Automobiles: Anybody hear of Safe Driving Systems Radar??

[OldLincoln]

I just ordered an expensive anti-collision unit for my car. It's a model RD-140 from Safe Driving Systems. It uses radar to measure distance and closure rate of metal object in front of you warning as the closure is in range and yells at you a couple seconds before you smash. It also does a rumble strip sound if you change lanes without your blinker on.

Up side is it looks through fog (bad here) and rain (little) because it's radar, but doesn't see people because it's radar. It also won't see the idiot that t-bones you, not that it'd matter much.

Anybody know about this?

[b4uqzme]

My wife's car has cruise control that you can set to keep a specified distance from the car ahead. It's kinda cool. Tuck into the right lane and the car slows down. Swing back out into the passing lane and it speeds up. You can also set the steering wheel to shake if you change lanes without signaling. Now if I could just teach it to wipe my a........:rolleyes:

Truth is I prefer my pickup with the crank windows. ;)

[OldLincoln]

If I were to buy a new car I'd certainly get all that stuff. Mine is a 1998 and likely to be our last. I'm trying to stretch my driving years out as long as I can, thus the aids.

[b4uqzme]

Well good deal. I admit that I didn't know you could install that stuff aftermarket.

[Dreams_of_Steel]

I also was unaware they were making aftermarket systems that could be installed like this. My 2013 Chrysler 300 SRT8 has Adaptive Cruise Control, which will adjust the cars speed based on the speed of the vehicle in front of you. It also warns if a vehicle is slowing rapidly in front of you and you are not pressing the brake pedal. Blind spot monitors, backup camera, front and rear proximity alarms, tilt-down side view mirrors when backing up and headlights that move with the steering wheel all help to keep my wife from rear ending someone or backing into the garage door driving my car. I may need to look into the aftermarket setup for her truck. How much did that rig run you OldLincoln?

12486

[muggsy]

I have a similar system in my car that costs absolutely nothing. It's called ears and eyes. Granted I had to add bifocals to it, but it still works fine. Call me old school.

[berettabone]

Bought my new Subaru last year...............could have gotten " Eyesight" system for another $4000.............................I told them to keep it. When I can't use my own, it's time to stop driving....everyone gets to that point.:D

[ltxi]

If I were to buy a new car I'd certainly get all that stuff. Mine is a 1998 and likely to be our last. I'm trying to stretch my driving years out as long as I can, thus the aids.

Nice add on, I guess, as long as you don't need to fully depend on it. Two years ago I replaced my 1999 Honda with a 2013 to a large extent for the newer tech safety systems but, other than it's back-up camera, driver coherence/responsibility aids wasn't one of them.

[OldLincoln]

The Safedrive RD-140 was $1700, which makes me weep. They say it will install on all 2000 and newer but they've done it on other 1998 Lexus LS400 so I'm ok. I haven't had an accident or ticket in over 40 years (driving for 60) but I have had more near misses each year. I still consider myself quite good a driver but not nearly what I was. If I had an accident, beside bodily damage, any car damage would cost more than the system so if I can drive another 10 years It'll be well worth it. See it at Safe Drive (http://safedrivesystems.com/rd140/).

[Dreams_of_Steel]

The car and feature package I chose came with all the driver aids included... I guess that's what happens when you pick the top-of-the-line model. I don't NEED them by any means, no other car I've owned had them, but they sure are nice. The adaptive cruise control is the only one I use on a consistent basis, and only when out on the highways. My driver profile (linked to my key fob) has most of the features disabled, or set to visual only if available. Nothing wrong with safety features, as long as one does not rely on them.

[OldLincoln]

Adaptive cruise control would be at the top of my list if I were buying new. I use cruise for almost all of my freeway driving. Hate it when people speed up/slow down all the way to town. Almost as bad as those that pop in from an on ramp at -10 then stay there for a mile before they realize how slow they're going. As my sci-fi books say, in space everything is relativistic, same for freeways.

[Dreams_of_Steel]

You read good literature! Sci-fi or sci-fact as a lot of it has become is my favorite genre. Since I saw the thread I've been looking at newer model trucks for my wife that have these built-in features in anticipation of our next upgrade. The 2014 Ford Raptor has her attention now...there goes another 50k

[O'Dell]

I keep the adaptive CC turned off in my car. I had it on a rental last year and pulled out to pass when the car in front slowed suddenly to take an exit. The system activated after I made the lane change and I almost got rear-ended by a car behind me when my car slowed very quickly.

[AJBert]

All of this high tech talk makes me really miss my '67 Mustang. It had an amazing feature, a pedal way on the left side that when you pushed it, washer fluid squirted on the windshield.

Then there was the '76 Camaro that had the safety light that lit up if you did buckle your seat belt.

I understand the need for aids to help one who may need the help. The only thing I like about todays vehicles is the drive train and suspension. There's not a truck I'd buy brand new today. To get what I want I'd have to have one built using new tech and old skool toughness.

[deadeye]

Guess I am old and crotchety but I don't like any of the new cars today. Keep one for my wife to drive but mine are a 1948 Ford truck and a 1984 Bronco II with a 302 V8 transplanted in it. I have built both from the ground up and can fix anything that goes wrong with them. I have enough d0-gadgets to keep up with as it is. Half or more of this cr*p they are putting on these new "wonder wagons" will be nothing but trouble in no time. If you need it get it. To each his own.

[diablo53]

Adaptive Cruise Control is the next best thing to auto pilot. The wife's ford edge has it.

[muggsy]

Linc, it no coincidence that you're having more close calls than ever. Look at how many more cars there are on the road than there were 60 years ago. And most of those new cars have so many damn gizmos in them the people can't concentrate on their driving. The only distraction we had in our day was women wearing mini skirts. I damn near totaled my '68 Chevelle SS due to one of them. Thank God for power brakes. :)

[OldLincoln]

I don't know if what we have going on here is different than where you are, but it seems that the under 30 women (younger are worse) have a notion that if they don't look you will avoid them. They pull out and change lanes without a glance either way.

[Dreams_of_Steel]

Too busy texting, doing makeup, talking either on the phone or to the other people in the car... I see it every time I'm on the road. I really wish there was a way to get all these people what they deserve, a bit fat ticket. I know cops catch some of them, but if everyone had dash cams in their cars like they do in Russia and could submit video evidence anonymously to get a ticket issued, I bet the number of distracted driving tickets and accidents would go down dramatically.

[OldLincoln]

Up till I definitely retired about 8 years ago (career retirement 21 years ago last month) I used to do a lot of business on my cell while making 2-3 hr. business trips. I said nonsense when the anti-cell campaign was heating up but when it became law I mostly stopped. Now it's totally out of the question and I recognize all the cell-heads carrying on like mating season. Sure it's a pretty good fine, but I'm now thinking it's like drunk driving for many people. Years ago I had skills I don't today so I shouldn't cell, but today I don't think the youngins ever had the skills to begin with. Now I'm expecting the laws to soon start treating "death-by-cell" as a homicide.

[ltxi]

Up till I definitely retired about 8 years ago (career retirement 21 years ago last month) I used to do a lot of business on my cell while making 2-3 hr. business trips. I said nonsense when the anti-cell campaign was heating up but when it became law I mostly stopped. Now it's totally out of the question and I recognize all the cell-heads carrying on like mating season. Sure it's a pretty good fine, but I'm now thinking it's like drunk driving for many people. Years ago I had skills I don't today so I shouldn't cell, but today I don't think the youngins ever had the skills to begin with. Now I'm expecting the laws to soon start treating "death-by-cell" as a homicide.

And good on you for realizing/recognizing and adapting to and looking for ways to mitigate it. I'm 72 and mostly not there yet but do keep an eye out and have noticed some degradation out around the edges. Nothing I can't mental awareness compensate for yet, but I'm sure that time will come.....unless perhaps DeathClock.com is correct and my expiration date really is gonna be Feb 2017.

[jocko]

And good on you for realizing/recognizing and adapting to and looking for ways to mitigate it. I'm 72 and mostly not there yet but do keep an eye out and have noticed some degradation out around the edges. Nothing I can't mental awareness compensate for yet, but I'm sure that time will come.....unless perhaps DeathClock.com is correct and my expiration date really is gonna be Feb 2017.

its hell to get ole, at my age, I think about WHEN I am gonna have to give up riding my harley. My wife says I am more cautious on my bike than in the car though, so she won't let me drive the car anymore when she is with me. I seem to be far more cautious on my bike but many times I have had a semi pass me and i never even knew he was coming, so WTf does that mean??? Lincoln, ur not alone...

[OldLincoln]

its hell to get ole, at my age, I think about WHEN I am gonna have to give up riding my harley. My wife says I am more cautious on my bike than in the car though, so she won't let me drive the car anymore when she is with me. I seem to be far more cautious on my bike but many times I have had a semi pass me and i never even knew he was coming, so WTf does that mean??? Lincoln, ur not alone...

A few friends my age stil, ride rneir road bikes, not sl much mou tai tho. One stretched the fun by switchi m g to a 3 wheeler. I prefer to have a dozen air bags araround me and enjoy their fun as they go by.

[DanTana]

Does any of these gadgets lower your insurance rates?

[OldLincoln]

I'd be surprised if they lower rates. Seems to me they'd figure if you paid for one you might need it and be a higher risk.

Jocko, looking at my last post I swear it didn't look that bad when I typed it on my tablet, but it did. It did occur to me that your recent experience of letting things sneak up on you has been my experience. I'll bet you used to see both mirrors, the road to front and sides, and the chicks all at the same time. Now you may have to mentally select one or two and it gets worse. Please be careful my friend.... just saying.

[Bawanna]

Reading your last post I was ready to send CHP to seize your license. Why you were typing like Jocko!

[OldLincoln]

Dang 10" tablet makes web small as the fine print in an insurance contract. That's why they always put big marks or flags and say "just sign here"! I thought I was doing fine but need to shy away from typing on that thing. It has a speech-to-text feature but how many "uhhh" do you want to read in a reply anyhow?

Now my son was showing us his new iPhone 6.1 Easter at the home (no, HIS home) and he just talks normally and that darn thing is almost perfect. Said "Send text to Dad" and it came back "enter text" so he says the words then "send" and I have the text on my dumb phone (which is about as small as the web text). Then he gets sassy and says "Siri, what is the closest piza place?"... it comes back the the name of the local spot. What's the weather, same thing. Says Siri tell me a joke... Can't think of one. Siri give me directions to Hawaii... Very funny. Sure don't need one to talk on but dang I like that Siri thing. Looked it up and guess Apple liked it too cause they bought the outfit for big bucks and stopped it becoming available to anybody else. Like that magic carburetor many years ago that the oil guys locked in a safe.

As for looking like Jocko, stop picking on him! He may be typing it on a small text thing like mine. I'd rather have him slur than stay away. Also rather he buy ice cream like the rest of use than licking it off the street.

[Bawanna]

My hearing aid doc has that Siri thing. Does all kind of magical stuff.

He picked up his wife's phone by mistake and asked her something and she came back and asked what he was doing on his wifes phone, must recognize the voice or something.

Then while I'm there he asked Siri "What are you wearing?" Her response was "What makes you think I'm wearing anything at all?" This all has to be preprogramed right, surely they don't have a live body someplace making these responses.

[OldLincoln]

I love the way Apple integrated Siri, she comes back so quick and natural without robot tones at all. I never wanted an iPhone before but I'd like to borrow one for a week.

[Bawanna]

I just had to get a new phone, just when I figured out how to do some stuff on my old one. It's supposedly not a smart phone but an android. Funny the sales dude knew right off I wasn't a smart phone candidate.
Big thing though, small tablet.
All I use it for is texting mostly, take a picture with it now and then and play a game or two. Full grown man playing bubble pop on his break, whats the world coming too?

I guess this is a something 5, had a something 1 before. Nice that I can enlarge the text messages and don't need reading glasses everytime it goes off.

Funny I went to a Wally World to find one of them deals to hang it on my belt, sales dude helping me look and we opened a couple to see if they would fit, one had been previously taped and he couldn't get it with his thumb nail so I pulled out my bowie knife, thought the guy was gonna faint. Told him it's just a knife dude used for opening cell phone case packaging, relax.
Something to chuckle about I guess.

[OldLincoln]

I do realize this is an old thread but this is an update. I finally got the Safedrive radar/camera unit installed and really like it after only a few days. No it hasn't saved my life yet but it's already making me more aware, sounding a thrump when getting too close to the lane edge and lighting up when it's watching the car in front. If you're trained on defensive driving you know about the 2 second rule for following traffic at any speed, not car lengths. That's the way this unit works. The faster you go the sooner the warning happens.

I initially was frustrated that the lane warning didn't sound soon enough at 40, but discovered at 70 it's warning plenty early to keep from drifting. In fact it's retraining me to stay centered. Same for closing on cars. The unit lights up green when in range but not closing, yellow when closing, red when closing faster, beeps when getting close still faster and alarms when dangerous. All the warnings are user settable but I like them where they're at for now. I will say if I were getting a new car today I's get this as an option.

[muggsy]

its hell to get ole, at my age, I think about WHEN I am gonna have to give up riding my harley. My wife says I am more cautious on my bike than in the car though, so she won't let me drive the car anymore when she is with me. I seem to be far more cautious on my bike but many times I have had a semi pass me and i never even knew he was coming, so WTf does that mean??? Lincoln, ur not alone...

It means you need aids, Jocko. One in each ear if you can't hear a semi sneaking up on you. :)

[muggsy]

Just to let you guys know, I saw my doctor today and he gave me just six months to live. As I was leaving his office he said, "See you again in six months, Muggsy." Now I'm really depressed. :)

[OldLincoln]

Aids won't help on a motorcycle, especially a Harley with loud pipes. I can't hear a darn thing on my quiet sedan is I even open a couple windows. Wind noise with aids is like a front row seat at some hard rock thing.

A truck sneaking up is more likely a single minded focus on something else and closing out others. I used to be able to carry on a conversation and watch TV but now it's either/or. Instead I sit alone and read books so I eliminate the hearing problem.

[Bawanna]

Yup, hearing aids are excellent at making what you want to hear the least very very loud and blocking out the things you want to hear the most.

[RICK G]

I just ordered an expensive anti-collision unit for my car. It's a model RD-140 from Safe Driving Systems. It uses radar to measure distance and closure rate of metal object in front of you warning as the closure is in range and yells at you a couple seconds before you smash. It also does a rumble strip sound if you change lanes without your blinker on.

Up side is it looks through fog (bad here) and rain (little) because it's radar, but doesn't see people because it's radar. It also won't see the idiot that t-bones you, not that it'd matter much.

Anybody know about this?

My initial install appt was postponed by several weeks. SDS offered an additional AWS brake light feature at no cost. Technician come to my work, spent over 5 hours installing then called me to say he was ill and leaving. No test drive....no instructions. He said he'd leave the instruction card on the seat! (and they didn't install the promised AWS brake light system.) After work, got in and began drive home. Immediately, I noticed the collision alarm feature was sketchy. They advertise a 500 foot scan. I followed a large tank truck on the open Thruway for almost 20 miles just to test the unit. It finally picked the truck up at less than about 300 feet. Decided to see how close I could get before an alarm. I repeatedly drove up to just 30 feet +/- before the red LEDs came on with just one (and only one) subdued "beep". This was at over 65 mph! I kept playing with the distances until it was clear this was not a good system. I got home, read the "card" and the next morning went to "adjust/increase" the sensitivity. To my surprise, the unit was already programmed to its maximum sensitivity! (read all previous). Over 30 years ago, I had an Escort radar detector. The visual/alarm would start at a lower tone and then increase tone and rapidity of signal as I got closer to the threat. This now older technology is not designed in the SDS unit. You get one subdued "beep" and that's it. The red LEDs may remain on, but not audible. The final "death collision tone" did not signal until I was literally just a few feet off the rear bumper of that tank truck at over 65 mph! The supposed audible alarms of this system are critical for its use! If you might be daydreaming or sleepy…this unit will not adequately alert you! Called SDS…and now they don’t have any technicians available to “fix” or remove the system! (Of course, SDS charged my account some 3 weeks earlier, well prior to their installation.)

This SDS unit is poorly designed. The audible alarm feature is nowhere even near marginally adequate. Over-sold with "pie in the sky" performance representations. Just a placebo with pretty lights. Wait until "Revision 2" comes out before you purchase. I’m not sure who has posted such positive reports on this (they did convince me to purchase), but I now suspect they weren’t truthful (certainly not accurate.).

[Bawanna]

You can take what Old Lincoln says to the bank and draw interest on it.

Perhaps you have a bad unit or a poor installation.

[berettabone]

Sorry, but ANYONE who needs these aids to drive should get off the road before they hurt someone. I spend half my time looking in the rearview, so somebody doesn't slam me in the arse end, and the other half watching out for texters................................driving up north a lot, I see people do crazy things with automobiles all the time. These aids don't seem to be helping anyone. They still weave all over the road, they still fall asleep, their still drunk......................the only thing that will help is if the car drives itself, period. Why do you think that the gov't is pushing these vehicle helpers. They can't stop bad older drivers, they can't stop drunks, they can't stop people from falling asleep, can't stop texters, and they can't stop people from drinking and driving. If you can't drive on your own, get off the friggen road before you kill someone. My wife and I talk about it all of the time.......when it's time to stop driving, it's time to stop driving. Anything else is just selfishness. When you feel the need to get one of these systems, you need to get off the road.

[OldLincoln]

Okay here goes....

I've had the system for a little over a year now and I officially withdraw my initial impressions. Thing is I appreciate it when it works and am aggravated when it doesn't, and that's about a 50/50 proposition.

It doesn't recognize any changes for 3 seconds (computer lag?) including cars cutting in front at 10 feet. If it's already locked on it woks pretty good. But it's handicapped at locking on regardless of distance.

It advertised it tracks up to 8 targets covering the surrounding lanes etc., but change lanes and it's like a reboot. If it was tracking the vehicle in the next lane it should immediately show the appropriate lights.

On a trip in heavy traffic it occasionally freaks out and I have to reboot it.

The good is when driving in moderate traffic usually with cruise on, it goes yellow when the car ahead begins to close the gap. So it does recognize closing rate if locked in.

Another good is the lane change alert if no turn signal. That's useful when texting at 75mph. JUST KIDDING!! I don't use the phone at all when driving, but looking at the gps map can be a challenge.

As for brettabone's, vicious attack, he's obviously lacking in the PC temperament. I bet he even likes, gasp, guns! All I can say is I use my cane when I need it, I drive a lot safer than I did a few years ago, it's been over 35 years since I've been stopped and 40 since an accident. I don't appreciate a generalized comment like that any more than the BLM propaganda about all cops. Not everybody still has 20/20 and sub-second reflexes, so a FUNCTIONING radar warning is useful as long as you don't depend on it.

Let's see, "when it's time it's time". Does that mean everybody less than you isn't qualified to drive? Perhaps you just don't like sharing the road... Are you fully qualified if you aren't feeling well and drive, or sleepy but not falling asleep? Do you volunteer to drive the slightly infirm to doctors? I suppose you believe Bawanna should not drive because he is in a chair. I suspect you get where I'm coming from. I forgot to mention that I've been driving for over 60 years and it's still not time.

[berettabone]

First of all, if that was a vicious attack, then we're all in trouble. I don't do PC..PC is for Hillary and her bunch..............PC is what is ruining this country. If your looking for PC, go to a Democratic rally by Bernie Sanders. Use your cane when you need it. You purchased the system, so you ARE depending on it, especially by telling us how it doesn't work very well, and withdrawing your previous statements. I don't drive when I'm tired, I let the wife drive. As a matter of fact, I have volunteered driving people to their doctor appointments. You should never assume, it will bite you in the ass every time. I'm sure Bawanna uses common sense when driving................being in a chair really has no bearing. Your angry that you purchased something that doesn't work to your liking, and doesn't allow you to feel totally comfortable behind the wheel. Don't be mad at me. I'm 61 years old, and I won't be driving forever. I am planning on what to do when I get off the road. We fought with my wife's mother for years, because she wouldn't get the hell off the road at 82 years old. Every time she drove, she almost killed someone on a regular basis. No peripheral vision, cataract surgery, no reflexes, lousy vision. People need to put the pride away and get off the road. Behind texting, and drunk driving, old drivers are the largest segment of problem drivers in this country. They don't even test their vision when they renew their license. They're like Mr. Magoo, leaving carnage in their wake without even realizing it. I wait 15 minutes for these people to park in a parking place. Don't be angry with me because your driving skills are waning. Do us all a favor, get off the road before you hurt someone. If you need a machine, it's time to go. I'm just being realistic, and your worried about someone being politically correct. I'm planning for alternatives when I can't drive anymore. Instead of being ass hurt, you should be doing the same.