Always thinking: Backing up sensor to alert driver when car is in far enough.

Thread Starter

Tonyr1084

Joined Sep 24, 2015
7,852
If you put a threaded anchor in the floor, you can attach removable chocks. A 2x4 is OK for many people, but a tapered wheel chock is better.
That's assuming she backs straight into the garage. She's come close to hitting my truck, and when I park I park virtually agains the wall. You can't walk between the truck and the wall. AND the garage is not small either.

At one time I thought about mounting rollers so that when she hits them they force the car to glide into its spot. But then there's that issue again with stuff in the floor interfering with me moving 4X8 plywood panels around.
 

Thread Starter

Tonyr1084

Joined Sep 24, 2015
7,852
The standard height door should be shorter than a typical car.
Backing in puts the nose of the car close to the closed door. I'd have to mount the ball about 2 feet from the floor so that when she backs in the ball is in the right place. But then it's probably too high for her to see it. And again, she's backing in IF the ball was hanging low enough it would have to slide across the roof and then fall in front of the windshield.
 

Thread Starter

Tonyr1084

Joined Sep 24, 2015
7,852
Is it just stubbornness? Or something else??
Not stubbornness. Lack of thoughtfulness when parking. As far as she is concerned she's just a passenger who helps the car a little bit when backing up. She's run over her pink flamingo and hit the side porch a number of times too. In short - she just doesn't think. I hate saying that about her but it's the honest truth.

Backing up - - - I've tried to teach her to use the side mirror and the side of the car as a pointer showing where she's going. She still manages to knock mirrors off the car and hit stuff that is not in her backup space.
 

jpanhalt

Joined Jan 18, 2008
11,087
I have clamps hanging on the wall. Told her not to pass them. She doesn't stop until she IS passed them. Told her I'd hang a big red stop sign on the wall. Trouble with that is she might not stop until the stop sign is in full view through the front windshield. At least a red light will tell her when to stop. I think.
Has "she" backed in without raising the door yet? How do we know your are not blaming your defenseless wife to avoid the embarrassment? ;)

Real wheel chocks will stop a truck. BTW, try backing a skid steer into a garage.
 

jpanhalt

Joined Jan 18, 2008
11,087
They have them on sale here at present for $7.00 ea, large rubber ones, two placed together should cover it.
Yes, and since the force you want to stop is always rearward, one could use a U-clip mount so they would be easy to remove by kicking forward, but not move when pushed against.
 

wayneh

Joined Sep 9, 2010
17,496
I'm confused. The car has a backup camera, right? They're required by law on all new cars as of May 2018 in the U.S. and many cars have had them for years.

Why not take advantage of that and place whatever visual cue is required in view of that camera?
 

jpanhalt

Joined Jan 18, 2008
11,087
I'm confused. The car has a backup camera, right? They're required by law on all new cars as of May 2018 in the U.S. and many cars have had them for years.

Why not take advantage of that and place whatever visual cue is required in view of that camera?
I'm not confused. None of my cars have back-up camera. And only one or two of Jay Leno's collection have one.
Not everyone has a new car every year. Think "GREEN." :)
 

dl324

Joined Mar 30, 2015
16,839
Not stubbornness. Lack of thoughtfulness when parking. As far as she is concerned she's just a passenger who helps the car a little bit when backing up.
I've heard of others like that. Would she be more thoughtful if the alternative was parking outside?
 

Thread Starter

Tonyr1084

Joined Sep 24, 2015
7,852
Has "she" backed in without raising the door yet? How do we know your are not blaming your defenseless wife to avoid the embarrassment? ;)

Real wheel chocks will stop a truck. BTW, try backing a skid steer into a garage.
Provided she hits them. And no, I'm not avoiding embarrassment.

Two bricks would do the job as rear wheel chocks.
Again, provided she hits them. She can put the back end anywhere up to 3 feet. 1 foot to the left and she's gone more than 2 feet to the right.

I like the idea of a pressure pad - the "ding-ding" at a gas station sounds like a viable option too. Provided she can hear it over her loud music. That's another issue.

As far as backup cameras - her car has one. It's a 2009 Venza. Nice car. I'd get her a smaller car but she'd be even more dangerous.
 

wayneh

Joined Sep 9, 2010
17,496
As far as backup cameras - her car has one. It's a 2009 Venza. Nice car. I'd get her a smaller car but she'd be even more dangerous.
My camera provides a great image but doesn’t see the car itself, so is a little less than perfect for precise positioning. With my trailer hitch in place, the ball is very visible and provides an excellent reference point. I can back up to my boat trailer and easily get within a half inch of perfect placement.

All I’m suggesting is to exploit the technology already in place.
 

Ya’akov

Joined Jan 27, 2019
9,069
Provided she hits them. And no, I'm not avoiding embarrassment.

Again, provided she hits them. She can put the back end anywhere up to 3 feet. 1 foot to the left and she's gone more than 2 feet to the right.

I like the idea of a pressure pad - the "ding-ding" at a gas station sounds like a viable option too. Provided she can hear it over her loud music. That's another issue.

As far as backup cameras - her car has one. It's a 2009 Venza. Nice car. I'd get her a smaller car but she'd be even more dangerous.
Put a linear array of really bright LEDs at the level of the back up camera that flash violently when she is back far enough. Effectively, make her backup camera screen into a big blinking light.
 
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djsfantasi

Joined Apr 11, 2010
9,156
Why can’t she she the tennis ball when backing up? She is looking back, right?

Or mount the tennis ball just below roof height, so when’s she’s all the way back, it drops in front of the windshield.
 
A loud buzzer or siren would probably work better than a visual cue. You could make it so the alarm continues till the car is moved forward at least an inch. Or would the operator move the car several feet forward, crashing into the now descending door.

By the way, this is an example of "negative feedback" as B.F. Skinner defined it--the removal of an aversive stimuli when the subject performs the desired action. Unfortunately, modern usage has stolen it and made it mean criticism.
 

Thread Starter

Tonyr1084

Joined Sep 24, 2015
7,852
She is looking back, right?
No. She uses the side mirrors to make sure she gets in, then stops when she feels like she's in far enough. May the force be with her. No - really!

She's really a good woman, and I'm happy with her. It's just that when she hits stuff and I give her grief I get grief for having put something in her way. Even though the garage is almost 30 feet deep, and a good 10 feet of space after she parks. Space for cabinets and for junk I really need to get rid of. I have too much junk. The neighbor across the street just offered me an old dish washer. I am having a hard time resisting grabbing it even though there's likely a good motor on there and probably a separate drain pump motor. But I haven't a specific use for it - so I really don't need to bring home MORE junk for her to crash into. Already behind my truck is a stack of stuff I need to come to grips with. Grip it and toss it!

So far what I'm liking best is the ding ding thing @MaxHeadRoom suggested. I can always add a flashing light to the dinger.

[edit] Sorry @ericgibbs I gave credit for your suggestion to Max. My apologies. And I'm looking at the site right now.
 
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