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Forget backup camera, how about a pull-up camera

Discussion in 'Newbie Forum' started by Ronald Doles, Jun 15, 2019.

  1. Ronald Doles

    Ronald Doles Active Member

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    Is there anyone that has not heard the crunch of plastic against concrete curb or concrete bumper when you pull a little too far into a parking space. (Beach the vehicle.) The height of those concrete bumpers/curbs is not standard and on some, you can pull forward till the tires touch while on others there is an impact with the lower front plastic of the car.

    It would be nice to have a display would switch to a forward facing camera when the vehicle senses that it is within a couple feet of one of those barriers to show you just how far you can pull forward without trashing the lower plastic of your car.

    I managed to go two months with our, new to us, 2015 Prius V before I encountered a bumper that was high. Even though I was going very slow and there was no breakage, there was some curb rash.
     
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  2. kenmce

    kenmce High Voltage Member

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    If you lie down and look up under my front bumper it is completely striped from brushing those things. I have gotten resigned to it. You could mount a pair of curb feelers sticking straight down on the bumper (do they still make those things?) or a camera. I looked into raising the front of the car and it apparently can't be done. Now I just live with it.
     
  3. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    I bet you say that to all the girls. :cool:

    But seriously, there are accessory cameras for exactly this purpose. Any stereo shop can install them for you. With a DPDT relay and a momentary pushbutton wired in, you'd be able to hold a button to check front clearance anytime, then release the button to go back to default view or rear view if you happen to be in reverse gear.
     
  4. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    Lol, and think of how ironic it would be if you accidentally broke your camera because your drove it into the curb... And even if you could position it so it wouldn't get damaged, I'd bet the camera lens would be ruined after a few thousand miles at freeway speeds.

    Anyone got part number and price on redoing the front undercarriage? The amount of times I've fixed mine with more and more short-length dry wall screws is starting to get ridiculous.

    Though I do appreciate the way the scraping of the front of the car gets people's attention. ;-) the older you get the more invisble in this culture... So I need all the help I can get!
     
  5. Slider2732

    Slider2732 Member

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    A method that could work, would be to fit a camera to the front from a little FPV quadcopter. Plug it in to the USB port or flick a switch, when parking up. A cellphone App or a 5.8GHz small screen would show the image.

    Decent cameras are around $25: https://www.gearbest.com/fpv-system/pp_593286.html
    (I use the 275T a lot on a palm sized drone and own 5 different types, which is why I linked to it. There are loads, from about $18 upwards)

    You can plug one of these dongle things in to your cellphone to view the concrete in front, for $27: How to: Use your smartphone as a 5.8GHz FPV monitor! - rcDroneArena
    Who knows, you may be a flyer and have a pair of goggles you could take the screen out of.

    So, for about $50 it's a solution. If the camera does get smashed up then it's $25 to replace it :)
     
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  6. jb in NE

    jb in NE Senior Member

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    I have not heard this. I look at the space when I pull in and know where the front of my car stops. Just stay a foot clear.

    The 2020 Subaru Outback has a forward facing camera, so you can see obstacles directly in front of the vehicle.
     
  7. 3PriusMike

    3PriusMike Prius owner since 2000, Tesla M3 2018

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    Then I guess everyone should give up on those silly autonomous car cameras

    Mike
     
  8. Skibob

    Skibob Senior Member

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    You can see the front of the car? I’m over 6 ft tall and can’t see past the windshield.
     
  9. jb in NE

    jb in NE Senior Member

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    I can't see it, but I know where it is relative to my head.
     
  10. frodoz737

    frodoz737 Top Wrench

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    Ask any body shop...ALL cars have scrapes under the front. You just need to learn your "new to you" vehicle's limits to help reduce those events. ;)
     
  11. jb in NE

    jb in NE Senior Member

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    I've never had curb rash, either. Every car, pristine wheels.
     
  12. frodoz737

    frodoz737 Top Wrench

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    Correction...almost all cars.
     
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  13. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    I grew up with a dad who was like that... Always insisted on two parking spaces in the most remote corner of the parking lot... You must make your family miserable being so uptight? Trust me, I've seen that scene close up, it's not a pretty sight...
     
  14. jb in NE

    jb in NE Senior Member

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    I take one parking space only, sometimes in the most remote corner, but frequently up close at the end of a row.

    Not at all, I just learned how to drive properly and keep my car off curbs. I park as quickly as anybody.

    Parallel parking - my Dad made me learn how to do that in a car with no power steering and a manual transmission. I get in the first try every time.
     
    #14 jb in NE, Jun 20, 2019
    Last edited: Jun 21, 2019
  15. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    Most cameras close to the ground and up front for driving assist functions are radar based, not visual based...
     
  16. 3PriusMike

    3PriusMike Prius owner since 2000, Tesla M3 2018

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    I had a 2015 Leaf with a camera up front right on the hatch for the charging port

    Mike
     
  17. Ronald Doles

    Ronald Doles Active Member

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    You must be single or divorced. My wife does far more damage to our vehicles than I do. I have learned to live with it.