Reversing sensors...not so useful?

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You need to move your head to observe all around before reversing. Is it really so difficult to adjust ever so slightly to see the display?
Oh boy!
 
My car has sensors and a 360 camera.
I only use them in a really tight spot, I observe the area with my eyes and asses the situation first, I then reverse using my mirrors and moving my head.
I generally find the warning sensors hardly ever come on until I'm more or less ready to stop( I'm no Russel swift!)

If I'm parallel parked the camera is good to watch your corners. I would never trust a warning light or beep and would rather put another shunt in or stop and get out a physically check.

Blaming the chocolate teapot for not being a skoda is not a fault of the chocolate teapot.

You could always get another skoda?
 
My car has sensors and a 360 camera.
I only use them in a really tight spot, I observe the area with my eyes and asses the situation first, I then reverse using my mirrors and moving my head.
I generally find the warning sensors hardly ever come on until I'm more or less ready to stop( I'm no Russel swift!)

If I'm parallel parked the camera is good to watch your corners. I would never trust a warning light or beep and would rather put another shunt in or stop and get out a physically check.

Blaming the chocolate teapot for not being a skoda is not a fault of the chocolate teapot.

You could always get another skoda?
Once again: I do not rely on sensors. I look round and have not hit anything yet. But in a situation where there is literally no rear visibility (driving rain, wind) and with objects being blown around, they can be useful. Now I know about the visual display in the rear, I'm good.

I do own another Skoda (two if you count the Citigo at our holiday place :cool:) but the Merc is a nicer place to sit.
 
Its just your post is strange.
It makes you sound like a really poor driver, when you say things like, its dark wet and windy, that you can't manage without your driving aids.

Then you say you've managed 38yrs without.

Calling the car a chocolate teapot and blaming the car

In my opinion you haven't come across well, and then you criticise people when they express an opinion.
 
There are a few really spikey posts on here, and a few other threads just lately.
Is it the time of year, or are the Covid-19 measures wearing us down?
It's out of place on the forum IMO. Newbies reading this will be thinking hmmm, not sure I want to be part of this community.

Just saying';)
 
None of that is the case. And, as I stated in the OP I don't hit things and have been driving long enough not to need to rely on door mirrors. When I learned to drive, my car had wing mirrors which were a proper pain to get right!

The only reason for my OP (and it's a shame that it precipitated some patronising and unpleasant responses) was that a couple of days after collecting the car and before having an opportunity to digest the extensive manual (see above) I had to take my daughter to work at 0700 in the driving rain and pitch dark. The car park where she works is un-illuminated and, in the conditions described, visibility out of the back was zero. I remember thinking that the beep only came on when really quite close to the wall I was approaching (at very low speed) and that an earlier warning like in my Octavia would have been more useful in that specific circumstance and, having been used to the VAG way of doing it, that that wold be my preference. What I did not realise was that, in addition to the front warning lights there was a similar device in the back. Why I had not noticed this, I do not know. Now that I know it's there, I can see what the manufacturer's intent was. That I prefer the VAG way of doing this is a matter of personal preference. That I prefer my E-class in most other regards goes without saying. :p

I guess the bottom line is, there’s nothing wrong with your car - just that you were not familiar with the system and you didn’t read the manual. You assumed they were exactly the same as the VAG system, which isn’t the case.

If you’re going to rely on a system you need to understand how it works.

I think of the sensors as a useful extra, I don’t rely exclusively on them to substitute looking around me when parking. Where it’s that dark and visibility is limited I would usually take extra care - and if that meant manoeuvring even more slowly than normal in a car park, that’s what I would suggest.

On the positive side, it doesn’t sound as though any damage was done, and nobody was hurt - and at least you now understand how to use the parking sensors on your car :thumb:
 
I have to admit to being another who just uses the mirrors (plural) and other gizmoes when reversing, mainly because a combination of age, varifocals and head restraints makes it difficult to turn my head sufficiently to see clearly.
Also many vans for instance don’t have rear windows, so a combination of mirrors, and sensors/camera where fitted has to be enough.
Me too. When I took an ambulance driving course many years ago I first found it very disconcerting to reverse using mirrors alone. Turning around to only see a patient in the back doesn’t work too well. Older age with associated reduced flexibility has necessitated using those skills.
 
There are a few really spikey posts on here, and a few other threads just lately.
Is it the time of year, or are the Covid-19 measures wearing us down?
It's out of place on the forum IMO. Newbies reading this will be thinking hmmm, not sure I want to be part of this community.

Just saying';)
I have to agree with you. This thread feels a bit like the forum on tesla.com: on there, any suggestions that Teslas are anything other than perfect gets a torrent of personal abuse (often including the accusation that the poster is lying in an attempt to short the stock!). It does the brand no favours as genuine debate, leading to worthwhile solutions, is stifled.
 
Its just your post is strange.
It makes you sound like a really poor driver, when you say things like, its dark wet and windy, that you can't manage without your driving aids.

Then you say you've managed 38yrs without.

Calling the car a chocolate teapot and blaming the car

In my opinion you haven't come across well, and then you criticise people when they express an opinion.
I really do not understand your attitude. I am not saying anything other than that driving aids are a very useful accessory when the conditions tend to zero rear visibility. Nothing more, nothing less. I cannot see how that could possibly be construed as anything resembling inability to drive, except in the mind of someone out for a fight.

And to exhort someone to learn to drive in their first reply just brings to mind the worst kind of keyboard warrior, especially as you have now spent a few posts attempting to dial back on your rhetoric.

Perhaps I should make my way to Teeside after Covid for some driving lessons from you. I'm sure there is a very great deal you can teach me.
 
I guess the bottom line is, there’s nothing wrong with your car - just that you were not familiar with the system and you didn’t read the manual. You assumed they were exactly the same as the VAG system, which isn’t the case.
I did. Mea culpa. And I have learned how the MB system works. Unfortunately I have been patronised and insulted along the way. Oh well.
If you’re going to rely on a system you need to understand how it works.
Once again (hopefully for the last time) I have NEVER relied on any such system. It's a useful aid is all.
I think of the sensors as a useful extra, I don’t rely exclusively on them to substitute looking around me when parking. Where it’s that dark and visibility is limited I would usually take extra care - and if that meant manoeuvring even more slowly than normal in a car park, that’s what I would suggest.
I completely agree and have not said anything else. Do you not see how patronising that sounds to an experienced driver of 4 decades' experience?
On the positive side, it doesn’t sound as though any damage was done, and nobody was hurt - and at least you now understand how to use the parking sensors on your car :thumb:
There never was, nor has there been any possibility of that happening. Damage? Hurt?
 
Newbies reading this will be thinking hmmm, not sure I want to be part of this community.

Just saying';)
Hope not, I’ve ditched a couple of forums recently, as they were getting a bit edgy, but I enjoy this one even though I’ve not had a Mercedes for several years.

Let’s hope you enjoy a better ‘meeting of minds’ on future threads, Nic.

Happy Christmas to all, protagonists and antagonists alike...

Malcolm
 
I did. Mea culpa. And I have learned how the MB system works. Unfortunately I have been patronised and insulted along the way. Oh well.

Once again (hopefully for the last time) I have NEVER relied on any such system. It's a useful aid is all.

I completely agree and have not said anything else. Do you not see how patronising that sounds to an experienced driver of 4 decades' experience?

There never was, nor has there been any possibility of that happening. Damage? Hurt?

I think you’re over analysing peoples replies.

I don’t think anyone has intentionally patronised you - you asked some relatively basic questions in this thread and it seems you don’t like several of the answers/replies you have been given. If I’m honest I don’t really like your tone of posting - if anyone’s patronising it seems you are? Why mention your ~ 40 years of driving experience on a thread about parking sensors - surely irrelevant if you don’t know how they work?

Seems like a very long winded thread to basically say you didn’t understand how some features of your own car work (but now you do, you don’t like it) and you won’t accept any replies which you deem as critical of yourself, your parking techniques, or your 40 years of driving experience. That in itself being mentioned or hinted at several times to me seems as if you think your seniority makes you better suited to judge how modern technology on cars should work?

Why not just be grateful that out of your own post you now understand your car better (to be fair you could have just been given the reply ‘RTFM’) and as for suggesting bad of other peoples replies/tone why not have a look at how your own messages come across - a little unfriendly to my eyes.

Anyway, no hard feelings on my part and I wish you a Merry Christmas! 🎅
 
I think you’re over analysing peoples replies.
I don't think so.
Why mention your ~ 40 years of driving experience on a thread about parking sensors - surely irrelevant if you don’t know how they work?
Because in response to my question about technology, one of the responses was to learn to drive. I can, and have done safely for a long time. Surely relevant.
you won’t accept any replies which you deem as critical of yourself, your parking techniques, or your 40 years of driving experience.
In what possible sense are responses to a question about technology of this type remotely relevant? And how is anyone able to come to a judgement about my techniques or ability based on what I actually said? I never stated I relied on the things, nor that I don't look round, nor that I was unconfident manoeuvring my vehicle. And yet all these things have been assumed. Why would I accept such statements? You, yourself even implied I had had an accident!
Why not just be grateful that out of your own post you now understand your car better (to be fair you could have just been given the reply ‘RTFM’) and as for suggesting bad of other peoples replies/tone why not have a look at how your own messages come across - a little unfriendly to my eyes.
I am grateful to the individual who pointed the actual (imho less than ideally positioned) visual indicator half way to the back of the car. I am not grateful for offensive and patronising posts. The post above about newbies rings true. If you think me unfriendly, it is only in response to comments like "learn to drive" or "If you're reversing at a speed where any warning is "too close to do anything about", you're going too fast" or "part of getting a new car is understanding its features before you drive it, that includes setting the seat and mirrors" or numerous hints and tips I would expect to be be passing on to my 17 year old. Including some from you.
 
You said i was looking for a fight 🤣

Why would I accept that?

None of us are perfect, maybe a look in the mirror.

But you are coming across very angry and aggressive, you are right, everyone is wrong.

Just because you didn't understand your car dont take it out on everyone who commented negatively in your opinion, yes I said learn to drive, you should have done so before you posted, learn to drive YOUR car, you didn't and have since learnt that you were incorrect.
Thats not our fault, but you seem to blame everyone but yourself.

Hey ho ho ho
 
You said i was looking for a fight 🤣

Why would I accept that?

None of us are perfect, maybe a look in the mirror.

But you are coming across very angry and aggressive, you are right, everyone is wrong.

Just because you didn't understand your car dont take it out on everyone who commented negatively in your opinion, yes I said learn to drive, you should have done so before you posted, learn to drive YOUR car, you didn't and have since learnt that you were incorrect.
Thats not our fault, but you seem to blame everyone but yourself.

Hey ho ho ho
Well, I perceive you as aggressive and unnecessarily rude. Perhaps we both need a mirror.

I have acknowledged I didn't understand about the (less than ideally positioned for me and some others) display. All other comments relating to my driving style and ability are purely conjectural. Why would I not want to defend the like?

Hey ho.
 
HOW TO AVOID A CLASH WHEN SOMEONE INSULTS YOU

To say something that creates interference for the other person is the biggest offense of all. On the contrary, to push it aside when someone has spoken in such a way; that is a mark of a true human being.
 
HOW TO AVOID A CLASH WHEN SOMEONE INSULTS YOU

To say something that creates interference for the other person is the biggest offense of all. On the contrary, to push it aside when someone has spoken in such a way; that is a mark of a true human being.
Wise words. Apologies to anyone whom I might have upset.
 

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