Tag: parking?

Video: What caused this parking lot accident?

Filed under: Etc., Videos

car crash caught by dashcam video

By this point, we shouldn’t be surprised by the oodles of random dashcam videos floating around the Internet, but this car crash definitely caught us off guard. As the video shows, a vehicle slowly navigating through a tight parking lot, and then we see what appears to be a Hyundai Getz pulling into the lot with a full head of steam before hitting our camera-mounted driver head-on.

Now it’s completely unknown what caused the crash, but, purely speculating, we’d have to guess either a major distraction or some sort of medical condition is the culprit. Either way, the woman obviously wasn’t wearing her seatbelt, and the many pedestrians (and the Kia driver) should feel fortunate they weren’t involved as well. On top of the crash itself, it’s also amazing how nonchalant the driver who was hit and some of the pedestrians were nearly run over reacted to the incident. Scroll down to watch the video.

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What caused this parking lot accident? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 22 Aug 2013 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Volvo demos autonomous self-parking car concept

Filed under: Safety, Technology, Videos, Volvo

Volvo autonomous parking demo - video screencap

A number of companies are developing autonomous vehicle technology – Google and Audi come to mind – but Volvo is applying its work in the area to a particular usage case: parking. The Swedish automaker has the technology up and running in a concept vehicle, which it says can be dropped off at the curb by its owner and left to its own devices to enter and navigate a car park, then find and park in an available parking spot. Volvo says the process can even be reversed when the owner is ready to go, with the car leaving the car park on its own to meet its key-holder again at the curb.

The vehicle first interacts with Vehicle 2 Infrastructure technology, which places transmitters in the road itself to inform the car (and driver) if the self-parking service is available. The driver then hops out, activates the Self Parking function on his or her smartphone and then leaves the car to do its work. The car uses sensors, all seemingly hidden from view (an advancement of its own in this field), to autonomously navigate the car park, which includes interacting and adjusting to other cars, people and objects.

The technology used here builds off of Volvo’s other work in autonomous vehicle research, namely the Safe Road Trains for the Environment (SARTRE) project in which the company managed to create a train of four cars autonomously following a lead truck at speeds up 56 miles per hour. Volvo says the first application of its autonomous research in a production vehicle will happen at the end of 2014 with some level of autonomous steering available in the next-generation XC90. See the system in action by watching the video below.

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Volvo demos autonomous self-parking car concept originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Jun 2013 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Time-lapse parking lot problem solving

Filed under: Etc., Europe, Videos, Humor

Parking lot polo

Parking lot problem solving – Click above to watch video after the jump

We aren’t sure what country this is, but parking-lot etiquette is clearly a foreign concept. Even without the the guy who thinks it’s just peachy-keen to block everyone else in, this lot is a circus.

When faced with adversity, however, those affected by their fellow motorist’s lack of consideration respond with aplomb. While we’d have just hopped the curb and driven across the grass to avoid the melee, the drivers in the video embedded after the jump above took it upon themselves to do a little rearranging.

With some careful pushing and shoving, a little guidance, and a healthy dose of skill, these guys manage to weasel their way out of what an infuriating situation. In the end, they even returned one of the cars they moved to its rightful spot. When life gives you lemons…

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Time-lapse parking lot problem solving originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 14 May 2011 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Exactly what you expect to happen in a movie theater parking lot at premier of Fast Five [NSFW]

Filed under: Etc., Videos, Humor

Chevrolet Tahoe SS

Chevrolet Tahoe SS at the Fast Five movie premiere – Click above to watch video after the jump

Books are made for reading, boots are made for walking and tires are meticulously engineered for burnouts. As you may or may not be aware, the latest chapter in the Fast and the Furious saga was released this weekend to the rejoicing of testosterone-soaked teenage crowds everywhere. Nowhere was Fast Five more celebrated than in Detroit, as after the final credits rolled, the movie-going masses retired to the parking lot for an impromptu burnout competition.

If you listen very, very closely, you can hear the cries of a million environmentalists.

Nearly everyone got in on the fun, from full-size diesel pickups to front-wheel-drive Chevrolet Malibu models and beater Nissan 240SX projects. Some of the more impressive smoke came courtesy of a Mitsubishi Evolution that retired to a far flung corner of the cinema parking lot to wring out some all-wheel-drive pirouettes. The fun seems to have lasted a good long time before the local PD showed up to put a stop to the party. Miraculously, very little sheetmetal was wrinkled in the smoke.

Hit the jump to see all of the shaky-hand-cam action for yourself, though be warned, some foul language may lurk between tire shrieks.

Continue reading Exactly what you expect to happen in a movie theater parking lot at premier of Fast Five [NSFW]

Exactly what you expect to happen in a movie theater parking lot at premier of Fast Five [NSFW] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 May 2011 21:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Crazy Russian commuter’s parking job

Filed under: Videos, Russia

russian parallel parking

Crazy Russian parking job – Click above to watch the video after the jump

Parking can be the toughest part of any commute, unless of course you’ve gone to the Ken Block School of Parallel Precision. Beyond the jump is a very short clip a Russian driver who didn’t have time to turn around and park like the rest of us, so (we’re guessing) he jammed the parking brake at speed, spun 180 degrees and landed right where he needed to be.

This clip isn’t exactly new, but it’s new to us. Hit the jump to check it out. Thanks for the tip, Matt!

PS: Anyone else wonder if the driver might be related to this guy?

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Crazy Russian commuter’s parking job

Video: Crazy Russian commuter’s parking job originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 22 Apr 2011 19:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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San Francisco adopting demand-based parking system with pricing up to $18/hr?

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal

curb appall

Have you ever found yourself cursing at a parking meter because it wants $2.00 of your hard earned change? Residents of San Francisco do not feel your pain. A new demand-based system is getting ready to be tested, which, during certain special events, could drive the hourly parking rate up to $18.

That (insane) $18 charge will only occur when demand for parking is at a fevered pitch, such as it is during Fleet Week when the Navy’s in town. Normal charges, however, will range from a low of $0.25 per hour up to $6.

Sensors in the parking meters will monitor parking space availability, and hourly pricing will then be dictated according to the perceived demand. The project is called SF Park, and it’s currently funded to run for two years. Perhaps the name SF Gouge is more appropriate.

[Source: KTVU.com | Image: OrinRobertJohn/Flickr, CC 2.0]

San Francisco adopting demand-based parking system with pricing up to $18/hr? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Apr 2011 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Driverless John Deere tractor terrorizes Walmart parking lot

Filed under: Etc., Safety, Videos

John Deere Wal-Mart rampage

John Deere Walmart rampage – Click above to view video after the jump

A couple in Richmond Hill, Georgia Ontario were returning from the car wash when they noticed a strange late-night gathering at the local Walmart. Curious, they stopped to see what the fuss was about, and were confronted with the spectacle of a driver-less John Deere Tractor careening around the parking lot.

The tractor in question wasn’t just your regular, run-of-the-mill lawn tractor, either. No, the phantom tractor was a four-wheel-drive Deere equipped with enough snowplow to clear Vail in January. The tractor spent five minutes jogging circles around the parking lot, gouging the side of the Walmart and annihilating an unsuspecting Suzuki SX4 and Toyota Corolla while slackjawed onlookers stood by doing nothing and area police literally drove in circles.

Eventually, someone with enough cojones decided to climb aboard the wayward farm machinery and try to stop the madness… but did they succeed? Click past the jump to find out for yourself. Thanks for the tip, Marshall!

[Source: YouTube via VW Vortex]

Continue reading Video: Driverless John Deere tractor terrorizes Walmart parking lot

Video: Driverless John Deere tractor terrorizes Walmart parking lot originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 10 Apr 2011 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Parking fines on single London street reportedly reach over $1.5M

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, UK

London Parking Ticket

We can officially quit our whining over our latest parking ticket. Across The Pond, London authorities have begun putting local drivers’ feet to the fire and are raking in record fines as a result. One street even managed to pull down nearly £1 million ($1.6 million at current conversion rates) last year. That’s especially shocking considering that the now infamous Clapham Park Road in the borough of Lambeth is less than half a mile long. According to reports, authorities issued an astonishing 16,800 tickets on that street alone, or about 46 citations per day.

The total amount collected from fines on that particular street tallied over £300,000 ($480,000) higher than the road with the next highest level of parking fine revenue.

Some locals believe that the government is using parking fines to make up gaps in their budget as an illegal revenue generator. Multiple complaints to that tune have already been levied from Barnet to Westminster.

[Source: PistonHeads | Image: Oli Scariff/Getty Images]

Parking fines on single London street reportedly reach over $1.5M originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PA town fines drivers trying to save shoveled-out parking spots

Shoveling out a parking space

The sun’s just coming up and the coffee isn’t quite done brewing, but you know what you have to do: grab the snow shovel and free your car from its soft, white prison. When finished, your automobile once again tastes freedom and you’ve built a nice little parking space. Rather than let someone else take advantage of your labor and lay claim it after you’ve driven away, you decide to set down a cone or lawn chair. This may seem like a simple token of ownership but it’s actually a shining beacon of “back-off” that’s communicated to other motorists. Try pulling this in the Darby Township section of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, and it might cost you.

According to a city ordinance, offending space-savers may be fined up to $300. Another portion of the ordinance says that shovelers putting snow back onto plowed roads can be fined as well. So, shovel away, but remember: no calling dibs after the fact.

[Source: The Morning Call | Image: Andrew Burton/Getty]

PA town fines drivers trying to save shoveled-out parking spots originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 15 Jan 2011 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Australian flood sweeps away parking lot of cars

Filed under: Etc., Safety, Videos, Australia

Australian parking lot flood

Australian parking lot flood – Click above to watch video after the jump

Australia is under assault by rain and undergoing one of its worst natural disasters in its history. Flood waters in the state of Queensland have ripped through numerous cities. Over 30 lives have been lost and many others are still missing. Homes are ruined and many more are at risk as the surge heads into Brisbane; Australia’s third largest city. Damage estimates are already being pegged as high as $13 billion. One person was recently able to capture just how quickly a stream of water can turn into a raging river.

Filming from the balcony of their Toowoomba office, the video recorder watched as water levels grew higher until they were high enough to begin picking up parked cars (including a hapless Subaru WRX STI) and carrying them away. Hop the jump to see the clip, which includes a bold SUV driver at around 1:10 that refuses to lose his 4×4 to the rising waters (note how he appears to take the time to lock the front hubs on his Nissan). Also, If you feel like helping out, Australia could certainly use it right now.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Australian flood sweeps away parking lot of cars

Video: Australian flood sweeps away parking lot of cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 12 Jan 2011 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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