Curb feelers were thin, antenna-like metal rods mounted low on the fenders of older cars, primarily used as a primitive parking aid. When the driver got too close to a curb, the feeler would scrape the concrete, making an audible screech to warn the driver before the tires or hubcaps were damaged. This gadget was a physical manifestation of a lack of confidence in parking and was truly ridiculous. They were ugly, constantly bent or broken, and have thankfully been replaced by far superior technology: ultrasonic parking sensors and high-definition reverse cameras.
