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Technical Curb feelers

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Steven Ross, Sep 15, 2020.

  1. Steven Ross
    Joined: Aug 18, 2020
    Posts: 2

    Steven Ross

    Realize a reader once wrote in about curb feelers to help in parking....which I also remember, my aunt used to scrape the whitewalls of her 1982 Caddy non stop during parking in front of her house. Would curb feelers help my girlfriend? In her case, she is always cutting her turns too tight and her back right tire takes a pretty good beating. Maybe women have issues in spatial relations :)??
     
  2. gnichols
    Joined: Mar 6, 2008
    Posts: 11,353

    gnichols
    Member
    from Tampa, FL

    Curbs are a lot lower now, if they are there at all. You may need longer feelers!
     
  3. Don't let your girlfriend drive your car. HRP
     
  4. blowby
    Joined: Dec 27, 2012
    Posts: 8,661

    blowby
    Member
    from Nicasio Ca

    Wire them to the horn.
     
    Deuces, alanp561, Cosmo49 and 2 others like this.

  5. Gearhead Graphics
    Joined: Oct 4, 2008
    Posts: 3,890

    Gearhead Graphics
    Member
    from Denver Co

    really only depends on if shes paying attention to them or not. and if shes dragging the rears, im going to bet not
     
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  6. 49ratfink
    Joined: Feb 8, 2004
    Posts: 18,850

    49ratfink
    Member
    from California

    the only thing I know about curb feelers is if you have them, and put your car on a lift you can poke your eye out with them.
     
  7. Some gals can take instruction and develop their skills.
    But others, you're the one who has to develop a special skill to shut up because science hasn't figured out a cure for the braille system of female driving.
     
    williebill, Driver50x and alanp561 like this.
  8. Jalopy Joker
    Joined: Sep 3, 2006
    Posts: 31,262

    Jalopy Joker
    Member

    maybe install something like this on her car 20200915_154153.jpg
     
    williebill, ahshoe, catdad49 and 4 others like this.
  9. 392
    Joined: Feb 27, 2007
    Posts: 1,206

    392
    Member

    This will be good.
     
  10. jnaki
    Joined: Jan 1, 2015
    Posts: 9,394

    jnaki





    Hello,

    Most intersections have the disabled driveways in place, so cutting the corners is not always going to happen. The curb feelers were brought out when the 50's and 60's big sedans were given to the wives, daughters, and girlfriends thinking a big car is safer, etc. But, the bad thing is/was the depth perception in driving those big sedans was a hindrance. It was hard to see over the right front fender and also out of the rear mirror/rear quarter panel. Outside mirrors helped, but the size and length of those large cars just made it almost impossible to not scrape them in parallel parking.

    Here is the good thing... If your girl friend could get over cutting corners, then she has no more parallel parking problems as 90% of the cities have decided that angled parking saves space and allows more people to enjoy the downtown parking areas. Even the small local hardware stores have angled in parking or are attached to the larger parking lots. It is rare to see a parallel parking spot, except on narrow streets that have them since the cities started.

    Cutting curbs or corners is an automatic fail on the DMV California driver's physical test. Before my mom finally got her license back in 1958, she failed her first attempt at the behind the wheel test. She scored 96 on the written test, but failed the driving test as she hit a corner turning right. On her second try weeks later and much practicing, she passed. That second try made her rethink her angle of approaching any corner and to keep the big sedan in the middle of the lane.

    Jnaki

    Perhaps your girl friend needs a smaller car that she can actually see all around and get a good feel for the distance from front to back. Comparing the 1957 Buick and 1958 Impala that my mom learned in when starting out, she much preferred her smaller Honda Accord 2 door sedan for ease of driving. Smaller made it better for depth perception and the general feel of the surrounding "safe area" around the car.

    It is amazing to see the tiny, blond, soccer mom driving those huge black SUVs around town. (Talk about depth perception) But, most drive like they rule the roads and don't care.

    Here is a nice set up on an older Ford Coupe:
    upload_2020-9-15_16-49-16.png
     
  11. Cosmo49
    Joined: Jan 15, 2007
    Posts: 1,555

    Cosmo49
    Member

    Hold on you guys, my popcorn is not ready yet!
     
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  12. alanp561
    Joined: Oct 1, 2017
    Posts: 4,647

    alanp561
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Okay, since the topic is really " spatial relations " and not just curb feelers, I have to weigh in here. Part of the reason is my belief that most, and I say most, women have trouble with judging distance. I believe the primary reason for that is that the majority of us guys have led our women to believe that 2 inches is actually 6. This little bit of misinformation on our part has carried over into everything that women have to estimate. In your girlfriend's case, that would be the distance between her vehicle and the curb. She's really 2/3rd closer to the curb than she should be. And it's all your fault.;)
     
  13. jimmy six
    Joined: Mar 21, 2006
    Posts: 14,921

    jimmy six
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    there only good when parking
     
  14. Fortunateson
    Joined: Apr 30, 2012
    Posts: 5,354

    Fortunateson
    Member

    Well I appreciate a well thought out scientific explanation like this. Well done! However, in my case my wife turns too wide while driving so you can figure out the rest!!! LOL
     
    Last edited: Sep 15, 2020
  15. alanp561
    Joined: Oct 1, 2017
    Posts: 4,647

    alanp561
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I'm not sure about that, what with you guys being on the metric system and all;)
     
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  16. grumpy65
    Joined: Dec 19, 2017
    Posts: 920

    grumpy65

    Ooohhhh, I want longer feelers.............................wait, did I say that out loud?
     
    alanp561 likes this.
  17. mickeyc
    Joined: Jul 8, 2008
    Posts: 1,368

    mickeyc
    Member

    Saw a fellow strolling down Bourbon Street one
    Mardi Gras with curb feelers attached to his ankles!
    Obviously preparing for inebriation. I thought it
    was hilarious. I did have explain to a few younger friends what the they were. Seemed appropriate for
    the moment!
     
  18. Deuce Daddy Don
    Joined: Apr 27, 2008
    Posts: 5,544

    Deuce Daddy Don
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Haaaaa!!!----ALL GOOD!-------Seriously tho, back then (in the 50's), as curb feelers were the rage, each time used, the tiny steel ball at the end would become smaller in dia. until just a sharp point was left. This situation proved dynamite to women's silk stockings when they passed by too close to the sharp projectiles. As a result the feelers fad dropped off eventually. And now you know!
     
    alanp561 and bowie like this.

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