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parkability gauge

how big is my bloody car anyway?
  (+8, -1)
(+8, -1)
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against]

I've seen some computer-assisted parking inventions, and there's a laser gadget that helps you get your car into exactly the same spot in your garage every time, but I haven't seen anything to solve the main problem I have at the curbside, on streets without marked spaces: never being sure the spot is even remotely big enough for the car. Somehow, everything between four and ten feet looks the same to me. This often results in five minutes of futile effort.

So: two laser pointers pointing sideways and down from the nose and tail of the car, making two red dots on the curb as you pull up alongside the alleged space. If one of the dots instead appears on another car, or up against a fire hydrant, move on.

hob, Jun 27 2005

[link]






       Could be combined with two front-ways dots to determine car width for fitting into garage spots.   

       Nice.
shapu, Jun 27 2005
  

       Have a scanner head so that the lasers draw a vertical line rather than just a dot. A bit like a laser level projects a rapidly scanning line. Easier to discern.
bristolz, Jun 27 2005
  

       It could provide more than a yes/no answer. So, if the space is only 6" more than the length of your car the console would display "Difficulty level: Ninja".
hippo, Jun 27 2005
  

       //everything between four and ten feet looks the same to me.//
I don't see why this is a problem. You can't park in a ten foot space so it might as well be four feet.
angel, Jun 27 2005
  

       Of course, if you raise laser power (considerably) you can just make the space fit your car.
bristolz, Jun 27 2005
  

       Just remember to turn it off before you get out.   

       If you want to see how to really do it in style, google "einparken.mpeg"
Ling, Jun 29 2005
  

       Very nice. [+]. But if two parking ninjas, equipped with your lasers, fit their cars snugly in front of, and behind my car, that leaves me with no choice but to ram one of them to get out. Need to combine this with the "Street worthy bumper-cars".
sophocles, Jun 29 2005
  

       //It could provide more than a yes/no answer. So, if the space is only 6" more than the length of your car the console would display "Difficulty level: Ninja". hippo, Jun 27 2005 //
True, so if you had a 10 foot space could you have the console display "Difficulty Level: Pirate - "Aaarggh! Yez could fit a Galleon in them there spot me Hearties. Avast! and get in there!"
gnomethang, Jun 29 2005
  

       One could, of course, spend a few minutes in one's car learning the vehicle's dimensions and judging distances until one became familiar with one's own car. One could then bloody well know where the fuck one's car started and ended. Or one could take the bus.
ato_de, Jun 29 2005
  

       [ato_de], apparently my not entirely serious complaint has caused you some annoyance, which I regret. Perhaps I should have also mentioned that the cars I'm usually trying to park do not belong to me. Or perhaps you should just chill out.
hob, Jul 05 2005
  

       I must remember never to let you drive my car.
angel, Jul 05 2005
  
      
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