FocusCanada Forums

http://www.ford.com/about-ford/news-announ...and-radar-28026

Well thats a good idea. It dosnt look to bulky either. I wonder what type of car that is?

Now the old folks won't have any excuses.............

I can still turn my head, so I think I'm alright for the moment...

All these systems are great and all, intheory, but really, in the long run, it's not goin gto make drivers any better. In fact it will make them worse drivers than they already are. Bad drivers will become reliant on these sytems to keep them from being in crashes (I don't call them accidents because 90% of the time it's not an accident, it's plain and simple, a crash) and their bad driving habits will get worse.

Its still a pretty good idea

Honestly, not trying to start an argument here, but, the mirror is a good idea but the radar system, give me a f'n break. People need to open their eyes and use them. Not rely on a radar system to tell them if there's a car behind, beside or ahead of them.

focusracer,Apr 10 2008, 07:01 PM Wrote:Honestly, not trying to start an argument here, but, the mirror is a good idea but the radar system, give me a f'n break. People need to open their eyes and use them. Not rely on a radar system to tell them if there's a car behind, beside or ahead of them.
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True, but it's been working fine for Volvo, so why wouldn't Ford try and implement it into their cars? Ford's got the technology at their fingertips... I say use it.

I can just see it being used as an excuse for having a crash.

"But your honor I didn't see the other car in my radar."

I don't discredit the the technology butI personally don't think it's that great. I could see it being a distraction as well.

On a plus side, it might cut down on people plowing into motorcycles. Being a victim of a jack ass who "didn't see him" when I was 3/4 the way past him riding a bright neon green ZX7RR (he had to have heard me) , I could see it possibly helping in those situations. I just think it promotes laziness and would lower your knowledge of your surroundings.

focusracer,Apr 10 2008, 10:27 AM Wrote:All these systems are great and all, intheory, but really, in the long run, it's not goin gto make drivers any better. In fact it will make them worse drivers than they already are. Bad drivers will become reliant on these sytems to keep them from being in crashes (I don't call them accidents because 90% of the time it's not an accident, it's plain and simple, a crash) and their bad driving habits will get worse.
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Kinda like ABS. Anyone remember the good old days when people would actually allow a reasonable space behind each car on the roads? I miss the sound of screeching tires and then listening or bracing for the big crunch.

Wow these should definately be implemented for all of the driving schools around here. They'd match well with those huge oversized rearview mirrors!

Ok seriously... whats the point of these? TURN YOUR HEAD AND LOOK! I'm sure some people do have limited ability to turn their heads, and these would be fine.

I don't know about everyone else here, but looking over my shoulder is instinctive after this many years of driving. If I had these mirrors on my car, I'd still be looking.

torradan,Apr 11 2008, 08:41 AM Wrote:Wow these should definately be implemented for all of the driving schools around here.  They'd match well with those huge oversized rearview mirrors!

Ok seriously... whats the point of these?  TURN YOUR HEAD AND LOOK!  I'm sure some people do have limited ability to turn their heads, and these would be fine.

I don't know about everyone else here, but looking over my shoulder is instinctive after this many years of driving.  If I had these mirrors on my car, I'd still be looking.
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NEW PRODUCT IDEA!!!!!!
Driving School Fleet Vehicle.......or are those Corrollas?

Philosophically I`m 100% with you ... checking the blind spot was one of the first things they taught me at driver ed, and to give you a sense of when that was it was in a Dodge Monaco with a 318 in it ... but I`ve gotten to the point now where I`m paranoid to drive in anyone`s blind spot because it doesn`t seem to be the fashion these days to look over the shoulder ... and so for me, just like the mirror is technology to assist with seeing behind, I`m all for advanced technology making it easier and better for drivers to do so. Encouraging laziness and bad habits ... I guess so ... but the results are what I think I`d focus on and I think this could make driving safer.

torradan,Apr 11 2008, 08:41 AM Wrote:Wow these should definately be implemented for all of the driving schools around here.  They'd match well with those huge oversized rearview mirrors!

Ok seriously... whats the point of these?  TURN YOUR HEAD AND LOOK!  I'm sure some people do have limited ability to turn their heads, and these would be fine.

I don't know about everyone else here, but looking over my shoulder is instinctive after this many years of driving.  If I had these mirrors on my car, I'd still be looking.
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Indeed, I mean how different is the idea than the one being pushed by Infiniti in their redesigned SUV? (The camera system in the dash that looks *AROUND* the car for you while you're reversing?)

I mean that's a great idea in theory but I just wonder if its going to encourage drivers of those cars to pay even less attention while backing up than they do now?

See, technology used right is a boon, used wrong its a crutch that encourages careless & thoughtless behaviours IMO <_<

NefCanuck

Like I said about the mirror, it's a good idea. I have one of those little 1.5" convex round mirror stuck into the bottom of my driver side mirror to help eliminate a blind spot there, I have my mirrors set up, like my race instructor told me, that I can barely see the side of my car (as Stu put it, You know what color your car is right.) I can see a car in my mirror still by the time it comes into my peripheral but yet I still shoulder check before every lane change etc.

focusracer,Apr 11 2008, 02:03 AM Wrote:Being a victim of a jack ass who "didn't see him" when  I was 3/4 the way past him riding a bright neon green ZX7RR (he had to have heard me)
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sh1t. glad you are still around

its so true that you need to ride like everyone driving a cage is the mega death out to get you

i hate to ask but where you lane splitting or in your own lane....

I was in my own lane, we were rolling through a mountain pass, 2 lanes each direction plus suicide lane in the middle. I was the lead bike, pulled into the left lane to pass him, 1st car we'd come across in about 10 minutes, he was doing probably 80 we were sitting at about 100kmh. The posted speed was 90 but we were definitely not over our abilities for conditions etc.

I pulled out to pass him, nice and smooth, not a jerky high speed pass, even looked into his back seat at his dog as I passed.

He all of a sudden moved over, hitting the rear of my bike and almost smoking my buddy behind me. Next thing I know, I'm sideways and being pitched off the bike, tumbling down the highway, didn't see the bike coming but it landed on my shoulder, dislocating it, and I vaguely remember seeing his wheels go by my face about a foot away. He kept going, my buddies both stopped to see if I was dead, Joe took off after the guy while Dave stayed with me and called for an ambulance.

Joe got clocked by a cop doing a buck eighty catching up, he pulled in front of the guy as the cop chased him down.

I came out of it with a dislocated shoulder, broken right ankle and bruising over a good portion of my body.

In court, he told the judge that he didn't see me, I held up my jacket and helmet, both bright Kawasaki green, not to mention the entire bike, and mentioned to the judge that I had a Vance and Hines race pipe on it.

The judge found him guilty on the charges, driving with undue care and attention, fleeing an accident scene, causing an accident etc as well as ordering a full medical including sight and hearing tests.

I got the value of the bike plus a lump sum for damages etc.