Rear Parktronics Fallacy
01-18-2004, 10:30 AM
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: ATLANTA,GA.
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
2003 E500 SPORT
Rear Parktronics Fallacy
Well Guys my wife found out a hard lesson yesterday. She backed up hard into a Metal Mailbox. The damage may not look like much but it will cost at least a grand. She took out the trunk mounted taillight as well as dented the trunk above and below it.
She said in backing up she never heard or saw the rear parktronic lights or beeps go off and she of course had the rear sun screen in the up position that obscured her rear vision of upcoming doom.
I explained to her while gritting all my teeth for her lack of wisdom that the rear units are designed to catch oblstacles in their immediate patch and not items that are above its field of coverage.
I put this out to the forum members as a subtle warning that the fault of the sensors is less than the fault of the driver and their common sense.
My wife now will wear her own induced DUMB **** sign for quite a few months. Make sure we and the rest of our spouse's and kids dare not repeat the process.
Derek.
She said in backing up she never heard or saw the rear parktronic lights or beeps go off and she of course had the rear sun screen in the up position that obscured her rear vision of upcoming doom.
I explained to her while gritting all my teeth for her lack of wisdom that the rear units are designed to catch oblstacles in their immediate patch and not items that are above its field of coverage.
I put this out to the forum members as a subtle warning that the fault of the sensors is less than the fault of the driver and their common sense.
My wife now will wear her own induced DUMB **** sign for quite a few months. Make sure we and the rest of our spouse's and kids dare not repeat the process.
Derek.
01-18-2004, 11:18 AM
#2
MBWorld Fanatic!
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: HK (but constantly travelling)
Posts: 4,169
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
98 W210 Advantgarde
Ouch! If it was close enough to hit the boot, it should be within the range of the sensors....
Not trying to discredit your missus but technology is sometimes an easy excuse for one's mistakes. Its not hard to forget about the beeps if you get too used to them or not hear them with the audio up high. I also sometimes forget to turn them back on when I switch the system off after pedastrians get too close at head of the lights.......lucky my sixth sense tells me that its all too quiet when I need to reverse.
My advice - never fully depend on technology or forget the things they taught us at driving school.......the old techniques are sometimes more effective than the gadgets
Not trying to discredit your missus but technology is sometimes an easy excuse for one's mistakes. Its not hard to forget about the beeps if you get too used to them or not hear them with the audio up high. I also sometimes forget to turn them back on when I switch the system off after pedastrians get too close at head of the lights.......lucky my sixth sense tells me that its all too quiet when I need to reverse. My advice - never fully depend on technology or forget the things they taught us at driving school.......the old techniques are sometimes more effective than the gadgets
01-18-2004, 02:45 PM
#3
MBWorld Fanatic!
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Fullerton, CA
Posts: 5,997
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
'07 R350. '05 C230. '93 454SS Truck. '71 Chevelle SS.
Ouch. That sucks. I've always wondered about parktronic and if it really works or just becomes a nuisance. Anyway, I suppose it's all in the way you use it. I agree Whitey, when in doubt, use those driver's ed lessons and put them to use...
01-18-2004, 04:21 PM
#4
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: ATLANTA,GA.
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
2003 E500 SPORT
I went back to the scene of the crime/damage.
The mailbox extends out from the pole and is a trunk height where our center mounted tailight section is......therefore the sensors did not pick it up as the pole is inset about 12 inches or more...............Frau learned a lesson.............LOOK............
Derek.
The mailbox extends out from the pole and is a trunk height where our center mounted tailight section is......therefore the sensors did not pick it up as the pole is inset about 12 inches or more...............Frau learned a lesson.............LOOK............
Derek.
