聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥淐heck rear park aid.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 That鈥檚 what my 2011 Ford Expedition Max鈥檚 instrument panel computer told me yesterday after I drove over some muddy gravel. Just a small bit, but still, it was wet. Maybe some mud got onto a sonar sensor. Maybe the wire was loose. I鈥檓 not sure. Usually, this problem seems to solve itself.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 These sensors are pretty handy when driving what, I believe, is currently the largest SUV in large-scale production right now. The Max adds at least a foot to the normal length, allowing for a four-by-eight-foot sheet of oriented strand board (OSB) to be carried internally (which came in handy last week).
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Driving such a behemoth comes with many challenges. Compared to the Geo Metro I used to drive, the Expedition is like docking an aircraft carrier without the tugboat. My wife鈥檚 F-150 is more like a supertanker, again, without the tugboat.聽Thankfully, both have integrated backup cameras to assist.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 So, too, will your next new vehicle, no matter the size, thanks to an announcement in late October from Transport Canada. Starting in May 2018, all newly manufactured vehicles in Canada will be required to have such devices. This synchronizes Canada鈥檚 requirements with those south of the border. Cameras, cameras, everywhere.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I鈥檝e had this vehicle for two and a half years now, and I still have a tough time getting used to it and its backup camera. It鈥檚 not our first, however. My wife鈥檚 2009 F-150 has one of the first production-model backup camera鈥檚 I鈥檝e seen in a truck. It鈥檚 very useful, especially for lining up a trailer. The superimposed centreline makes trailer hookups a snap. But the small screen integrated into the left side of the rearview mirror throws me for a loop. If I focus on the camera, my eyes go all squirrelly looking over a few inches at the main mirror, and vice versa.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Similarly, on my Expedition, the much larger screen is mounted in the centre of the dash.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽It鈥檚 a lot easier to see, but now I get a little discombobulated, looking at the outside mirrors, centre mirror, camera, over my shoulder, and back.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 This is where those rear sonar sensors are quite useful. As I鈥檓 trying to dock my aircraft carrier, the audio cues make me feel a little more comfortable that I鈥檓 not about to make something go splat.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The reality is, it is best to avoid backing up as much as possible. I鈥檓 trying to teach this to my first daughter, long before she actually hits the road.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Through the defensive driving training I鈥檝e taken through pipeline work and the military, one thing stuck out at me. Backing up is a bad idea, especially when leaving a parking spot. Circle check first, but avoid the situation entirely if possible.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 You can always identify a long-time pipeliner. Even in his off-duty time, he will back in to park. Pipeline yards are full of pickups parked with their noses out. The reason for this is while most vehicles arrive singly, they usually leave all at once. Having up to a few hundred guys leaving the parking lot at the same time and backing up one-ton dualies is a recipe for disaster. If you back in when you park, you can see ahead of you when you leave, thus avoiding squishing anyone or anything.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Larger vehicles, such as one-tons, are also more maneuverable in reverse, making it easier to actually fit in a parking spot in the first place.聽
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 This back-in policy has spread to other areas of the oilpatch. I am seeing back-in only signs at probably half of the oilpatch businesses I visit now.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 You can identify a military-trained driver by the sound they make. Since most non-industrial vehicles lack backup alarms, they are required to honk twice before backing up. I don鈥檛 do that very often, but have on occasion, to the incredulous looks all around. I guess it hasn鈥檛 caught on yet.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 When it comes to parking lots, I will almost always park further out, at the edge of the pack and park so that my nose is facing out, effectively 鈥渂acked in.鈥� I even park in my driveway like that on most days.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Hopefully these backup cameras will save some lives, particularly those of little kids who disappear behind large vehicles. It鈥檚 a great idea whose time has come. I鈥檇 like to see universal backup sonar, too.聽 Maybe back-in policies in more places should be next on the agenda. 聽
