Solving the blind spot problem

[Christ]

Originally Posted by wagonman76

I read about this in a Cartalk article. Makes sense. I set mine that way.

However I still end up turning my head most of the time. Because depending on the weather I might have 1 shirt on or 4 shirts on, or boots or not, changes the position I am in relation to the mirrors. And the only way to really set them properly is to be on a straight level piece of highway, which I don't get unless I am going downstate.

You're supposed to check/adjust your mirrors each time you get into your car, before starting it.

Also, it doesn't really matter where you are when you set your mirrors, since you always set them using your vehicle as a spatial reference.

[bwilson4web]

So this morning on the way to work, I looked out my driver side window and saw this:


So then I looked at my rear view mirror:


That little red car:


The Mini Cooper was located behind my door post, along side the passenger door. My driver side mirror is adjusted so if my head is against the glass, I can just see the side of my car.

Bob Wilson

[Christ]

Obviously, your car is different than EVERY other car I've ever driven.

So, you couldn't have leaned your head slightly to the left to see that Mini in your mirror?

(By the way, your left mirror is adjusted up too far, if I'm to believe the image you've posted. I'm not sure why you'd want to look at the sky while you're driving, but a few inches off the road is more likely to give you a better view of what you actually need to see... Unless you're afraid an airplane might be tail-gating you? )

[bwilson4web]

Originally Posted by Christ

Obviously, your car is different than EVERY other car I've ever driven.

Well I'm glad to have saved you from ever driving a Prius.

Originally Posted by Christ

So, you couldn't have leaned your head slightly to the left to see that Mini in your mirror?

I just checked my owner's manual and it doesn't have any instructions about "leaning head." But what really surprised me is the mini wasn't visible out my window. I had to look behind the door post to see it, which the convex mirror revealed with a quick glance.

Originally Posted by Christ

(By the way, your left mirror is adjusted up too far, if I'm to believe the image you've posted. I'm not sure why you'd want to look at the sky while you're driving, but a few inches off the road is more likely to give you a better view of what you actually need to see... Unless you're afraid an airplane might be tail-gating you? )

You'll notice that the widest part of the outside mirror corresponds to the horizon line. It was adjusted so the widest angle of view would be equal to the hood and body as shown by the pickup truck that was behind the mini cooper.

Bob Wilson

[wagonman76]

Originally Posted by Christ

You're supposed to check/adjust your mirrors each time you get into your car, before starting it.

Also, it doesn't really matter where you are when you set your mirrors, since you always set them using your vehicle as a spatial reference.

Car Talk | How to Avoid the Blind Spot

http://www.cartalk.com/content/featu...alkMirrors.pdf

Yes that is true, adjusting the mirrors before you go. I do that if they are out of whack. But doing this you can only roughly set them so you can see the back corner of the car. Anything else, like setting them further out to tune out the blind spots, requires you to be out on the road.

[RobertSmalls]

Originally Posted by Christ

Obviously, your car is different than EVERY other car I've ever driven.

Actually, it is. The rear curves away at a good aerodynamic angle, the windows are at unexpected angles, and the rear hatch glass is seperated into two.

Some vehicles have horrid blind spots. I had to drive a former employer's two door Ford Ranger, and I hated it. Despite using the rear view mirror, the wing mirror, and turning my head, a small car could still hide in my driver's side blind spot. If you wanted to execute a safe lane change, you had to put your head against the driver's window and look.

[Christ]

Originally Posted by RobertSmalls

Actually, it is. The rear curves away at a good aerodynamic angle, the windows are at unexpected angles, and the rear hatch glass is seperated into two.

Some vehicles have horrid blind spots. I had to drive a former employer's two door Ford Ranger, and I hated it. Despite using the rear view mirror, the wing mirror, and turning my head, a small car could still hide in my driver's side blind spot. If you wanted to execute a safe lane change, you had to put your head against the driver's window and look.

Are you like 6'2"? I'm 5'7" and tend to sit close enough to the steering wheel that I can comfortably hold my arms at approximately a 135* angle at the elbow while holding the wheel at 10 and 2 with both hands. This places the wheel approx 2 feet from my chest.

In my FIL's Ranger (I believe it's a '91) I can still adjust the mirrors to account for blind spots, and even though I do so, I check over my shoulder without having to bang my head against the window.

In the mirror, I can see the area at the rear half of the spot that would normally be blind, and I can see directly next to the truck, about 1/2 way back the bed by looking over my shoulder out the window. Granted, it's also an extended cab version.

[NeilBlanchard]

Hi,

I do not have any blind spots with my video mirrors. If there is a large truck behind me, I see it in all three mirrors. And if the rear of a car next to me is even with my shoulder -- I still see it in the video mirror on that side.

[Formula413]

I just use the little (2"?) round convex stick on mirrors on my sideview mirrors, and nothing can hide from those. This allows me to aim the side mirrors further back. I have overlap between the mirrors. A vehicle can be visible in the rearview and sideview at the same time, and will appear in my peripheral vision before it is out of view of the convex mirror. I use them on every vehicle I own, and never have to turn my head to change lanes.

Many people ignore the instructions and install them incorrectly. They belong on the lower outside edge of the sideview mirrors.

[JackMcCornack]

Here in the US cars come with convex passenger side exterior mirrors, and flat driver's side mirrors. I drove British cars in GB for a good while before I noticed they have convex mirrors both sides, and I thought they worked great that way. Why don't we do that here? The FMVSS says flat mirror driver's side, the Automotive X Prize says flat mirror driver's side, what's the logic there?