In parking the Mercedes-Benz R500 recently I learned an important lesson: Don't expect the reverse-sensing system to sense everything. In the case of our parking garage, there are these lovely copper pipes that run between the roof and the wall above our spaces. I never really noticed them before, and if you park "front in" they'd never be an issue. However, if you back in, with a tall vehicle, they'll tag you long before the vehicle gets near the wall. And because of their small size and high location the reverse-sensing system never sees them coming...
Thankfully I was going very slow, so only a minor scuff was left on the R500's plastic roof spoiler.
So much for technology solving everything.
Karl Brauer, Editor in Chief, Edmunds.com @ 14,420 miles
hawkmoon says:
04:03 PM, 11/17/06
The R-class doesn't have a rearview mirror?
editor_karl says:
11:26 AM, 11/18/06
Yes, but you'll notice that the pipe was pretty much in line with the driver's side A-, B-, C- and D-Pillars, plus it's a dark color in a dark garage (the flash in that photograph makes it appear far more obvious than it really is).
hal9001 says:
12:10 PM, 11/19/06
Those are cast iron pipes; not copper
editor_karl says:
08:43 PM, 11/19/06
No wonder they're rusting...
genius163 says:
11:40 AM, 11/20/06
I thought for sure this post was going to be about how you cracked the rear window.
genius163 says:
11:41 AM, 11/20/06
jerrywimer says:
04:14 AM, 11/21/06
Yeah. The angle of that photo makes it look like the pipe is all set to go straight through the back glass. Glad it wasn't really though.