I've mostly stopped wearing it though, because it looks a lot like a GPS-based parole-monitoring device, and I got tired of questions/comments :)
One of the "hmm... things to make" is a lidar detector for things behind a car that then is mapped to an array of the vibration motors that are in the back of a driver's seat - so that you could feel a car passing you.
As a supplemental system the advantages would include redundancy, lack of a blind spot, and better situational awareness even when you're not planning to change lanes.
With a mirror I'd have to be constantly checking which not only takes my eyes off the road ahead, it makes the ride much less enjoyable.
It's like blind spot monitoring and rear cameras on cars. I'd been driving without those for decades, but now that I have them I wouldn't buy a car without them.
The Varia radar also connects to the Wahoo bike computer, which is great.
> Question - why is either of those options better than a mirror?
Where are you going to put a rearview mirror on a {bicycle?, motorcycle?}? Sure you can have mirrors for the sides for lane changes, but behind you?
At most, when I'm at a red light, I lean over slightly to make sure the next person is actually going to stop and not rear-end me. Otherwise, while in motion, I have never felt the need for a rearview mirror on any form of two-wheeled vehicle.
> In all spaces marked for city administered public parking within the city, all vehicles shall be parked with the front end of the vehicle facing into the space provided for parking. It shall be unlawful for any person to back any vehicle into such parking space. No person shall stand or park a vehicle other than at the angle to the curb or into the roadway other than as indicated by signs or markings.
I recall this being the case in Palo Alto for city lots at one time and I believe that San Francisco city lots are similarly ordinanced.
Unless you know the city, it's safest to park "the standard way". No one wants to get a ticket in an out of state city.
Furthermore, there is some "unless you do have a backup camera, the backing into a spot between two cars is more difficult than going in forwards and then using the lot space upon leaving to properly orient."
Lastly, if you are to make use of the trunk of the car, most parking lots are set up to allow easier access when not backed in.
There's probably a practicality argument to be made for 90 degree parking to be nose in, because I think it probably results in less blocking of the road is drivers are forced to do the "easier/quicker" front first drive into a spot when arriving avoiding extended time doing "complicated reversing manoeuvres" while other people are trying to get past, and are forced to wait in the parking spot for a big enough gap in traffic (or another driver wanting the spot) before backing out.
Anecdotally this does not seem to be the case any more, I live in the area and have never been ticketed for backing in. I usually don’t park any other way. You know, in case of zombies and I have to leave quickly.
> Unless you know the city, it's safest to park "the standard way”.
Depends on the city. Which requires…knowing the city? Or at least looking about. So I think that dismisses any idea that one should default to nose-in. Just park like everyone else is doing if you’re so worried. Only thing I’ve seen people ticketed for in SF is not curbing their wheels, which, likely you won’t notice or know about if you’re from out of town.
> Furthermore, there is some "unless you do have a backup camera, the backing into a spot between two cars is more difficult than going in forwards and then using the lot space upon leaving to properly orient."
This is only the case if you have never practiced backing up. It’s actually much easier to make precise movements when you’re reversing, due to the front wheel steering. I’m grateful that this was taught to me by my driving course.
> Lastly, if you are to make use of the trunk of the car, most parking lots are set up to allow easier access when not backed in.
This is true. I park nose-in at Costco.
Is there a particular rationale for this rule?
You're much more likely to see such ordinances in states that don't require front license plates. https://blog.appwinit.com/states-that-require-a-front-licens...
Note that this is for "for city administered public parking within the city" and doesn't apply to private / commercial lots (which may have their own parking restrictions).
Although this assumes you have a massive car for an actual reason.
So you would say that this quote isn't exaggeration?
If I start in a familiar place, then go into somewhere unfamiliar, like a new building, my ability to keep track of cardinal directions is significantly better, which helps keep me oriented to e.g. find my way out of the building.
There are certain places that trip up my sense of direction, especially Spokane, WA. In that city, south feels west to me, and strongly so. Weird.
In the southern hemisphere.
When I travel in the US your "sun in the south at midday" _really_ messes things up.
And when I'm in London and there's no detectable angle to the sun through the clouds, and all medium distance travel happens on the underground, I'm even more completely lost. I have friends in Maida Vale, Edgeware Rd and Marylebone , and I _know_ they're all within walking distance, but there's no way I could dead reckon my way from one to the other. All I know is how to get from there right tube station exit to their houses or nearest pub/cafe...
I suspect it comes from an innate, unconscious comprehension of the highlights and the shadows (since the sun will typically be in the south). And I don't mean the obvious shadows but even the subtle ones.
With practice and perhaps assistance, e.g. North Paw, one could learn to harness the association between light and direction anywhere, not just near huge bodies of water of known direction.
It should be no surprise that as one becomes accustomed to one's own environment and the way they navigate it.
Though I think the cooler question is if we can build a phone/smart-watch app that can do this. Is there a way to vibrate the watch in a northernly direction or something like vibrating when the user turns north (deceptively tricky).
It would be really cool to see another version with smaller electronics, flex PCB, etc.
Other features, like connection to a smart phone for waypoint navigation would be neat.
Having everything integrated into a baseball cap makes the most sense.
This could easily be a Fitbit type device on wrist.
The key components are a compass and motors, and since 2009 those have been dramatically miniaturized, thanks to the smartphone industry. Combine that with flex PCB and I bet you could fit everything in the form factor of a slap bracelet.
It sounds like the original research used a belt, which to me sounds like a more subtle device to wear:
> The original idea for North Paw comes from research done at University of Osnabrück in Germany. In this study, rather than an anklet, the researchers used a belt. They wore the belt non-stop for six weeks, and reported successive stages of integration.
https://www.dw.com/en/radiation-student-raises-fake-bomb-ale...
I'd be very attempted to gruffly retort "murder and racketeering charges" and see how fast they stop being curious.