What is the Best Garage Parking Aid?
Parking in your garage probably isn’t the easiest task, especially if you have a smaller garage. The good news is that this task is a lot easier thanks to products like a garage parking aid. These devices are created specifically to help you avoid hitting objects with your vehicle. It’s important that you get an option that will work for your space, choosing the best garage parking aid.
The best parking garage aid is the STKR Garage Parking Sensor. Here are some features that make this a great option:
- Easily mounts to the wall, shelf, or any other surface in the garage so that you can avoid hitting them.
- A small solution that can neatly be mounted, without adding clutter.
- Easy to see lights to determine if it’s safe to proceed with green (safe), yellow (slow down), and red (stop).
- Custom distance settings that be memorized at the touch of a button.
- Now powered by 4AA batteries OR USB. A great update giving the user power options.
By reading on, you can learn more about parking garage aids as well as other parking tips for safely parking in your garage and about STKR Concepts’ Garage Parking Sensors.
How Does a Parking Garage Aid Work?
Parking aids have long been a popular choice for people who park in a garage. In the past, people used items like tennis balls on a string hanging from the ceiling to help them mark where to park. The good news is that thanks to advancements in technology, there are a wide variety of options that you can use for parking safely in the garage. This section will take a look at the different types of parking aids that you can get today.
Parking Bars/Stops
This is a basic option that you can use, which is done by placing them in a single spot on a garage floor. These are similar to the concrete parking stops you see in a parking lot, which tell you to stop when your wheels hit the barrier. These typically have reflective materials on them that allow you to see them whether it’s dark or light in the space. These are easily installed on the floor just using adhesive tape.
If you decide to go with this option, you want to be sure that you are buying a bar that’s the right size for your specific needs. It’s also important to consider the materials that these items are made with. This will determine how durable the parking stop/bar is. This is a fairly custom parking stop as it will only work on the one vehicle you set it up for, and have to be removed/replaced for other vehicles. And keep in mind that when your vehicle is outside of the garage to use that space for projects, you now have a mounted trip hazard on the floor. Additionally, moveable parking stops are also commonly moved by accident when kids play in the garage, or someone is working. Even when moved by a couple inches they become ineffective, and could possibly lead to vehicle damage.
LED Parking Signals
Another option to look at is the LED parking signals. These options are just basic stop signs that have a weighted base and lights, which can be easily moved around if needed. As you hit a bump, the lights will flash to tell you to stop. If this is an option that you are considering, you will want to consider how much light is in your space and how bright the lights on the sign are. These need to be bright enough so that you can see them. This can only be used in a one-car garage unless you move it around.
Ultrasonic Parking Sensors
One of the latest and greatest options to consider is the parking sensor, like the one we designed here at STKR Concepts. As your car starts to approach the sensor, you will get a signal light that tells you the best way to proceed. When your car first approaches, it will become green. The second light (yellow) will tell you that it’s time to slow down. When the light turns red, this means that you need to stop. You can use these to pull forward into your garage or to back in.
Some of these sensors, also typically install with brackets or hardware to mount them. The STKR Garage Parking Sensor however is very easy to install. No tools or bracketry. This is important to your sanity. You want to make sure that you consider ease of installation as well as the range to determine whether or not the option works for your needs. The the STKR Garage Parking Sensor you can set the exact placement of your car just like you would set a car radio station preset, by just holding down the button momentarily when you have the vehicle where you want it. It’s that easy! The parking sensors are easily the best choice in parking aids.
Parking Lasers
Parking lasers are similar to parking sensors, using motion detectors that activate as the car moves closer. On your hood, you will see a laser appear. You just have to remember where the laser hits on your car and stop. Lasers are basically glorified tennis balls mounted to your ceiling. The ceiling mount is also tricky and requires tools and a ladder. Adjusting the laser to the correct position on the car is also a tricky dance between you, the car and your ladder. Be careful! Additionally, this may not be as appealing of an option as parking sensors because they can potentially be dangerous and may not be as noticeable.
How Can I Make Parking Easier?
One of the best things that you can do is to invest in a parking aid for your garage. It can be extremely hard to park in garages, especially if you have a smaller and darker one. Parking aids, particularly parking sensors, are an excellent option because they can help you determine how close you are to something. This allows you to park safely without causing any damage.
How Do I Park Perfectly Every Time?
You may not be able to perfectly park every time, but a parking sensor can make sure you can park as close to perfect as possible. Most importantly, using a parking sensor like the STKR Garage parking sensor can make sure that you don’t cause any damage when you do park. This can make parking easier and more stress-free, especially in smaller garages or with larger vehicles.
How Do I Stop Hitting the Side of the Garage?
At the moment, there isn't a good tool or product to protect the side of your car, or the side view mirror from hitting the opening of your garage door or the garage door railing. However, STKR will soon be releasing a brand new product designed to do just that. Follow STKR Concepts, or sign up for their newsletter, to get a notification when the new Side Parking Sensor will be available. Subscribe here: https://stkrconcepts.com/pages/about-us
Should You Back Your Car into the Garage?
A common question that people ask is whether or not they should drive forward into their garage or if they should park in reverse in their garage. Many car accidents are caused when parking, so avoiding this is important to drivers. So, should you back your car into the garage? The short answer is that you should if it makes sense for your situation.
In some scenarios where you have to pull out onto a very busy street just out of your garage, then you will most like want to pull onto that street going forwards to get up to speed faster for merging. This also offers you the best visibility for merging on the busy street and avoids having to back onto it, stop, and then drive forwards which will require a much larger gap in the traffic.
So, when you get home and have to make a slightly faster entry into your garage in reverse because of that high trafficked road out front, you will definitely want all of the help you can get. That’s where a parking sensor can help you gauge where you are at relative to the space in your garage. Having parking aids can ensure that you are as safe as possible when doing so.
Conclusion
A parking garage aid like a parking garage sensor can be exactly the solution that you need to keep your car and garage safe when parking. The STKR Garage Parking Sensor is a leading solution that can make parking in your garage a lot easier than ever. You can easily see how far you are away from obstacles in the garage to keep your car, your garage, and the stuff in your garage safe when you are parking. A parking aid is an excellent investment in making parking easier and safer for you.