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Getting used to using backup camera -advice anyone?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by socal, Dec 10, 2009.

  1. socal

    socal New Member

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    This may sound stupid, but here it goes.

    I bought a 2007 Prius with a backup camera and I havent had a lot of time to play with it. I also had a question about how to best use it. Correct me if I am wrong, but it should be only used for parallel parking or tight parking situations and not for reversing out of a spot or reversing for anything other than parking in a tight situation, right? Forget about the possibility of not seeing a fast moving vehicle, it would be very easy to miss a slow moving pedesterian who isnt paying attention if they walk RIGHT behind you as you are backing up if you are solely relying on the camera and not looking back. I just want this confirmed unless perhaps I am not aware of the power of the camera's ability to provide side visibility.

    Which brings me to my next question: To get familiar with judging distances when parking in close quarters and not playing real life bumper cars, how did you guys/gals get familiar with the camera? Did you set up trashcans and practice parallel parking? I would be really interested to learn how this learning curve is achieved because people rave about this camera's ability to safely get within an inch of another vehicle. Others swear they will never get another car without a camera. I am eager to harness this power at my disposal so any tips or strategies would be greatly appreciated. Is it just me or was it odd for anyone else to back up without looking backwards? I am struggling a little bit with letting go and trusting the camera.

    Thanks!
     
    #1 socal, Dec 10, 2009
  2. AussieOwner

    AussieOwner Active Member

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    Because I have an after market camera, I also have a few problems with it, mainly when reversing in bright sunshine. However, I use the old fashion, non-camera approach to reversion, including reverse parking, until I get to a point where I cannot easily see how much room I have left to play with. Then I glance at the screen to see how much more I can go back. If it is a really tight spot, or reversing into a spot in a parking garage, then I may keep my eye on the screen more to judge the gap left.
    I also use it where I am nose in a parking space or in a driveway where I need to reverse out. Again, more of a glance once I have put the car in reverse to see if there is anything below the window line that I would not be able to see by looking out the back window, then revert to non-camera mode of actually looking out the back while reversing.
    To get a feel for how accurate the camera is, I did a quick test - very slow speed on my garage door, with a few hops out to check the actual distance. It only took a couple of attempts to feel confident with the camera.
     
    #2 AussieOwner, Dec 10, 2009
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  3. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    How would you miss a car or a pedestrian while using the camera? I'm really puzzled by your thinking. Obviously you also want to use your mirrors and swivel your head and look behind. No one method gives you all of the information.

    That said, the backup camera will allow you to see cars to the side when backup out, long before you can see them with your eyes or mirrors. The backup camera is wide angle, so it gives a fairly good view to either side and also of the ground behind the car. Just remember that it is wide angle, so things look smaller and farther away.

    The key to using the camera for precision placement is to realize that the rear bumper is visible at the bottom of the screen. You can look down and see the top of the bumper, which allows you to back within millimeters of an obstruction.

    Tom
     
    #3 qbee42, Dec 10, 2009
  4. socal

    socal New Member

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    I am shocked by your comment. How could you miss a car or pedestrian? Easily. You are in a crowded mall parking lot with a car tightly parked next to you on either side. A car is coming down your parking row at 15 mph and is driving closely to the parked cars. If you dont have 160-180 degrees from the point of the camera, there is a strong possibility of hitting the car if you dont identify it within 50 or so feet. My question is if the camaera has a capability to safely use for the purpose of backing out of a parking space with no obstruction behind you but with the possibility of pedestrians or cars coming down the parking row. I havent looked at the camera with great detail yet but I would presume not or that people are not using it for that purpose even if it offers 160 degrees plus visibility as it leaves to many uncontrolled variables. Either way, I am just interested in the different uses of the camera by every day people and any strategies they use for fitting in to close quarters. . I suspect it is strictly for close quarters parking (chiefly parallel) and not for backing out of a parking space.
     
    #4 socal, Dec 10, 2009
  5. dogfriend

    dogfriend Human - Animal Hybrid

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    I just backup until a hear a loud thud, then I shift into D and take off. :madgrin:
     
    #5 dogfriend, Dec 10, 2009
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  6. going red baby!

    going red baby! still a n00b

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    I floor it in R. Never leave a witness behind who can communicate.
     
    #6 going red baby!, Dec 11, 2009
  7. dogfriend

    dogfriend Human - Animal Hybrid

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    Did you know the speedo works in R? You can see how fast you're going when you hit someone. :madgrin:
     
    #7 dogfriend, Dec 11, 2009
  8. socal

    socal New Member

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    I love these replies. Why is it that on every web forum it seems that the people with more than 1000 or so posts always say the most asinine things. You guys are my heros! Go on, pump up your post count. Tell me how much you love to run people over..yeah!

    Going Red Baby! says: "Hey dog friend. Run over the people in reverse!"
    Dogfriend says: "I love to hear the thud. ROOOOMMMMMM!"
    Going Red Baby!: "Yeah!!!"
    Going Red Baby and Dogfriend thinks to themselves: Man, we are cool. We rule this site. The posters at the Prius forum know we ROCK:rockon::rockon::rockon::rockon::rockon:

    Socal says: Thanks Going Flaming Red Baby and Dogbreath!
     
    #8 socal, Dec 11, 2009
  9. dogfriend

    dogfriend Human - Animal Hybrid

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    Glad you have a sense of humor. I was going to give you a serious answer originally, but its already been covered by Aussie Owner and Tom.

    You could also search for this since its been covered many times. I have answered the same question a few times in the previous 1000's of posts.
     
    #9 dogfriend, Dec 11, 2009
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  10. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    Let's first look at the option of backing without a camera. Do you have a 180° view with your eyes at the back of the car? No. So how do you back out safely without a camera? The answer is that you do so slowly and carefully, always prepared to stop at the first sign of trouble.

    You do the same when you have a backup camera, but now you also have a nearly 180° view from the back of the car. The camera gives you *additional* information. It doesn't replace the other information, nor does it replace good driving.

    I'm sorry to put so sharp a point on it, but if you cannot understand this simple concept, I'm not going to be able to help you with your question.

    Tom
     
    #10 qbee42, Dec 11, 2009
  11. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    "I'd like to buy a sense of humor, Bob."

    Next time remember to use the [humor]...[/humor] flags. It helps for the humor challenged.

    Tom
     
    #11 qbee42, Dec 11, 2009
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