“Know your enemy and know yourself, and you will be victorious in a thousand battles.” These words of Sun Tzu, from The Art of War, are as true today as they were when they were first written. But they don’t just apply to battles and enemies; the key takeaway is that it’s important to know not just your own capacities, but also the nature of the obstacles you face. So when trying to parallel park, for instance, it’s not enough to have a sense of the shape and size of your own vehicle. You also need to be able to judge the dimensions of your surroundings.
A reversing camera really helps here. If you’re used to driving a hatchback, it’s easy to forget that the sedans and station wagons around you stick out a little more. And that’s not even including larger vehicles, like trucks and vans. What might just be a little error of judgment can result in costly damage as you back into someone else’s ride. You also need to account for the distance to the curb and the width of a street, both of which vary hugely.
If you have a reverse camera kit, you don’t need to bother building up your intuitions for your surroundings, and running the risk of an accident while you’re still learning. The rear vision camera provides you with an accurate view of the area behind your vehicle, letting you know where you are relative to other vehicles, the curb, and the road. If you struggle with gauging distance or just want something more reliable than your gut feeling, it’s best not to rely on mirrors and hope. Get a camera and be safe with Safety Dave.
