Parallel Parking

[Charlie G]

I was pondering the geometry of parallel parking the Elio and it occurred to me that signaling to pull into traffic from a parking space may be a little hairy. The rear blinker will be towards the center of the space, potentially concealed by a parked vehicle behind. The front blinker probably won't be visible at all. I feel like indicators on the back of the front wheel fenders would be the safest bet for visibility sake, but maybe that's just goofy...

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[zelio]

I was pondering the geometry of parallel parking the Elio and it occurred to me that signaling to pull into traffic from a parking space may be a little hairy. The rear blinker will be towards the center of the space, potentially concealed by a parked vehicle behind. The front blinker probably won't be visible at all. I feel like indicators on the back of the front wheel fenders would be the safest bet for visibility sake, but maybe that's just goofy...

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Having learned to drive in the last half of the 1950s I learned to signal with my arm and hand. I am fairly certain this method will work today if for no other reason than it is unusual so will draw attention. :-) Z

 

[Joshua Caldwell]

I was pondering the geometry of parallel parking the Elio and it occurred to me that signaling to pull into traffic from a parking space may be a little hairy. The rear blinker will be towards the center of the space, potentially concealed by a parked vehicle behind. The front blinker probably won't be visible at all. I feel like indicators on the back of the front wheel fenders would be the safest bet for visibility sake, but maybe that's just goofy...

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That's a very good point. If they don't electrify the fairings then there's the old arm out the window using motorcycle rider signals.

 

[carzes]

It might be an even bigger problem that if you put turn signals on the back of the front fenders you would be blinded by your own turn signal at night. I suppose a little creative engineering could fix that, but then again all vehicle lights have to be DOT approved and 'creative' is not a word that government beaurocrats are especially comfortable with.

 

[wheaters]

That's a very good point. If they don't electrify the fairings then there's the old arm out the window using motorcycle rider signals.

I wouldn't rely on that method here in UK. Arm signals are no longer recognised or taught by the "official" system and have been removed from our Highway Code publication. Many drivers here probably wouldn't recognise the signal, and a few might even see such a signal as aggression. Not me though, hand signals were an essential part of my motorcycle riding test back in 1975, when few bikes have electric indicators fitted. Instead of losing a front wheel, you might have your arm removed.

But I don't see a problem in the first place. How do people manage if they ever need to pull away from a parking space when facing the "wrong" way? Same problem.....

Our authorities would possibly require an indicator light to be fitted to the rear of the front fender so that it was more visible from behind, the regulations for such things are already in place, as are those for field of view for mirrors.

 

[scb]

I was pondering the geometry of parallel parking the Elio and it occurred to me that signaling to pull into traffic from a parking space may be a little hairy. The rear blinker will be towards the center of the space, potentially concealed by a parked vehicle behind. The front blinker probably won't be visible at all. I feel like indicators on the back of the front wheel fenders would be the safest bet for visibility sake, but maybe that's just goofy...

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that's a good question I'm not too sure what state you're living at but here in Florida nobody uses their blinker

 

[aknaten]

Be careful with your hand signals. Two deaf student signing to each other at a bus stop were shot and killed in a drive-by incident in Wichita a few years ago by gang members who thought they saw two rival gang members making challenging signs at them as they drove by. Idiots.

 

[Charlie G]

that's a good question I'm not too sure what state you're living at but here in Florida nobody uses their blinker

The same could apply to changing lanes in dense traffic, I'm mostly just curious how the triangular geometry might impact daily driving in unforseen ways. Most cars seem to put indicators at the widest points they can for visibility sake. The front lights seem more recessed towards the center of the vehicle than is typical, rather than wrapping around the edge slightly to be visible from oblique angles. That isn't a problem in itself, but the geometry of the back of the vehicle is going to be offset from the edge of the lane of travel too.

Maybe it's a non-issue, just musing.

 

[MASCMAN]

I believe they are both non-issues.

First, if you are pulling out from a spot and the traffic is so tight that you need to rely on somebody seeing your signal, then it must be going slow (congested) enough that they can surely see your signal...otherwise, if it's not that congested, you are going to be able to pull out and not rely on somebody letting you go.

Same thing on lane changes...if it's bumper to, well, the Elio doesn't have a bumper, but if it's really congested, they will be close enough to see your sigs.

The rear of the Elio should be wider than a motorcycle and we get by...so IMO don't see any problem with the Elio.

 

[ks6c]

Defensive driving will be an essential skill with the Elio at all times and in all circumstances, just like it is on 2 wheels.

For me, I will be worried about rear-enders. Because it isn't a car, the Elio won't have a 5mph survivable bumper on the rear. Instead, it has a hard frame designed to protect the occupants. I'm ok with that, just aware that a rear-end "tap" at a stoplight will likely be as harmful for the Elio as it is for a motorcycle (DAMHIK).

But given the affordability, replacing an Elio wouldn't be a whole lot more expensive than fixing a rear-ended Harley. <grin>