the way I had been for 50 years. I would think that would be covered by your colision or comprehensive auto insurance.
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Post by dustin on May 31, 2024 9:09:22 GMT -8
One reason I love my 21-year-old Subaru is that I don't have to care so much about the exterior. It got totaled by a hail storm years ago and I never had it repainted. When I'm at the grocery store, I don't care if the cart bangs into the door. I don't care if I scuff the truck bed. There's a big chip in the paint on the hood that I covered with an old GoLite sticker (the yellow matched perfectly).
I don't like the school-bus-yellow color aesthetically, but it is really helpful to find my car in a big parking lot. I have noticed more 'creamy' or earthtone colors for cars nowadays which I'll probably go for when this one finally gives out. The only upgrade I've made is replacing the stock stereo with one that connects to my phone via bluetooth or USB, which is very helpful for navigation. I sometimes think about adding a back up camera, but I don't know how much longer I'll have this car.
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