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Comment by Tarball10 | Hacker News Reader

What does refusing to use the rear view camera have to do with data collection? Those were added because kids were getting run over and killed by reversing vehicles. It seems irresponsible to not check it (along with all the other normal checks you do when reversing).

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Reverse cameras are one of the best things to happen to automobile safety in a long time. The automatic obstacle detection and braking is so great. I’m delighted that it’s such a success that it’s standard in every new car.

> Reverse cameras are one of the best things to happen to automobile safety in a long time.

I agree, but I feel like cameras have made everyone feel the need to back into parking spaces, resulting in an epidemic of slightly askew cars that make it more difficult for everyone else to park. It's a small price to pay for increased safety, but it's stilkl annoying.

Hmm I can see that being a thing. I’d find it annoying. I don’t feel like I see the trend in my locale.

I do like that the camera makes lining up cars easier (if you’re competent and care) I get these lines that curve when my wheels are turned. And I use them to line up with the space. It actually makes backing in feel nicer… makes me look like I know what I’m doing….

Or am I the person you’re talking about! ;)

I feel like cameras have made everyone feel the need to back into parking spaces, resulting in an epidemic of slightly askew cars that make it more difficult for everyone else to park.

Where I come from (the UK) drivers are routinely taught to reverse into most types of space or small driveway and drive out forwards because it is better for both manoeuvrability and driver vision. If you can't manage to perform some basic manoeuvres involving reversing during your driving test then you fail. We do not have an epidemic of slightly askew cars in car parks and the worst offenders for less than parallel parking are often the drivers who were too lazy to reverse in and instead tried to swing in forwards when they didn't have enough space to straighten up properly afterwards.

360 overhead parking views fix that problem, but they aren’t mandated yet.

Good point. I find that view to be far more useful than any other, though I'm never sure if that's my video game bias showing or not.

I have a hard to park situation in my garage, so both are very useful.

> I feel like cameras have made everyone feel the need to back into parking spaces

As a bicyclist, I hate it when people do this, and it's become increasingly common.

The problem is that people don't look when they pull out of parking spaces, so when I'm on a bike in a parking lot, I keep a close eye on the backup lights so I can avoid that car. When people park head-out, that critical signal is no longer visible to me.

I've nearly been hit by people pulling out of spot they parked head-out in a couple of times now as a result.

It is now standard (at least in the US) because it was mandated by law (in 2007). USDOT took some sweet time to implement it, but it was required by 2018.

Refusing to use the backup camera is one of those peculiar boomerisms. Every boomer I know refuses to use them and everyone that I know that refuses to use them is a boomer.

I know a lot of boomers, and none of them avoid using backup cameras. Generalizations are error-prone.

> Those were added because kids were getting run over and killed by reversing vehicles

If you cannot see kids by looking at your rear window and using your side mirrors (don't know how they're called in english), your clearance might be too high and your mirrors poorly set.

You can't see out the rear window in any new car because the bottom of the window is always ridiculously high (I assume for safety in rear end collisions).

The main reason is that it makes you feel safer. Psychologically you feel more protected with metal between you and the outside world than glass.

That just isn't true. There are many cars where it's impossible from within the car to see certain places behind it without the rear camera, no matter how your mirrors are set.

That's why you check behind the car (and all around it) before you get in and start moving.

Kids are mobile.

If you have a HGV or a bus, i understand why you would need a rearview camera. Or with an utility vehicle with high or now windows. I doubt that's what OP is driving though, i would guess he has a normal car and does not need to do heavy duty.

When i'm driving my father's utility vehicle, i can only use my side mirrors, so i'm extra careful, but with any normal car i ever drove, even large one like a Xantia, i don't see how i could have missed anybody who can move on two legs.

The only time I've used a rearview camera was on my SO "new beetle", and we both find it quite useless (i was seeing better turning my head).

All vehicles have rear blind spots when it comes to short objects (i.e. children), with SUVs and pickups being significantly worse than standard cars.

https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2012/03/the-danger-of-bl...

Even standard cars are bad these days. I don’t get much from my review mirror at all, especially compared to the Subaru I had in the late 90s. Pillar placement in a unibody might have something to do with it, rear windows also seem smaller.

There are many cars where it's impossible from within the car to see certain places behind it without the rear camera, no matter how your mirrors are set.

I have never seen any car where it is possible. The entire rear section of the vehicle would have to be transparent and any passengers or cargo behind the driver would have to turn invisible when you went into reverse.

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