Comments on: Paralello-Parking: The Geometry of the Curb http://www.howwedrive.com/2009/12/14/paralello-parking-the-geometry-of-the-curb/ Just another WordPress weblog Wed, 13 Mar 2013 14:57:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: fluffy_mike http://www.howwedrive.com/2009/12/14/paralello-parking-the-geometry-of-the-curb/#comment-10369 fluffy_mike Thu, 24 Dec 2009 03:34:43 +0000 http://www.howwedrive.com/?p=1336#comment-10369 This looks suspiciously like PR regurgitated as news. In a typical example a (no doubt, otherwise worthy) professor is paid to put their name to a formula that will become newsworthy in order to provide exposure for a particular company, in the case above: Vauxhall cars.

Previous examples include…

formula for saddest day of the year (Privilege Insurance)

formula for happiest day of the year (Walls ice cream)

equation for beer goggles (Bausch & Lomb)

The accuracy of the maths and the desire to educate the public fall way short of the primary importance of exposing the name of the sponsor. The best thing to do when encountering such a story is to walk away.

]]> By: Rich in CO http://www.howwedrive.com/2009/12/14/paralello-parking-the-geometry-of-the-curb/#comment-10257 Rich in CO Wed, 16 Dec 2009 13:52:31 +0000 http://www.howwedrive.com/?p=1336#comment-10257 Answering David, above.
The calculations are for the minimum distance required to clear the bumper of the front car and get the two curb-side wheels against the curb in one backing motion. As the author points out, you can’t get the rear wheels against the curb by driving forward (unless you mount the curb with the front wheel) so different criteria would have to be used for the pulling in forward version. It is clear to those of us who think geometrically that, with the steerable wheels at the front, quite a lot more space is required to parallel park using only forward motion than backing in . . . That and a space somewhat shorter than the calculated value can be parked in using a single pull forward with the steering on the opposite lock (as long as the rear wheels are permitted to be “near” rather than “against” the curb).

]]> By: David http://www.howwedrive.com/2009/12/14/paralello-parking-the-geometry-of-the-curb/#comment-10245 David Tue, 15 Dec 2009 19:20:51 +0000 http://www.howwedrive.com/?p=1336#comment-10245 Does he contrast it with how much space you’d need to do head-in parallel parking? Some people don’t seem to get that.

]]> By: Jeff http://www.howwedrive.com/2009/12/14/paralello-parking-the-geometry-of-the-curb/#comment-10239 Jeff Tue, 15 Dec 2009 04:30:03 +0000 http://www.howwedrive.com/?p=1336#comment-10239 Here’s a link to coverage with a bit of an explanation.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/6784428/Scientists-create-formula-for-perfect-parking.html

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