Tips on Gauging front and back distance in Prius

stuffmanca · 09-29-2004, 10:08 PM

Hi,
Just wanted to get some tips from the experts as to how to gauge distance from the front of the vehicle while in the driver's seat...since the hood is pretty much "out of sight' (my previous cars had some hood to gauge with)
ie, some imaginary marker on the windshield sides, etc/

Also any help for gauging the distance for the back..

Will this be "a trial & error"?

Thanks

Ben

bruceha_2000 · 09-29-2004, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Will this be "a trial & error"?

Yes :-)
There have been other threads for this so look around. One thing I would suggest is to learn to cue off things other than the corners of the car since you can't see them. Relative position of other cars for example. If you are parking in a lot and the person in front or behind hasn't parked badly, line up with their car, use the cars beside you to gauge distance in - if your steering wheel is in line with theirs, you have a good idea that you are not too far forward or back. Same thing with parallel parking. Gauge the distance between the parking meter (for example) and the cars in front and behind your space, then relate that to the passenger window, A & B pillars, etc. Remember that if you can still see something, you aren't just about to hit it :-)

stuffmanca · 09-29-2004, 10:24 PM

Thanks!

DaveinOlyWA · 09-29-2004, 11:14 PM

a good rule of thumb i use is to look at the car next to me and pull in until my door is even with theirs.

other than that, the side mirrors are excellent for judging distance when backing in.

bookrats · 09-30-2004, 12:42 PM

I agree with Dave -- I did a fair amount of parallel parking this weekend with a rental Prius, and the side mirrors were a huge help (no passenger side mirror on my current car, an '87 Civic.)

Suggestions from other threads include having one of those convex "fish-eye" mirrors attached to one or both side mirrors; and the idea Bob Allen and Bob Andersen came up with, of [url=http://priuschat.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=4624]attaching a fake antenna to your front license plate. (See the link for a photo.)

DaveinOlyWA · 09-30-2004, 01:14 PM

fake antenna?

of for point of reference??

hmm, that does sound plausible as long as it doesnt bother my vision or whistle when driving.

you could always get one of those "curb scrapers" mounted on the front license plate and have it extend out wards instead of down so it can let you know when you are about to hit something...of course... then again...it might not work in a diff angle.

bookrats · 09-30-2004, 01:26 PM

Quote:

you could always get one of those "curb scrapers" mounted on the front license plate and have it extend out wards instead of down so it can let you know when you are about to hit something...

I think those would be a great benefit to me; but it would also make me feel as if I had reached my 80s...

DaveinOlyWA · 09-30-2004, 02:08 PM

LOL...

wasnt going to mention that part but...my other suggestion was a piece of glass like the ones used in bifocles mounted to the hood orament...

hehehe

bruceha_2000 · 09-30-2004, 02:17 PM

Or maybe the mirrors they put on the front of school buses so they don't run over the kiddies :-)

DaveinOlyWA · 09-30-2004, 02:28 PM

or FLER (pronounced "Fleer" for forward looking electronic radar)

like the cops use for looking for people at night... its said to be adjustable for nearly any type of object including programing in things like cars that have been parked for 30 mins or less....

obviously that wouldnt work for the Prius as its "heat" signature is totally different.... so now we have revealed another reason to buy a Prius!!

09-29-2004, 10:08 PM	#1
stuffmanca Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Alameda, CA Posts: 14 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Tips on Gauging front and back distance in Prius Hi, Just wanted to get some tips from the experts as to how to gauge distance from the front of the vehicle while in the driver's seat...since the hood is pretty much "out of sight' (my previous cars had some hood to gauge with) ie, some imaginary marker on the windshield sides, etc/ Also any help for gauging the distance for the back.. Will this be "a trial & error"? Thanks Ben

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09-29-2004, 10:24 PM	#3
stuffmanca Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Alameda, CA Posts: 14 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Thanks!

09-29-2004, 11:14 PM	#4
DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: South Puget Sound, WA Posts: 12,382 My Car: 2010 Prius Model: IV Package: Solar Roof Thanks: 24 Thanked 122 Times in 104 Posts Friends: 10	a good rule of thumb i use is to look at the car next to me and pull in until my door is even with theirs. other than that, the side mirrors are excellent for judging distance when backing in.

09-30-2004, 12:42 PM	#5
bookrats Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 2,843 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	I agree with Dave -- I did a fair amount of parallel parking this weekend with a rental Prius, and the side mirrors were a huge help (no passenger side mirror on my current car, an '87 Civic.) Suggestions from other threads include having one of those convex "fish-eye" mirrors attached to one or both side mirrors; and the idea Bob Allen and Bob Andersen came up with, of [url=http://priuschat.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=4624]attaching a fake antenna to your front license plate. (See the link for a photo.)

09-30-2004, 01:14 PM	#6
DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: South Puget Sound, WA Posts: 12,382 My Car: 2010 Prius Model: IV Package: Solar Roof Thanks: 24 Thanked 122 Times in 104 Posts Friends: 10	fake antenna? of for point of reference?? hmm, that does sound plausible as long as it doesnt bother my vision or whistle when driving. you could always get one of those "curb scrapers" mounted on the front license plate and have it extend out wards instead of down so it can let you know when you are about to hit something...of course... then again...it might not work in a diff angle.

09-30-2004, 02:08 PM	#8
DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: South Puget Sound, WA Posts: 12,382 My Car: 2010 Prius Model: IV Package: Solar Roof Thanks: 24 Thanked 122 Times in 104 Posts Friends: 10	LOL... wasnt going to mention that part but...my other suggestion was a piece of glass like the ones used in bifocles mounted to the hood orament... hehehe

09-30-2004, 02:17 PM	#9
bruceha_2000 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: South Burlington, VT Posts: 2,549 My Car: 2004 Prius Model: Package: #8 Thanks: 6 Thanked 17 Times in 16 Posts Friends: 1	Or maybe the mirrors they put on the front of school buses so they don't run over the kiddies :-)

09-30-2004, 02:28 PM	#10
DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: South Puget Sound, WA Posts: 12,382 My Car: 2010 Prius Model: IV Package: Solar Roof Thanks: 24 Thanked 122 Times in 104 Posts Friends: 10	or FLER (pronounced "Fleer" for forward looking electronic radar) like the cops use for looking for people at night... its said to be adjustable for nearly any type of object including programing in things like cars that have been parked for 30 mins or less.... obviously that wouldnt work for the Prius as its "heat" signature is totally different.... so now we have revealed another reason to buy a Prius!!