h a l f b a k e r yStrap *this* to the back of your cat.
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Parallel parking is a pain. But I have become familiar with how large boats make apparently perfect landings - they have extra "thrusters" at bow and sometimes stern.
These are usually electically driven, and provide just enough push in the right direction to overcome wind, currents, etc. and gently
glide into the narrowest space.
(Much larger ships have tugboats, but this idea is not going there...)
How to do the equivalent for cars? Simply stiffen the suspension greatly, and add a gear selection for ^/v (up and down.) So gears are now P R N D1 D2 ^/v.
In (^/v), the car's suspension is driven up and down near resonance, and the car gently "floats" sideways.
To parallel park in a narrow spot, simply come along side, shift into up/down, and rev the engine a bit. In this mode, the wheels are locked, but turning the wheel slightly provides for adjusting the hydraulics to produce a gently bouncing sideways glide in for a perfect parking experience!
To exit, reverse the process.
Could (probably should) be combined with other techniques for making sure there really is room!
Take one for a spin.
http://www.gizmag.com/go/3599/
[2 fries shy of a happy meal, Feb 10 2006]
Road Grit Distribution
Collective_20road_20gritting
possible lubricant for sticky streets [csea, Feb 23 2006]
[link]
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(+) If there were parking bollards provided, and one did not have one's gf aboard, one could remain in the driver's seat, lassoo a bollard fore and aft and gently dock..er park. Would look *tres* cool. |
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Not to sound tripe, but parallel parking is not hard at all. |
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Pull up beside the car in front of you as close as possible. Line up the rear axle of your car with the rearmost point of your reference vehicle. Begin reversing at a constant rate, and crank the wheel all the way to the right, and in the same movement, crank it back left at the same rate. |
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Your wheels will touch the curb keeping your car from rolling backwards as well. |
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You'll still have to line up your car using basic spatial awareness for your technique as well. |
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[Giblet] That technique only works in some countries, and I think that it is hard for you to see the beauty in this idea when viewing it anally. :) |
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Whether parallel parking is easy or hard is orthogonal to the invention under discussion. There are a limitless number of reasons to not do something and most of those are best kept to yourself. |
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[Giblet]
Thanks for the lesson; as a resident of the over-parked San Francisco Bay Area, I'm actually quite skilled at the technique you describe, wouldn't it be nice if we all were? |
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[2F] Cool! But I _like_ bouncing! Tigger was my hero! |
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[+] truly excellent. You'd just have to angle the thrusters a bit for use on hills. |
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Just mount the thrusters/fans on the hubcaps. Have them pop out when engaged, and angle a bit. |
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Could be combined with those spinning rims. |
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Name the front one "bling" and the other.... |
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Should be especially fun with a Big Gulp or Huge Coffee-Flavored Sugared Milk in every one of the twenty-seven cupholders in the bimbobox. |
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Parallel parking is part of the driving test here in the UK. You have to perform one perfectly on your test to pass. |
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If your wheels touch the kerb, [Giblet], you fail!!! :) |
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Wouldn't the crown of the road tend to guarantee that once you've put your car next to the curb, it's going to stay there? I've never managed to bounce uphill. |
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How about grit instead of grease? See my anno on [fishrat's] grit distribution idea. |
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Parallel parking is one of the last great
everyday arts. We must hold on to what
few meaningless traditions we have left. |
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would it not be simpler to have a set of hyraulically controlled trolley wheels, like the jacks they have on touring cars when they change the tyres (all cars should have these anyway IMHO). |
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Actually, once it's bouncing up and down, anyone outside can just push it while it's up and put it anywhere. Just stay away from the wheels. |
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Why do they call it 'parallel parking' when it resembles a series? |
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