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small suv good in snow

Jully

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I have one on my new truck but don't like it.I feel distracted looking at the screen instead of my mirrors.I seem to take a quick look and then go back to the mirrors.

I've never even gotten the chance to use one. I'm not sure how it would feel to me. Definitely weird, but it'd be really useful for parallel parking at a minimum.
 

Smellytele

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Right where I want to be
The newer cameras with the lines showing you where you will go if you continue on the path you are are much better than the one that is just a camera view like on my wife's traverse.
 

mbedle

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I just purchased a new truck after having an old dodge since 2002. It has a backup camera and I'm still divided on how usable or safe they are. For backing up at home, its the best thing since sliced bread. For moving the trailer, it also is pretty nice. In a parking lot, I find that I feel a lot safer turning around to see cars around me and don't really rely on the camera to much.
 

mbedle

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I've never even gotten the chance to use one. I'm not sure how it would feel to me. Definitely weird, but it'd be really useful for parallel parking at a minimum.


Good point on the parallel parking, but I don't run into that to much.
 

cdskier

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I love the camera in my truck. It makes parking much easier.

I'll second that. The rear-view camera was one of my absolute "must-have options" 10 years ago when I bought my truck. Back then it was a pain as the only way to get it on my truck was to also get the built-in Nav system.
 

BenedictGomez

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The newer cameras with the lines showing you where you will go if you continue on the path you are are much better than the one that is just a camera view like on my wife's traverse.

This is what I have. It's my first experience with a back-up camera, and I question how safe it is.

I guess if they're mandating it it means they must have data showing it leads to > safety, but to me it seems awkward looking down at a screen, but mostly because I feel I lose some degrees of peripheral vision. Also, honestly, I don't get the point frankly. Is turning your head a safety impediment?

The only thing I really like about it is for reversing into parking spots I can see precisely if my car is lined-up within the white lines. That's pretty cool.
 

yeggous

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This is what I have. It's my first experience with a back-up camera, and I question how safe it is.

I guess if they're mandating it it means they must have data showing it leads to > safety, but to me it seems awkward looking down at a screen, but mostly because I feel I lose some degrees of peripheral vision. Also, honestly, I don't get the point frankly. Is turning your head a safety impediment?

The only thing I really like about it is for reversing into parking spots I can see precisely if my car is lined-up within the white lines. That's pretty cool.

The motivation is that people keep on running over small children in their driveways. You could put a toddler behind my truck and there is no way I am going to see him without the camera. It doesn't matter if I physically turn around because my tailgate is not transparent.

The camera also makes it much easier to back up to a trailer hitch. I can do it solo with much greater ease.
 

BenedictGomez

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^ The kiddie thing makes sense. Dogs and cats, etc... too. This assumes people actually use them of course, which makes me wonder if new drivers tend to rely on them or if they are traditional "look back'ers". I'm really not using mine, but that well might be simply because I didn't grow up with it.
 

prsboogie

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^ The kiddie thing makes sense. Dogs and cats, etc... too. This assumes people actually use them of course, which makes me wonder if new drivers tend to rely on them or if they are traditional "look back'ers". I'm really not using mine, but that well might be simply because I didn't grow up with it.

My father in law used it on his Prius and side swiped a wall, he obviously learned a valuable lesson with cameras; you still have to use your mirrors and turn your head. I love being able to parallel into spots with the 4Runner I normally wouldn't think of getting into.


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Scruffy

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Low fruit is a good way to put it. Very little expense was required to prevent a big problem. The Ford / Firestone debacle killed a couple hundred people. That was a strong argument in favor of it being necessary.

Good news on the tailgating issue. Automatic braking is already being mandated as standard equipment in the immediate future. If somebody gets closer than is safe, their car will not so gently remind them by hitting the brakes. This is already an option on just about every car for sale today.


Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone mobile app

My understanding is that, currently, collision avoidance systems monitor for an imminent crash, and then apply the brakes. Not necessarily for following too close. For the tailgating issue, you'd need to use adaptive cruise control for the vehicle to brake and maintain a safe distance. True?

As to the backup camera: It's good start. To it's applicability of running over a child playing behind your vehicle while backing, you still need to watch what's in the camera's field of view and be responsible. Certainly, if forward crash avoidance systems can stop the car before you ram the car in front of you, or hit a wall, it should brake the vehicle before it runs over the child, or anything else for that matter; currently they don't do that.
 

2Planker

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20 pages later....

No Brainer - AUDI all the way. New Q5 is excellent w/ true Quattro rather than the Q3's Haldex AWD.

Car, SUV don't matter. If you need AWD then you should go w/ the company that pretty much invented it 40 years ago.
Best Interiors, Best Technology, best AWD....

Also Consumer Reports Best Car Manufacturer for 2016 - http://www.newsday.com/classifieds/...2016-include-audi-subaru-and-lexus-1.11504841
 

Scruffy

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20 pages later....

No Brainer - AUDI all the way. New Q5 is excellent w/ true Quattro rather than the Q3's Haldex AWD.

Car, SUV don't matter. If you need AWD then you should go w/ the company that pretty much invented it 40 years ago.
Best Interiors, Best Technology, best AWD....

Also Consumer Reports Best Car Manufacturer for 2016 - http://www.newsday.com/classifieds/...2016-include-audi-subaru-and-lexus-1.11504841

Right country, wrong company, wrong timeframe.
 

yeggous

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My understanding is that, currently, collision avoidance systems monitor for an imminent crash, and then apply the brakes. Not necessarily for following too close. For the tailgating issue, you'd need to use adaptive cruise control for the vehicle to brake and maintain a safe distance. True?

As to the backup camera: It's good start. To it's applicability of running over a child playing behind your vehicle while backing, you still need to watch what's in the camera's field of view and be responsible. Certainly, if forward crash avoidance systems can stop the car before you ram the car in front of you, or hit a wall, it should brake the vehicle before it runs over the child, or anything else for that matter; currently they don't do that.

That all depends on the manufacturer. Some do brake for pedestrians. And some do work at highway speeds. Do your homework before you buy.


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SIKSKIER

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Don't understand the turning around thing.I always use my mirrors.Mirrors are much more effective when backing into a parking spot cuz you see right down the side of yours and the other vehicle.Cant do that turning around.
 

2Planker

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Except that teh camera does have the markings of where you are headed.

I'm old fashioned - Mirrors and turn around. Wife does it pretty slick w/ the back up camera.
 

Edd

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My Forester is very tricky to me when it comes to judging distance in the front and back. It looks like your right on top of something even if you're 3 feet away. I've never gotten used to it. I'd love to try a backup camera.
 
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