Determining whether you are backing up straight

[gregincal]

I've had no end of difficulty when parallel parking determining whether I am in fact parallel to the curb when I finish. I keep thinking I am, and when I get out the front of the car is sticking out. Finally today I determined why this is. My mind assumes that the dashboard is straight, when in fact the touchscreen is angled towards the driver. Subconsciously when I look out the front to determine whether I'm straight I want the touchscreen to be perpendicular to the curb, which results in the front of the car sticking out.

Does anybody else have this problem? Even being aware of it, I still find it hard to tell when I'm parallel to the curb. Looking in turned down rear mirror doesn't seem to help me either because of the outwards sweep of the rear end, and the camera is too much of a fisheye to determine whether anything's parallel.

 

[Jeeps17]

One other reason why guide lines on the rear-view camera would be useful...

 

[Doug_G]

The only way I've found that I can get the car straight when backing into a spot is to use the side mirrors.

Rear view camera guide lines would be immensely useful, especially the type that curve as you turn the wheel.

 

[MikeK]

Never mind parallel parking, I can't park the damned car straight in a standard parking stall in a parking lot. I'm not sure if it's the 17" as you suggest, or if it's the creases in the hood, or if it's the fact that the car is wider in the back than it is in the front.

I would dearly love one of the multi-camera systems like the BMW X3 has that shows you a simulated overhead view of your car.

 

[neroden]

My fiancee has been having trouble telling whether she's moving straight in Electro, too.

For some reason I haven't had any trouble. I must be working off different cues. I think I'm watching the scene in the rear-view-mirror or through the windshield and seeing whether it shifts left-to-right.

 

[jhs_7645]

There are two problems with trying to park straight.
1) the rear wheelspan is roughly 6 inches wider than the front so if you're looking at a line and your wheels (say a parkings space) you need to park with the back wheels a bit closer to the line than the front.
2) To make matters worse, if you're backing up the rear-camera is a bit off center so the view back is slightly askew. If you're backing straight back (really straight back) the rear camera will give the illusion that it is not straight, when in fact it is.

This has taken me quite a while to adjust to. I think I've finally re-calibrated my brain, and have noticed (after two months) that I'm finally parking straight.

 

[jerry33]

I've only had my car a few days, but backing in doesn't seem to be much of a problem.

1. Make sure the mirrors are properly angled downward (it appears that from the factory only the driver's mirror is angled downward in reverse so you have to set the other one.

2. Line the car up (check both mirrors) then you reverse until the curb or parking line is just on the bottom edge of the screen.

3. Press park and you're perfectly parked every time.

 

[neroden]

I've actually had the most trouble figuring out where the nose of my car is. I keep having my fiancee jump out and tell me, so I don't climb the curb.

 

[joefee]

I've actually had the most trouble figuring out where the nose of my car is. I keep having my fiancee jump out and tell me, so I don't climb the curb.

Good one I have to get my wife to do the same …. I got a minor curb rash on my 1st park job! :cursing:

 

[Al Sherman]

Determining whether you're straight.

My wife says she could always tell from my eyes. No data yet to determine if this works in the Model S which is a much wider car than any we've had previously.

 

[Electric1]

Al, can you tell us where to get one of those guys with flags to help us park?

 

[Al Sherman]

Al, can you tell us where to get one of those guys with flags to help us park?

LOL. Not sure it would help. About 20 years ago in one of those big jets where you can't see the wingtips from the cockpit one of those "flag" guys actually taxied me right into a deice truck that he was standing on top of! Long story but it was NOT a fun week 'til the FAA and Delta sorted it out. On the bright side I got a week off with pay and didn't have to go Beijing.:smile:

 

[SuperCoug]

I'm sorry, I know it's juvenile but whenever I log on to the Forum and see a post entitled "Determining whether you're straight" it makes me chuckle. I know this speaks volumes about my sophomoric tendencies! :smile:

 

[Johan]

I'm sorry, I know it's juvenile but whenever I log on to the Forum and see a post entitled "Determining whether you're straight" it makes me chuckle. I know this speaks volumes about my sophomoric tendencies! :smile:

+1
my first tought when I saw the title was "If you're unsure maybe you should try both options before you make up your mind". Then I opened the thread and saw that no-one (apparently) was as childish as me - until now

 

[rolosrevenge]

I'm sorry, I know it's juvenile but whenever I log on to the Forum and see a post entitled "Determining whether you're straight" it makes me chuckle. I know this speaks volumes about my sophomoric tendencies! :smile:

Same here, but I was expecting a more Model S specific pun related to it like the "Model S is Ahead of Its Time" thread.

 

[Desdi]

Al, can you tell us where to get one of those guys with flags to help us park?

Yea, that would be convenient. And when they start waving with rainbow colored flags, then you are definitely not straight.

 

[jerry33]

After a couple of practices, I found it really easy to park. The mirrors and backup camera work perfectly to line you up with the lines and curb--once they're set up. What I would like would be a "tilt override so that the mirrors would tilt downward during the entire parking maneuver (including when you're going forward).

 

[bonnie]

I'm trying really hard to understand the problem. Doesn't using the side mirrors to watch the back tires do the trick?

Granted, I'm not parking a Model S. But in my life (a long time ago!!!) I was a heavy equipment operator at a mining operation. (The lead operator by the time I left ... yeah!!) That's how you back things in straight. And these were BIG things. CAT 777 end dumps, Letourneau front end loaders, paddlewheel scrapers, D9 dozers, blah blah blah. Things with big tires and not much visibility. (I know some of you struggle with the idea of girls parking correctly, but honestly, we can. And those of us who do, still paint our nails and stuff. -hair fluff- )

 

[Doug_G]

I'm trying really hard to understand the problem. Doesn't using the side mirrors to watch the back tires do the trick?

That's exactly how I do it. If you expect to be able to back up straight using the camera, well, you can't.

 

[jerry33]

I'm trying really hard to understand the problem. Doesn't using the side mirrors to watch the back tires do the trick?

That's what works for me.