I made a duplicate thread! I made a duplicate thread!

**Rain Man** · 04-19-2007, 11:04 PM

I think I proved that it could be done.

When I drive up my alley and push the garage door opener, I always have to stop while the door goes up. Since my garage opens to the alley, my driveway is only about five feet deep.

I've long had a theory that, if I was going at exactly the right speed and hit the button at exactly the right time, I could coast into the garage the second I hit the button, without hitting the brakes or using the gas pedal. It's an extremely sensitive tradeoff between the range of the garage door opener, the speed of the car, the speed of the garage door, the atmospheric conditions that allow the garage to receive the opener's signal, the different slopes of both the alley and the driveway, and the height of my car. The very short driveway also complicates things since it requires a 90 degree turn over a short distance.

The key problem has always been the range of the garage door opener versus the speed of the garage door versus the car speed that I need to get up the slope of the driveway. I've always had to go too fast for the latter, which means that the garage door isn't high enough.

Well, today I think I hit it perfect. Punch the button, the door goes up, and the car cruises forward. The door is going up, I'm watching it, and I get the front bumper under the door comfortably enough that it really looks like it'll clear the windshield.

The only problem was a new variable. My wife's car was further over than normal, and with the 90 degree angle I had to hit the brakes to be sure that I didn't clip her fender on the way in. Dang it.

But while I didn't make it, I think I went the key step of proving that it can be done. After years of attempts, I was beginning to think that maybe it simply wasn't possible. I believe again!

This is huge.

04-19-2007, 11:04 PM	Topic Starter
Rain Man Seize life. Be an ermine. Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: My house Casino cash: $-452449 VARSITY	I made a duplicate thread! I made a duplicate thread! I think I proved that it could be done. When I drive up my alley and push the garage door opener, I always have to stop while the door goes up. Since my garage opens to the alley, my driveway is only about five feet deep. I've long had a theory that, if I was going at exactly the right speed and hit the button at exactly the right time, I could coast into the garage the second I hit the button, without hitting the brakes or using the gas pedal. It's an extremely sensitive tradeoff between the range of the garage door opener, the speed of the car, the speed of the garage door, the atmospheric conditions that allow the garage to receive the opener's signal, the different slopes of both the alley and the driveway, and the height of my car. The very short driveway also complicates things since it requires a 90 degree turn over a short distance. The key problem has always been the range of the garage door opener versus the speed of the garage door versus the car speed that I need to get up the slope of the driveway. I've always had to go too fast for the latter, which means that the garage door isn't high enough. Well, today I think I hit it perfect. Punch the button, the door goes up, and the car cruises forward. The door is going up, I'm watching it, and I get the front bumper under the door comfortably enough that it really looks like it'll clear the windshield. The only problem was a new variable. My wife's car was further over than normal, and with the 90 degree angle I had to hit the brakes to be sure that I didn't clip her fender on the way in. Dang it. But while I didn't make it, I think I went the key step of proving that it can be done. After years of attempts, I was beginning to think that maybe it simply wasn't possible. I believe again! This is huge.
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