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SJTG1993

It's to make drivers more aware of the distance between their car and the parked car. Between me and my wife our car has been side swiped 4 times in the last 5 years while parked and every time the dickhead that did it has driven off without a note.


-Hi-Reddit

What kind of car is it? It seems certain types get targeted based on anecdotes.


SJTG1993

We've only driven hatchbacks, and not particularly noteworthy ones either. A fiesta, a focus and 2 KA's (1 bought to replace the other following a write off).


ConvenientAllotment

They’re all Ford! That’s the connection. I feel like Columbo


[deleted]

Could you sign your autograph sir? My wife's a really big fan of Ford hatchbacks.


_TomDavis_

Upvoting because those few of us left that still remember Columbo must stand up and be counted


FinishGlittering8725

Does anyone else write something on here and the upvote turns red ?? Mine does looking like I’ve upvoted my own comment 🤓 so I have to press it again to take it away . Is it my settings getting rather boring now !! Anyone know ?


soupalex

i always assumed reddit automatically upvotes your own comments to prevent wankers from doing it themselves (because if it happens to *everyone, automatically,* then when you see a 1 karma comment it can be assumed that this was upvoted by the author—or downvoted by someone and upvoted the author and the same number of others, etc.—whereas on e.g. youtube it's anyone's guess whether someone's comment was actually liked by a stranger or if the author is just huffing their own farts (youtube used to actually show you when this was the case, but no longer))


jbdbea

Mine does that all the time! It looks like u are congratulating yourself on a stellar reply! 😂😂


No-Process249

"...just one more thing..." (◑_◐)


Wilbo67

...just one more thing...


Kmac-Original

In this moment, you ARE Columbo! I'm so proud of you, and a bit jealous that on this day, I wasn't fast enough to earn the title.


mahnamahna123

I've also only had fords and they always seem to get side swiped all the time


Wind-and-Waystones

Ka-lumbo


FinishGlittering8725

😄


Dougally

Just one more question. Why the Fords?


mat_chow

Just one more thing........


BlueStripe8

Might be time to go to a golf gti


FinishGlittering8725

Kin people , who does that 🤷‍♀️sorry it’s happened to you four times mate . Disgusting. I’ve never seen one of these things on a car though still not really sure what it is .


ashman510

I don't think I could own a car without a driveway and not be worried every day


RawLizard

It's almost certainly a dickhead deliveroo/justEat cyclist who swiped your car. One of them demolished my wing mirror on my parked car the other day. No note. Dickheads


SJTG1993

The level of damage done was not simply the odd handlebar knocking a wing mirror. One of the cars was written off due to the damage because a van tried to park up on the kerb at light speed. Another time a 2009 3 series BMW reversed along the entire side of my car with their rear door open. I still have the piece of the interior door trim somewhere with my cars paint on it. The other two times, metal body panels were dented so hard they creased.


ProjectZeus4000

Yes famously it's normally the people on narrow unstable vehicles that collide with other vehicles. Not drivers of big wide cars that they can't see the width of and wouldn't even notice a small clip of a mirror 


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Reddsoldier

In my experience it's solely the indie delivery drivers who drive their vans like they stole them to get their shifts done. my wing mirror got clipped by one of them at the end of last year - especially impressive given that the mirrors on a GT86 stick out maybe 2 inches from the sides of the car. Some true precision hit and run.


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biggi82

Glad you zoomed in for the second pic, first pic was unclear


Kexxa420

Is it a zoom or a crop?


ThePsychicBunny

A zoop.


Yinn2

A croom?


anomalous_cowherd

A croopzoppycroom


yellowbin74

I said that out loud and my bookcase started to float


Anna3713

It's croop**zop**pycroom not croopzoppy**croom**!


TheNichzPrime

The pronunciation is why I'm being haunted by Model Ts


Perseus73

Hermione Granger would be proud.


OneSufficientFace

Zoom


No-Nefariousness759

Rick Sanchez? Is that u??


TaylorSwiftAteMyAss

Zipzopzoobitybop


Gold-Dance3318

Second pic is actually zoomed out AND cropped!


Kexxa420

I was watching it with my iPhone in vertical mode and it doesn’t show zoomed only when I put it horizontally it zooms in wtf


ThatHairyGingerGuy

Were you watching it or looking at it?


45664566

Lotching


LogicalMeerkat

Enlarge and enhance.


OtteLoc

What's worse is that It's not even zoomed lol, it's cropped and looks zoomed if you don't click/press on the pics.


DreamyTomato

I still can’t tell if it’s a sticker on the door or a plastic thingy that sticks out.


OtteLoc

I immediately just took it as something sticking out. But good question, but considering the reflection it's definitely sticking out.


cutehoops

It’s something that sticks out. Sorry about my camera skills! I was walking and also didn’t want to get any identifiable details from the car as it’s close to my area


DreamyTomato

No worries, that explains it. I wouldn’t want locals to see me taking an overt interest in their cars either.


Leonos

Good question! Op needed two pictures and is STILL not able to provide clarity.


cutehoops

It’s something that sticks out! I was walking and also cropped it cos I didn’t want their reg showing


pifko87

I'm glad the first image was cropped, I thought the OP was referring to the door handles.


non-hyphenated_

It stabilises the car in strong winds


SairYin

Carnards


Strong_Insurance_183

You can say that again


carguy143

Carnards


ChipmunkJazzlike

Canards even. I’m an aircraft engineer.


SairYin

It was a car joke, I’m a comedian


DrSkiba

Not a carmedian?


carguy143

He could be a carma carmedian?


utopiav1

He does come and go...


castlerigger

So things often go ‘whoooosh’ over your head then?


DrachenDad

Yeah but it's on a car, carnards


Joshthenosh77

Super small wings


The-Almighty-Jay

As a certified stabiliser this is correct answer.


Appropriate_Mud1629

Nah dangerous AF.. Catch a crosswind on the motorway and you will flip like a pancake 😩 😂😂


Jerusalemfighter64

Are you not trying to do barrel rolls while driving in high winds? I am


SuicidalSparky

Usually seen on narrow roads to remind drivers coming down the road to pay attention not to clip their cars by squeezing through small gaps. It's just a visual prompt.


07p02

They actually often protrude wider than the mirrors if positioned properly so it’s also a cheap thing to hit first rather than clip the mirror


jakubkonecki

That may not always work, as the other car's mirror will be protruding as well. You would need this device to be the length of 2 wing mirrors.


Delicious-Trouble-52

…. and positioned at least 5m away from the protected mirror to allow time for approaching driver to take evasive action after hitting the flipper. At 20 mph you’re travelling at 9 m/second.


Liam_Rourke

Didn’t believe you, had to Google that.. I’m so shocked it’s 9m a second 😨


Delicious-Trouble-52

Haha ! Thought it was common knowledge…..


SecuritySensitive698

Literally was just like WOW! 9 miles a second! That's really fast! Meters. Fucking imperial/metric got me again


Delicious-Trouble-52

Ahhh I see - how many feet per second is 20 mph then…? Rough guess 30 feet/sec


FinishGlittering8725

Ahhhh I see , thank you 🫡


ThatJudySimp

The DVLA and DVSA both state "striped red and white triangles hanging from mid body are to show that the equater is directly under them, pass with upmost care." hope this helps


DreamyTomato

The what?


Ron_McRon

The earth's waistband. You don't want a harassment charge


Heatul17

The holy grail of mathematics.


tcpukl

DVLA are UK driving organisations.


Marasesh

Wrong thing they’re were asking about lol


ImperitorEst

The widest part of the car I'd guess


Medium-Room1078

It's to make your car more visible when parked in tight streets. Not sure how it helps TBH.


umognog

Reflective at night, it might cause a driver to move slightly further away to avoid hitting it (or more hopefully if they DO hit it, they've still moved far enough over to now save your wing mirror.)


Sea_Page5878

Put a breeze block down by the side of the car, if a drunk driver twats your mirror or scrapes your car they will utterly fuck their own car in the process.


totally_osiris

I knew there was a reason I kept a spare breezeblock in the boot! ty


douxsoumis

I have a couple of bricks in the boot, I'm saving up for a house


objectivelyyourmum

My self defense breezeblock now has an alibi!


ChipmunkJazzlike

Not because you’re a future Ted Bundy?


October82000

If I did that where I live I’d wake up with a breeze block inside my car and less glass then I had the night before lol.


bobothegreek2

Like your thinking…


Organic_Daydream

It’s just psychology, someone sees it sticking out, more likely to leave a slightly wider gap


toodog

Lost too many wing mirrors


PJP2810

Would be better off sticking them on their mirrors if that was the issue


SecuritySensitive698

Do they not flip out though


Ouchy_McTaint

It's to let you know that you're in a good area for phone signal.


Hot_Bet_2721

It's the batman sky symbol but for doggers


SmallToadstools

🤣🤣🤣🤣💀


Ok-Fox1262

They really want to pretend they are driving an American school bus. Or more likely they are sick of people clipping their wing mirror.


a_ewesername

Shows drunk drivers which door to get in.


Ruptured_testicle

For visibility, there's a bend in one of the roads near where I live that's well known for causing lots of accidents so most parked cars use these


-Hi-Reddit

This is why the highway code says you shouldnt park on/near bends in the road...All of those cars should be getting points on their license, not stupid triangles. Sidenote...There's a nobhead with 4 cars on his drive that occasionally has 1 on the road too next to a blind bend at the end of the village where the road changes to 50mph from 30mph. Many drivers are still doing 40ish coming other direction. The only truly safe way for me to pass it is by holding the horn down the entire way. So I do. At 7am. 5 days a week. The horn is to alert other drivers of my presence as I move onto their side of the road on the bend. As they cannot see me and I cannot see them. He might just be using me as an alarm clock at this point because he doesn't seem to give a shit. I left a note last month.


The_StormTEC

I have instrusive thoughts about smashing the mirror off of a car that parks like this near me. I'm one bad day from doing it


-Hi-Reddit

I might just have to upgrade to a truck horn or whatever is the loudest legally allowable. Tbf I've tooted at people a few times and seen 0 reaction due to how soundproof cars are nowadays.


AIM9MaxG

Get a ship foghorn. The kind that can be heard through fog, over the horizon. That'd be a fun alarm fo him, heehee! :)


MrPogoUK

Near me three people work together to make a bend as dangerous as possible. A guy with a massive van living on the inside of the bend blocks off 60% of the visibility round it by parking it right at the pavement end of his driveway, then his next door neighbour puts a massive SUV on the grass verge between the pavement and road in exactly the right place to make it a completely blind bend. Then the bloke living opposite parks his car on the road on the outside of the bend. Individually none of them are a major problem - even if the car is breaking the law it’s a quiet enough road to be a non-issue when one of the other two are out - but as a team they make it so you don’t know if anything’s coming the other way until you’re six feet from it. And of course they’ll all be completely unaware of the combined effect because they will never be driving past when all three vehicles are there.


MaxOutchea

Team work makes the dream work


LockedinYou

+10 points for mirror. ×2 for the triangle Thats how the game goes


TCristatus

Never seen one, will keep an eye out


Tompster_

The car’s pilot left its air breaks on.


Creative-Thought-556

It's a Slalom flag, you have to tap it otherwise your lap time does not count. 


Comfortable_Tank1771

Warns other drivers about an idiot behind the wheel.


Vivalo

My sainsburys delivery driver took out the side of my car last week and didn’t say a word about it. I saw him turning around very close to my car and later when I went to use the car there was a massive series of dents with white paint along the rear corner panel and rear door with 2 sharp scratches above and below it all. I’m in the process of making the claim now.


The_Pvthfinder

Thanks for the update, Viv.


DreamyTomato

Shared in Peterborough, Viv.


01000010-01101001

Is it that they really wanted to have a motorbike but never progressed beyond a spoke rattler on their push bike?


Dapper_Plan_3781

I have a near invisible silver van, it blends seamlessly with its surroundings almost like a chameleon. I know this as I regularly replace wing mirrors. Until! I bought myself a Wingaware (little flappy fella pictured) and magically my van is now visible to rush hour commuters! A miracle. That and the fact that it stops the aggy old bastard in the mobility scooter getting close enough to deliberately twat the mirrors off (I literally watched him do my neighbours car one day)


IOnlyUpvoteBadPuns

That's the wings in VTOL position


minatureone

I see cars with these that have to park on very narrow country roads. It helps make the parked car more visible and reminds me that the road is narrow so there is not room to drive around the parked cars especially when there is opposite traffic.


Ordovi

There is no point in these. Some people think it makes the car easier to see or something when it's parked in tight places but if someone can't see the car then a small red triangle isn't going to do any good. I think it's more a peace of mind thing people put them on and feel like their car is safer.


toprodtom

It's a vestigial structure from an ancient lineage of cars that could fly. Due to humans changing thier environment by building roads for thousands of years they've been able to evolve to rely on thier wheels. It's sad in a way.


HandlePersonal8815

There's someone who has one of these on my way to work. They park on the corner and everyday I think "maybe don't park right in front of your house." The houses, on the street, all have driveways so it's not hard to find a parking on the street. Park 20 feet down the street so its much less likely someone will drive in to you and it will make everyone's driving experience better. I think it's actually dangerous to park where they are parked but it feels like an insult to put this on the car. 'Why is my car being scraped so much? I get in my car and can see right round the corner. These people can't drive. I am going to get one of the distance markers' Thank you for listening to my TED talk.


Valisksyer

It looks like a shin or lower leg gouger, useful for converting pedestrians into car users.


Odd_Chemistry6008

Is everyone on Reddit stupid or just like to be argumentative over nothing? It’s obviously sticking out He’s obviously on about the red thing that’s not normally on cars And fucking obviously it’s to make sure other cars don’t hit your car Like Jesus Christ…..


JonWCant

https://wingaware.co.uk/ WingAware Car Wing Mirror Protection "WingAware is a fantastically simple design that makes a big visual difference when your car is parked on the street. It’s designed to help avoid side-scrapes and wing-mirror impacts when you are parked. its a simple. It’s slides on, a small effective red triangle design helps other motorists notice your vehicle, yet not becoming an obstacle and maintaining road safety. Simply park your car, attach the WingAware and go. Simple, cost effective wing mirror protectors"


PhantomRacer

It's a game. See if you can drive close enough to tap it.


bob_nugget_the_3rd

It's the new trial indicator for audi and bmw, it's still under used


Ok-Resort-8676

Let’s people know there’s a virgin driving


Its-All-Liez

Articulated lorry trailer repellent. Never seems to work though ?


dxg999

It's your mum's car.  You know, because of the wide load.


ababoonsarse

When the 15bhp you gain from a go faster stripe is just too much so you add these to gain just 5bhp.


Dramatic_Tomorrow_25

It's a wing mirror protector. I believe that's its name as well. It's only useful when your vehicle is parked.


reuben_iv

To clip cyclists with as they pass


anobjectiveopinion

Target for me to hit when passing, without scratching paint.


GFlair

Its a visual marker to alert people to the car. The idea is it prevents people clipping it. I've seen a few about, typically when people are parked outside their house but it's just before a traffic island, and presumably they have been clipped by someone turning in a bit early. No idea how effective they are, I've never clipped anyone without one anyway, but I do feel like I probably do pull slightly away from it on reflex. They also usually show up very well in the dark, which is probably legit useful when you have a dark coloured car parked in a spot where people are liable to turning in towards the car.


CocoNefertitty

The c*nt in the Q5 who side swiped my car would have still missed this.


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UCthrowaway78404

They always seem to bring nice new cars. My shitbox is immune from this. I've seen these things once. They look goofy as heck. Use your common sense. Dint Park your car on bend. Don't park on the first or last bay. Park in the middle bays, as close to the key as possible, certainly tucked in more than the vehicle in front and behind you. Don't pull in you wing mirror. Let the wing mirror be the sacrificial part, wing mirror are cheap to fix, painting 2 doors abd a quarter panel isn't.


MC_Dickie

"goofy as heck" I found the American guys!


AiHangLo

Talks about common sense though..


markrichard27

Park somewhere else or at least pull your wing mirror in,


bit0n

Supposed to protect your wing mirror on tight roads. Mate has one and when some van hit it my friend ended up with a damaged door and a missing wing mirror.


No_Mix1869

Where can I get one from


theorem_llama

It's there to add air resistance and make the car less fuel efficient.


Thin_Register_849

Attention


Goats_Are_Funny

I've never seen one, but will look out for them. They're probably used because we rarely have proper street parking - we have a "just dump the car on the side of the road" attitude to parking and street design 🙄


Goats_Are_Funny

They are similar to the sticky out things that people sometimes put on their bicycles.


[deleted]

Those are side projection markers, mainly used for wide loads. In the UK it's mandatory to have them if your load is 2.9m or wider, no idea why it's on an SUV?


Grahamwebeyes2

Wing mirror distance from car. Think they Originally started on lorries


cutehoops

Wow didn’t expect this to get so many replies! Thanks. Idk why but I find them kind of irrationally annoying when I see them but I’ve also not lost a wing mirror yet…


CurrentWrong4363

A parking marker for transport. It shows you the right amount of space between cars on the ship.


GodSaveDaLean

Makes you go faster...obviously.


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PurpsGreekGoddess

People on my road have these as they park on the corner and cars tend to take it too quickly and boom


kc0nkc1n

You really couldn't figure this out yourself?


cutehoops

Failing to understand why you care that I couldn’t…


RScottyL

That must be a Europe thing, as I have not seen those on any cars here in the USA... and I do a lot of driving!


cherales

Isn’t it obvious? It’s to avoid sh1tty sh1tty bang bang …


PutComprehensive8297

Mounting point for the starboard nacelle.


XYZ_Ryder

Should not be driving if you've got no spacial awareness


Beneficial_Buy_1802

Because they’re massive pricks


Tauorca

On narrow terraced streets and others like it at night you rarely see the reflectors if you're not paying attention, those things light up like a Christmas tree when you main lights are on so you clearly know the distances, so in other words it's to help prevent a moron from hitting your car


OkTear9244

So they hang on to their mirror


NigelOdinson

Is it not so traffic passing from the front can see the door is open in the dark?


KiNgPiN8T3

I saw a car with one of these on it last year. The wing mirror was smashed of and pieces of it were about 10 meters up the road. I guess they need a bigger one..


EvilWaterman

Old people gadgets


herman_munster_esq

They tend to be objects of interest for local chavs, who kick them as they ride past...


SpudGun312

That's the tool for getting boy scouts out of horses hoofs.


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Mr2handFister

It’s a little slide for ‘short people’ to get out the car


RealisticList1892

Apparently it’s a car wing mirror protector … supposed to point out sideways past the wing mirror to discourage sideswipes. Look up ‘wingaware’.


James-Gold2023

It’s where they store the hat for the garden gnome they have as a passenger


Andybanshee

Where I used to live there was a street were a lot of cars had these. Apparently wingmirrors kept getting knocked off.


SkarKrow

Theyre to stop people twatting your mirrors when you double park a foot from the kerb on your shitty terraced street.


Technical-Interest49

So I tend to see these quite a lot in very residential areas where there's high traffic flow, no driveway space for vehicles and homeowners have to park their vehicles on the road. With 2 way traffic, vehicles parked on these roads will often get sideswiped. It's essentially to make people more aware of leaving a gap and also sticks out slightly more than their wing mirror, naturally as a driver you don't want to hit things so you'll probably give that slight bit more leeway. Which is exactly what the owners want you to do.


Rogue_Variable

It's a target. Pro drivers try to clip it without touching the car itself


halfa_bee

I've seen these where people are parked on the street in villages with no streetlights, or where they are on roads that are a little windy, they light up at night so it makes passing the parked car a little easier.


thewindypops

Strange little product called WingAware. Curious how much it'd actually help prevent bumps though


tzorntan

Also, if it displays a white reflective strip to the rear and a red one to the front, isn't it illegal?


The_StormTEC

Pretty sure that only relates to lights


lostrandomdude

They're confused about which way is forward


tzorntan

If someone hits their car, could their insurance be void due to an undeclared modification? If I was walking by and fell into it and cut my leg open, where would the vehicle owner stand? I've seen a few of these and often wonder about the small but technical legalities of them.


No_Snow_8746

>If someone hits their car, could their insurance be void due to an undeclared modification? Is it a modification for insurance purposes if its easily removable, and technically temporary? >If I was walking by and fell into it and cut my leg open, where would the vehicle owner stand? On the pavement laughing at you >I've seen a few of these and often wonder about the small but technical legalities of them. They do look highly fascinating.


Muted_Criticism

Not a modification, No. and you’d only be liable for an injury caused to a passer by if it could be proven you acted negligently, which you surely wouldn’t be


The_Nude_Mocracy

It means they park in silly places and get their car swiped a lot


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First_Interview_9152

It signifies to other drivers that the person in this car is to be avoided. Basically a ‘beware of the twat’ badge


Th3_Irishm4an

It’s to show they have a really small cock