How do you start a crowdfunding thing? I have a great idea!

[Mincey]

Yesterday I had to make a trip to the pharmacist to pick up some pills for Mrs Mincey. It was snowing so I thought I'd drive. There was no snow settling on the road or paths though - driving in the snow without winter tyres would be foolhardy. I parked outside the pharmacy and went in, observing the social distancing and mask wearing roles of course. 

When I came out, I started the car up and put it in drive. BEEEEEEEEEEEEEP! "What on Earth could that be?" I wondered. I checked the instrument panel - no flashing lights. BEEEEEEEEEEEEP! I then noticed that the Park Assist was going nuts (as an aside, I nearly drove into a wall recently because the sensors had been turned off when it was serviced. The car, not the wall). I've never seen the sensor showing red. "Hmm, that's queer" I thought. I then realised that there was probably snow or some other obstruction on the sensor. I switched the engine off, got out, cleared the badge of a few flakes of snow and got back in again. This time there was no BEEEEEEEEEEEEEP. Hurrah.

I then drove to Sainsburys to get some essential items. When I came out, started the car and put it in D, can you guess what happened next? Yes, you're not wrong.

So, my idea which needs crowd funding is... a device to clear snow from the front parking sensor. I haven't decided yet whether it will be a wiper, some kind of blower or a heating element. I could of course just remember to give it a wipe whenever it's snowing. Oh and it does stop going BEEEEEEEEEP at about 10mph (the speed limit in the Sainsburys car park - I wasn't going to get out and clean it again) and there appears to be a volume off icon on the Park Assist display, but by the time I'd noticed it, I was doing 10mph. Then I reached the traffic lights at the car park exit. BEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!.........

[The-Acre]

I've a feeling your crowd funding may not draw a crowd on this one, more like a small gathering!  We hardly seem to get snow on the West Sussex coast, something to do with the downs I'm told.

[Thackeray]

40 minutes ago, Mincey said:

I haven't decided yet whether it will be a wiper, some kind of blower or a heating element.

Heating element might be too slow and wouldn't work for mud. A blower would be ok for newly settled snow. Volvos used to have baby wipers on the headlights, matching the grown-up wipers on the windscreen, which was very cute. But I think the best answer, especially if crowdfunding is paying, would be a chauffeur.

[royoftherovers]

19 minutes ago, The-Acre said:

I've a feeling your crowd funding may not draw a crowd on this one, more like a small gathering!  We hardly seem to get snow on the West Sussex coast, something to do with the downs I'm told.

The answer is the same way one cleans one`s posterior !

As James stated in his final paragraph.

[NemesisUK]

Must admit I thought the badge on the front was a protection cover/window for the radar sensor (cruise control and pre-crash etc., detection) and the park assist was the small acoustic sensors along the bumper line. Four front and four rear, at least on my RC.

[Mincey]

16 minutes ago, NemesisUK said:

Must admit I thought the badge on the front was a protection cover/window for the radar sensor (cruise control and pre-crash etc., detection) and the park assist was the small acoustic sensors along the bumper line. Four front and four rear, at least on my RC.

You may have a point - I can't remember seeing any sensors on the front of the car and assumed that the big bad boy in the middle did the work. There's a sensor on each corner though:

 

[NemesisUK]

On my RC the two front centre sensors are well hidden in the grill, difficult to spot..

[Mincey]

11 minutes ago, NemesisUK said:

On my RC the two front centre sensors are well hidden in the grill, difficult to spot..

When it has warmed up a bit, I'll go and have a look!

[The-Acre]

7 hours ago, royoftherovers said:

The answer is the same way one cleans one`s posterior !

As James stated in his final paragraph.

Nope, I don't understand that reply at all!

[Mincey]

7 hours ago, Thackeray said:

Heating element might be too slow and wouldn't work for mud. A blower would be ok for newly settled snow. Volvos used to have baby wipers on the headlights, matching the grown-up wipers on the windscreen, which was very cute. But I think the best answer, especially if crowdfunding is paying, would be a chauffeur.

You've just reminded me that my dad had a Chrysler Alpine with headlamp wipers - they were bristles, not like conventional wiper blades. I can't really remember how effective they were.

[royoftherovers]

41 minutes ago, The-Acre said:

Nope, I don't understand that reply at all!

WITH HIS HANDS !

[NemesisUK]

What, not toilet tissue? 😳

[The-Acre]

9 minutes ago, royoftherovers said:

WITH HIS HANDS !

It must be me then because I can't see how that applies to my post!

[200h]

4 hours ago, NemesisUK said:

What, not toilet tissue? 😳

times are hard, just make sure your nails are cut short

[Mincey]

Ok I've scrapped the idea of designing a wiper device for the Lexus badge as I've found the front sensors. They're either side of the numberplate. I shall have to come up with another idea...

 

[200h]

heres an idea for you james a heated reversing camera.

the times i get to work and then cant see as the camera

has had moisture blown over the lens giving a distorted image

Vw hide their camera behind the Vw boot handle

this keeps the lens clear from frost and blown water

[Mincey]

1 hour ago, 200h said:

heres an idea for you james a heated reversing camera.

the times i get to work and then cant see as the camera

has had moisture blown over the lens giving a distorted image

Vw hide their camera behind the Vw boot handle

this keeps the lens clear from frost and blown water

That is an excellent idea - my wife's Ioniq could do with one of those too. A combined heater/wiper unit. I like the idea of that. I like it a lot!

[200h]

i know it is James

when will you be starting the research and development project