Go Back   EcoModder Forum > Off-Topic > The Lounge
Register Now
 Register Now
 


Reply  Post New Thread
 
Submit Tools LinkBack Thread Tools
Old 03-29-2013, 11:40 PM   #1 (permalink)
EcoModding Lurker
 
betasniper's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: California
Posts: 79

Red - '01 Honda Insight CVT
Gen-1 Insights
House of Tudor
Team Honda
90 day: 59.17 mpg (US)

Civic Hybrid - '12 Honda Civic Hybrid
Team Honda

Bahamut - '18 Chevrolet Volt LT
Team Volt
Plug-in Hybrids
Thanks: 6
Thanked 48 Times in 23 Posts
Blind Spots are a Myth

There are no such things as blind spots, just badly adjusted mirrors.


(img from Car & Driver, modified by me)

The Red lines are how most people have their cars set up. The "side view" mirrors then only show barely any more information than the center rear view mirror. The Cyan lines are set up based on this 1995 SAE paper by a person named George Platzer. When the mirrors are Platzer-ized, they form one big mirror with information spread out with minimal overlap between mirrors. The Red Car which is in the traditional "blind spot" would be perfectly visible in the "new" setup. When the Red car is starting to leave the side view mirror, it enters the drivers actual field of vision forward from the B pillar.

The image could use a bit more overlap to eliminate the very small blind spot while still expanding awareness of the ex-blind spot.

Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	proper mirror adjustment.jpg
Views:	342
Size:	138.1 KB
ID:	12796  
__________________

: Brothers
: Dad's
  Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to betasniper For This Useful Post:
Daox (03-30-2013)
Alt Today
Popular topics

Other popular topics in this forum...

   
Old 03-30-2013, 07:20 AM   #2 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
nemo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: US
Posts: 1,015

Chief - '06 Pontiac Grand Prix
90 day: 26.7 mpg (US)

SF1 - '12 Ford Fiesta S
90 day: 30.95 mpg (US)
Thanks: 195
Thanked 247 Times in 190 Posts
I have had my mirrors adjusted like figure 1 and 4 for some time now, It did take some time to get accustom to.The only advantage to the traditional setup is in backing where you want to see the sides of the car, my blind spot mirrors take care of that.

Last edited by nemo; 03-30-2013 at 03:03 PM..
  Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to nemo For This Useful Post:
Cobb (03-31-2013)
Old 03-30-2013, 12:52 PM   #3 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Earth
Posts: 5,209
Thanks: 225
Thanked 811 Times in 594 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by betasniper View Post
[CENTER]T The Red Car which is in the traditional "blind spot" would be perfectly visible in the "new" setup. When the Red car is starting to leave the side view mirror, it enters the drivers actual field of vision forward from the B pillar.
On the other hand, when you are driving at night, the red car will have his high beams on (as will the others), leading to a 360 degree blind spot.
  Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to jamesqf For This Useful Post:
Cobb (03-31-2013)
Old 03-30-2013, 12:56 PM   #4 (permalink)
Administrator
 
Daox's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Germantown, WI
Posts: 11,203

CM400E - '81 Honda CM400E
90 day: 51.49 mpg (US)

Daox's Grey Prius - '04 Toyota Prius
Team Toyota
90 day: 49.53 mpg (US)

Daox's Insight - '00 Honda Insight
90 day: 64.33 mpg (US)

Swarthy - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage DE
Mitsubishi
90 day: 56.69 mpg (US)

Daox's Volt - '13 Chevrolet Volt
Thanks: 2,501
Thanked 2,585 Times in 1,553 Posts
Where do you drive that people behind you use their high beams? Nobody does that here.
__________________
Current project: A better alternator delete
  Reply With Quote
Old 03-30-2013, 01:41 PM   #5 (permalink)
Smeghead
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Central AK
Posts: 933

escort - '99 ford escort sport
90 day: 42.38 mpg (US)

scoobaru - '02 Subaru Forester s
90 day: 28.65 mpg (US)
Thanks: 32
Thanked 146 Times in 97 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by jamesqf View Post
On the other hand, when you are driving at night, the red car will have his high beams on (as will the others), leading to a 360 degree blind spot.
This is far less of an issue than you might think. Point them down a bit. The most obnoxious lights are from trucks (In my AO anyway) and that pretty much solves it.
__________________

Learn from the mistakes of others, that way when you mess up you can do so in new and interesting ways.

One mile of road will take you one mile, one mile of runway can take you around the world.
  Reply With Quote
Old 03-30-2013, 01:56 PM   #6 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Ryland's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Western Wisconsin
Posts: 3,903

honda cb125 - '74 Honda CB 125 S1
90 day: 79.71 mpg (US)

green wedge - '81 Commuter Vehicles Inc. Commuti-Car

Blue VX - '93 Honda Civic VX
Thanks: 867
Thanked 433 Times in 353 Posts
Easy quick way to adjust the mirror for Fig #1 is to tilt your head till it touches the drivers window and adjust the mirror so you can see the side of the car, then when you sit normally your view is perfect, I've had my mirrors adjusted like this for years.
For backing up I don't use the mirrors much, I just turn and look back, both in my car and with backing vehicles with trailers.
  Reply With Quote
Old 03-30-2013, 09:19 PM   #7 (permalink)
...beats walking...
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: .
Posts: 6,190
Thanks: 179
Thanked 1,525 Times in 1,126 Posts
...oh, I don't know, seemingly a cell phone makes a pretty effective 360-degree 'blind-spot' enbler for most vehicle drivers.
  Reply With Quote
Old 03-30-2013, 10:48 PM   #8 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 5,927
Thanks: 877
Thanked 2,024 Times in 1,304 Posts
My Fiesta has convex mirrors on the top outside corner of the regular mirrors. Once you get used to them to the point where you can trust them they work great for picking up vehicles in the normal "blind spot". They also work especially well to prevent the potential of two vehicles merging into the same lane on a three lane (each way) highway.

I have used the lean your head to see the side of your car method for decades.

regards
Mech
  Reply With Quote
Old 03-31-2013, 01:51 PM   #9 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Earth
Posts: 5,209
Thanks: 225
Thanked 811 Times in 594 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by Daox View Post
Where do you drive that people behind you use their high beams? Nobody does that here.
Northern Nevada, mostly, but I think it's pretty much the same everywhere. A lot of newer SUVs & pickups don't even HAVE low beams any more, just high and higher, because they have two sets of headlights, one at normal level, and one 5-6 ft off the ground. Then there are the cars fitted with high-intensity lamps...
  Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to jamesqf For This Useful Post:
Cobb (03-31-2013)
Old 03-31-2013, 03:02 PM   #10 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: USA
Posts: 2,643
Thanks: 1,502
Thanked 279 Times in 229 Posts
What are side mirrors?!?!?!

I use a lane changer on my rear view one that lets me see from my left shoulder to the right front seat head rest. I just got to turn the rap crap down to see a clear image, then once moved, changed lanes, etc I TURN IT UP.

  Reply With Quote
Reply  Post New Thread


Tags
mirror, safety

Thread Tools




Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.5.2
All content copyright EcoModder.com