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The “fifth wheel” parallel parking tool that never hit it big (2018)

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Re: The “fifth wheel” parallel parking tool that never hit it big (2018)

#41

Post by 4wsn »

DocTomoe wrote: post #39
litoE wrote: post #34

Many years ago I visited Buenos Aires, Argentina. In the flat parts of the city center, people would parallel-park their cars and leave them in neutral (very few cars had automatic transmissions) and without setting the parking brake. When you arrived and found a parking spot, there would be a man that, for some standard tip, would push all the cars in front or behind you, one at a time, until they were all bumper to…

That sounds like the French system, only they push the other car forward with their car instead of requiring some random car pusher guy. And somehow that is legal (?) Just over the border in Germany there's a good chance of getting beaten to death if you attempt something like that. Cars are holy here.

This is one of my favorite things about living in Germany. I bought my current car in 2018; it doesn't have a single scratch. Back home I'd be lucky to go six months without some careless idiot damaging it.

Re: The “fifth wheel” parallel parking tool that never hit it big (2018)

#42

Post by gambiting »

onionisafruit wrote: post #21
blamazon wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nowadays automated parallel parking is a relatively commonplace thing ("it's got smaht pahk!"[1]) and we have come full circle. Hardware complexity superseded by software complexity. Kinda neat. Interestingly, automated parallel parking systems are allowed to be used during road licensing tests in the area where I live, to demonstrate parallel parking competency. Same goes for all driver aid systems, including Tesla…

BMW has automated parallel parking, but I never use it because it is so slow. I love gadgets and automation so I tried, but I can’t in good conscience make everybody behind me wait while my car backs in at 2mph.

So I think it just depends. I had a 2016 Mercedes with it, and it was the slowest thing in the world - I would parallel park myself twice in the time it took to do it once. But now I have a 2020 Volvo XC60 and it's very fast and reliable, I have no issues using it even in heavy traffic , it doesn't feel like I'm holding up people while parking.

Re: The “fifth wheel” parallel parking tool that never hit it big (2018)

#43

Post by philjohn »

paxys wrote: post #35
litoE wrote: post #34

Many years ago I visited Buenos Aires, Argentina. In the flat parts of the city center, people would parallel-park their cars and leave them in neutral (very few cars had automatic transmissions) and without setting the parking brake. When you arrived and found a parking spot, there would be a man that, for some standard tip, would push all the cars in front or behind you, one at a time, until they were all bumper to…

I have found that across most of the world (including expensive "first world" countries in Europe) it is perfectly normal for cars to have random dings and bumps from everyday use. I had a tour guide in Italy who "nudged" the cars on either end while getting into a parking spot and no one thought twice about it. In the US it would have caused a mini riot. Over here for some reason it is socially unacceptable to have…

The Grand Tour touched on this with their "french cars" episode.

Re: The “fifth wheel” parallel parking tool that never hit it big (2018)

#44

Post by gambiting »

syrrim wrote: post #28
pandaman wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Watching Russian dashcam videos you'd think people found their licenses in a cereal box yet it requires a stern test with theoretical questions of the form "Here is an intersection, one street has a rail line, there are an ambulance, a fire truck, a military column and a bus on each side, who has the right of way?" (and the answer is that it's a bus because even though the fire truck would have a right of way normall…

I'm assuming everyone just bribes their way through the test?

I don't think that's right. In Poland the theoretical test is just as stupid as OP said, with a lot of "gotcha" questions designed specifically to catch you out, and yet people pass without bribery and then drive like bellends on the road. Having said that, people drive very aggressively and frequently are inconsiderate, but I'd say they absolutely know what the rules are - they just choose to ignore them because they think they can.

Re: The “fifth wheel” parallel parking tool that never hit it big (2018)

#45

Post by gambiting »

JKCalhoun wrote: post #23
mauvehaus wrote: post #16

Parallel parking just isn't hard enough to justify the expense and complexity (same thing, really) of adding this device to a car. This is a lot of gizmosity to solve a problem that can be solved with a couple hours of practice on a quiet street.

Imagine if a few had gone mainstream though: it looks like they could parallel park so tight that cars in front of or behind might be unable to get out.

In my experience cars that have that system can both get in and out for you.

Re: The “fifth wheel” parallel parking tool that never hit it big (2018)

#46

Post by Animats »

dhosek wrote: post #4

There was another idea I remember reading about in the 70s or 80s in (I think) Omni Magazine : Four wheel steering: All four wheels can be rotated. with the steering wheel. Turn the wheels to a full 90° and you can then move the car sideways into a parallel space. A lot more practical than this plan which pretty much destroys all the trunk space. Especially, with an EV where you can connect motors directly to each wh…

The GM Hummer EV has that.[1] It can crab-walk.

That vehicle is a remarkable technical achievement. It weighs 9,000 pounds, has 1000 horsepower, costs around US$100,000, and goes from 0 to 60 MPH in 3 seconds. It handles well, using an active suspension system to hide some of the problems of moving so much mass around. The stopping distance is rather long, though. CNN calls it "a brilliant execution of a terrible idea."

[1] https://youtu.be/9pwoY26Q1AI

Re: The “fifth wheel” parallel parking tool that never hit it big (2018)

#47

Post by mrb »

gambiting wrote: post #45
JKCalhoun wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Imagine if a few had gone mainstream though: it looks like they could parallel park so tight that cars in front of or behind might be unable to get out.

In my experience cars that have that system can both get in and out for you.

He means cars that do NOT have the feature may be unable to get out, as they may be trapped by cars that have the feature and park extremely close

Re: The “fifth wheel” parallel parking tool that never hit it big (2018)

#48

Post by gambiting »

mrb wrote: post #47
gambiting wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In my experience cars that have that system can both get in and out for you.

He means cars that do NOT have the feature may be unable to get out, as they may be trapped by cars that have the feature and park extremely close

Does he? He said imagine if that feature is mainstream - so I'm assuming other cars also have this system.

Also, I don't understand why you'd blame the system if anyone gets "trapped" - you have your own eyes, no? Even when you park manually you have to judge if others can still leave. If the computer parks for you in such a way that makes others unable to leave.....then park somewhere else????? What is it with absolving people of personal responsibility all the time.

Re: The “fifth wheel” parallel parking tool that never hit it big (2018)

#49

Post by fomine3 »

Tagbert wrote: post #11
aidenn0 wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The advantages of four wheel steering at driving speeds are largely (completely?) negated by active traction control (supplying power and breaking to each wheel independently). You're not going to see a car turn its wheels 90 degrees because of both the large space needed (the cavity for the wheel to turn in) plus the complexity of linkages that can handle that amount of turning. This idea might make more sense today…

The Japanese cars (Mitsubishi and Acura) that had 4-wheel steering only used a very narrow range of deflection to the wheels. It was intended to adjust cornering but not designed for major off-axis motion.

Toyota Mega Cruiser has 4WS for small turn radius https://global.toyota/en/detail/7882359

Re: The “fifth wheel” parallel parking tool that never hit it big (2018)

#50

Post by Cockbrand »

4wsn wrote: post #41
DocTomoe wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That sounds like the French system, only they push the other car forward with their car instead of requiring some random car pusher guy. And somehow that is legal (?) Just over the border in Germany there's a good chance of getting beaten to death if you attempt something like that. Cars are holy here.

This is one of my favorite things about living in Germany. I bought my current car in 2018; it doesn't have a single scratch. Back home I'd be lucky to go six months without some careless idiot damaging it.

It's in fact one of my least favorite things about living in Germany (not the pristine-ness, but the holiness GP mentioned). Cars are absolutely holy, many drivers absolutely freak out when you dare touching their car or take up precious road space with your unworthy bicycle. Traffic rules for cars are often mere recommendations, and breaking them goes unsanctioned. Prioritizing motorized traffic is a borderline religion (e.g. the eternal discussion about a speed limit on the Autobahn), and other means of traffic are only very slowly awakening. What a waste of space, resources and quality of life.
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