Parking this behemoth...

PHEV Newbie said:
While I can't offer any solutions to your problem (here in suburban PA, parking spaces are enormous to accommodate those giant pickup trucks and SUVs everyone drives and parking is abundant), you've highlighted a fact that seems lost to most folks and car reviewers. The Clarity is a really big car and yet people keep comparing it to the Prius and Volt, which are classified as compact cars. In fact it is longer and wider than our late model Subaru Outback and no one in their right mind would compare an Outback size wise with those small cars. No one has made this a point but you are far better off in a crash in a Clarity than a Prius or Volt. Size matters and most folks in my neck of the woods are driving much bigger vehicles than the Clarity. It's practically suicide to be in anything smaller. That I typically get 48-50 mpg (on country roads) in hybrid mode, it's an astoundingly fuel efficient vehicle too (and now the leading PHEV all electric range).

Folks, if you need a small car for any reason, the Clarity is not that car. If you want a really big, safe car that you can drive as an EV most of time and get the mileage of a compact hybrid, the Clarity is for you.
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This is the kind of thing that makes me weirdly happy that we had to buy a car in two days with virtually no research. It was all about EV range and luxuriousness. When those are your top factors, you land on exactly one vehicle...
 
There are aftermarket ultrasonic sensors kits that mount to the license plate frame, but they seem to work hit or miss. So their quality seems to vary.
 
Douglas Firs said:
*Disclaimer that this is not a Clarity-specific issue but I am looking for Clarity-specific solutions.*

I am a short little miss. Up until two weeks ago, my husband and I drove a 2000 Toyota Echo. The car was totaled in a hit and run accident, but the silver lining of the situation was that we got to buy a new car (which would have happened sooner or later given that the Echo was on its last legs!)

At any rate: a Toyota Echo is a SMALL car. It's short and narrow, but also tall so the visibility is pretty good. For a short person who has trouble seeing over the hood, etc, this is a dream for parking in tiny San Francisco spaces. The Clarity is a veritable boat by comparison.

I've gotten used to the increased width but I still have NO sense for the length of the car, especially knowing where the front of the nose is. I literally get out every time I'm parking and have to check at least two times to make sure I'm pulled forward enough in a space. I simply cannot see over the hood, even with the driver seat jacked up to the highest height. I should also say that my 6' husband also had issues for the first week but he has since adjusted.

For my shorty bretheren: do you have any tricks to figuring out how to tell where the nose ends on the Clarity?? I'm sure I'll get a feel for it but it's stressful in the meantime. I've casually looked into getting some kind of sensor for the front bumper but it seems to involve drilling holes in the car to pass wires through which I'm NOT interested in doing...
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One thing you can do is try to find a good fitting seat coushion to elevate your body about 2 - 3 inches. When safe it may be good to back into parking spaces and use the camera, or when possuble do a pull thru into parking spaces.
 
neal adkins said:
One thing you can do is try to find a good fitting seat coushion to elevate your body about 2 - 3 inches. When safe it may be good to back into parking spaces and use the camera, or when possuble do a pull thru into parking spaces.
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I’ve definitely thought of switching to or relying more heavily on backing into spots because of the cameras. Bonus is that it looks impressive, or at least I find it impressive when people do this, especially when backing up into their tiny city garages!

I like the idea of the seat cushion but it is more stuff to tote and my legs are short, so I’d probably have difficulty reaching the pedals if I were higher up. Sounds like a Gattaca-style solution of elongating my shins could be a good fix...


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ab13 said:
There are aftermarket ultrasonic sensors kits that mount to the license plate frame, but they seem to work hit or miss. So their quality seems to vary.
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I’ve been poking around those and am
curious about the Fensens...have you heard anything about it? Amazon reviews are mixed. Sounds like the visual indicator is more accurate than the beeping, but that’s fine by me. The “danger zone” beeps seem to trigger fairly far from an object; I hope to have indicators that can get me down to ~8inches.


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petteyg359 said:
Put the headlights on auto. Even in bright daylight, if the only thing that is on is a dim bulb in the garage door opener, it'll be dark enough for the headlights to come on. You'll see two blobs of light on the wall; there's a very bright white inner blob and surrounding that a less bright outer blob. Move forward slowly until the bright inner blob is no longer visible and you'll be about two feet from the wall (at least from my 5'10" sitting position, with the seat raised as far as it goes). I'd guess if the darker outer blob is about to be hidden below your field of view then you're about to hit the wall. No physical blocks needed :p
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I vote that you become a spirit guide for the dearly departed. Step into the bright white inner blob!!


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One trick I use when parallel parking, where there is a parking meter, is to get out and see where your car is in relationship to the meter. Pull your car up to where the bumper is even with the meter. Get back in the car and find a reference point where the meter is in your car. It's usually the corner of the windshield post on the right. Works every time.
 
You
Douglas Firs said:
I’ve definitely thought of switching to or relying more heavily on backing into spots because of the cameras. Bonus is that it looks impressive, or at least I find it impressive when people do this, especially when backing up into their tiny city garages!

I like the idea of the seat cushion but it is more stuff to tote and my legs are short, so I’d probably have difficulty reaching the pedals if I were higher up. Sounds like a Gattaca-style solution of elongating my shins could be a good fix...


Sent from my iPhone using Inside EVs
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I did like insightman's practice technique because after i sat in the my seat, i too can only see about half way down the hood and i am a tall person. One good thing is the way the plastic licence plate cover sticks out is and will hit first in most cases. Your get out and look aproach is what is reccomended by safety trainers. In time your visual perception should improve.
 
I thought it is me. Ford fiesta and kia spectra small and easy to put in spaces lol.

Ijust park further out when I can. Love the clarity We call it the posh car.

Edd
 
ab13 said:
There are aftermarket ultrasonic sensors kits that mount to the license plate frame, but they seem to work hit or miss.
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Hit or miss? Another pun?

neal adkins said:
Your get out and look aproach is what is reccomended by safety trainers. In time your visual perception should improve.
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I know this isn't helpful, but this is just another skill which you can train yourself on by paying attention to the feedback you get while performing it.

When I was a teenager and new driver, the spare vehicle in our household was a full size van, with the traditional drop-off flat front. I worked to know where the front of the van actually was, which resulted in more than a few times where passengers thought I was about to be four feet deep into a wall before I stopped.
 
neal adkins said:
One good thing is the way the plastic licence plate cover sticks out is and will hit first in most cases.
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Another solution:

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Though I suppose it would work best in Texas.
 
Valente said:
One trick I use when parallel parking, where there is a parking meter, is to get out and see where your car is in relationship to the meter. Pull your car up to where the bumper is even with the meter. Get back in the car and find a reference point where the meter is in your car. It's usually the corner of the windshield post on the right. Works every time.
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Where may I ask do they still use parking meters?
 
I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again. The collective wisdom and humor on this forum never ceases to amaze, enlighten, and entertain me.
Y’all have saved me a boat load of money, made my Clarity even better, and the occasional chuckle keeps my blood pressure lower. Thanks everyone!
 
MPower said:
Vermont!
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Well, my Clarity barely fits in the garage with the large trash bins we are forced to use by our HOA and keep in the garage. Both length and width. I bought a floor stop from amazon for $13 which has worked great! Maxsa Park Right Black Parking... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000F6DNMQ?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

The other thing I did was place padding on the walls for about $25 (if the door does not bang the wall when open the passenger is going to have a thought time opening the door). Ampulla Ultra Thick Water... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071HFTRCH?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
 
David Towle said:
Where may I ask do they still use parking meters?
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And Missouri!

Kansas City, St. Louis, Columbia, and Jefferson City, according to my Google-fu, all use parking meters. Almost certainly other towns and cities, too.

Are there really States where they are no longer used?

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