Backup camera on a car

A friend of mine has one. She gives me rides sometimes and once in awhile lets me drive her car. I can't use the backup camera at all. She loves it, but I can't "read" it. I prefer the three rearview mirrors and the very good view over my shoulder out the rear window. I am a good, experienced driver, good at parking (even parallel parking :) ), but I can't use those colored lines in the backup camera at all!
 
My wife's new car has one on it and I liked it so much that I had one installed at Best Buy on my 2008 GMC Envoy.
 

I have one and parking sensors. I didn't specify it, it was just part of the fit.

I thought it was a gimmick but I find myself referring to it far more than I expected. I drive a big (by UK stndards not yours!) MPV (sorry, don't know the US equivalent), a Citroen Grand Picasso, and I find it particularly useful for people crossing close behind me in large car parks. I also have cervical spondylitis and as it progresses screwing my neck right round becomes more difficult.

I also have "Park Assist" where you stop the car near a suitable parking space, press a button and the sensors and camera take over and park the car for you. I've had the car a year and never had the nerve to use it yet! I don't think driverless cars are ever going to be very big in our household!
 
Laurie said:
I have one and parking sensors. I didn't specify it, it was just part of the fit.

I thought it was a gimmick but I find myself referring to it far more than I expected. I drive a big (by UK stndards not yours!) MPV (sorry, don't know the US equivalent), a Citroen Grand Picasso, and I find it particularly useful for people crossing close behind me in large car parks. I also have cervical spondylitis and as it progresses screwing my neck right round becomes more difficult.

I also have "Park Assist" where you stop the car near a suitable parking space, press a button and the sensors and camera take over and park the car for you. I've had the car a year and never had the nerve to use it yet! I don't think driverless cars are ever going to be very big in our household!
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You mean it really parks itself?? WOW!
 
My wife has one on her Nissan Juke. She claims never to think about looking at it. When we first got it I would not think about it either, but as time goes on I am finding it while not at all essential, a nice "gimmick" to have. Her car also has a camera mounted in the right side mirror, (passenger) that activates with the directional indicator,virtually eliminates blind spot for changing lanes. I wish it was on constantly. I have a camera, (magnetic) that I stick to the tailgate of my truck as an aid to hitching up my trailers. Makes the task a one shot job every time. I also will move that one to the back of my travel trailer, makes backing in to a tight campsite a breeze!
 
In my new car (Volvo XC90 SUV) there are a range of cameras and sensors on the outside of the car. A backup camera is really necessary in a vehicle like this. Really improves visibility and safety. The sensors warn me if a person or a car are approaching and are especially helpful when backing out of a spot where you have cars on either side. The car also has park assist, but I've not yet tried it.
 
I would love something like that. I'd like an additional feature that it would apply the brakes before you hit something. Do they have something like that?

(The only part of my truck I've ever hit anything with is the tailgate---backing up to loading docks over the years.)
 
NancyNGA said:
I would love something like that. I'd like an additional feature that it would apply the brakes before you hit something. Do they have something like that?

(The only part of my truck I've ever hit anything with is the tailgate---backing up to loading docks over the years.)
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My car has features similar to this where in a low speed potential collision, it will automatically start to apply the brakes if you don't react quickly enough. I've had it "react" when I've turned in front of an oncoming car which the sensor thinks is coming too fast. I also have sensors on the front and side of the car which warn you if you're getting too close to something. These things are so sensitive that they sound while I'm backing out of the driveway next to my planting area. They also tend to chirp when going through a toll booth. The car will let you know if you're crossing a dividing line without signaling (the steering wheel and seat vibrate momentarily and it will start to gently steer back into your lane).
 
I'd also like something that would sense when a car is passing in the blind spot---on left side, for 4 lane driving.

I wonder how those automatic forward-breaking mechanisms would work, say, if a deer crosses the road in front of you.
 
We have one on our mobile home, and wouldn't be without it, especially when idiot drivers get right in behind and up close to the back of it and can't be seen.
 
We have the blind spot sensors on our car and they were really helpful in highway driving in an unfamiliar area a few months back, when it was dark and rainy. One of the features I most appreciate is adaptive cruise control. It automatically slows the car when in cruise control mode if the car ahead of you is going too slow. It's fantastic.
 
Fern said:
We have one on our mobile home, and wouldn't be without it, especially when idiot drivers get right in behind and up close to the back of it and can't be seen.
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If it has a motor, it is a motorhome. Mobile homes are mostly immobile.
 
NancyNGA said:
I would love something like that. I'd like an additional feature that it would apply the brakes before you hit something. Do they have something like that?

(The only part of my truck I've ever hit anything with is the tailgate---backing up to loading docks over the years.)
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There's some car being advertised on TV now that apparently brakes if the driver isn't paying attention. If I see the commercial again I'll post what make the car is.
 
Manatee said:
If it has a motor, it is a motorhome. Mobile homes are mostly immobile.
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A friend and I used to argue about this when she and her husband had a camper trailer. She called even motorhomes mobile homes and got irritated when I said there was a difference. Their trailer was a mobile home but not a motorhome. Then there are people who call motorhomes "RVs" and other people who call motorhomes and mobile homes "RVs" and then there are people who call 4-wheelers and other ATVs "RVs".

I don't own any of them, so no confusion in my conversations these days
 
The reason I'm asking about the backup camera is that my old Saturn had a fatal transmission meltdown and I bought a 2014 Kia. I really love it, except that I don't have as good a view behind me as I did in the Saturn. The back end seems to be higher and the back window slants more, and makes me insecure about seeing children or pets behind me and I'm thinking about adding a backup camera for peace of mind.

Oldman, was the one you added a wireless one or a wired one? Do you see the image in a rearview mirror or on a separate monitor?
 
I have one on my Jeep Cherokee... It took me time to get used to it. I like it for backing out of parking spots.. but I still don't use it for backing into the garage.. I still use the old tried and true method of looking over my shoulder. I use the colored markers though to see how close I am to the back of the garage though.
 
My 34 ft. motor home has a backup camera. It is absolutely indispensable when backing into a campsite. Otherwise, all that I can see in the camera is my Saturn following dutifully along behind me.
 
Oh yes I have the back up cam, I love it.
I also have the sensor that tells me I am coming up to fast to the slowing vehicle ahead
I also have the park assist (yes my car cab parallel park it's self) this is a great feature for when the spot is particularly tight.
I also have the lane sensors, and when engaged these prevent me from changing lanes/crossing the lane lines.
It's all kind of spooky at first but when you learn the benefits they are a great safety feature for the most part.
 

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