Getting the most out of your mirrors.

[Tiberius Jim]

Your car's side-view mirrors that is. I never realized how much I was missing before I read this article in Car and Driver the other day.

For the past few years, various carmakers have been offering blind-spot detection systems for their cars’ side mirrors. Often complex, these systems employ cameras or radar to scan the adjoining lanes for vehicles that may have disappeared from view.
The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) published a paper in 1995 suggesting how outside mirrors could be adjusted to eliminate blind spots. The paper advocates adjusting the mirrors so far outward that the viewing angle of the side mirrors just overlaps that of the cabin’s rear view mirror. This can be disorienting for drivers used to seeing the flanks of their own car in the side mirrors. But when correctly positioned, the mirrors negate a car’s blind spots. This obviates the need to glance over your shoulder to safely change lanes as well as the need for an expensive blind-spot warning system.
The only problem is getting used to the SAE-recommended mirror positions. The cabin’s rearview mirror is used to keep an eye on what is coming up from behind, while the outside mirrors reflect the area outside the view of the inside rearview mirror.
Those who have switched to the SAE’s approach swear by it, however, some drivers can’t adjust to not using the outside mirrors to see directly behind the car and miss being able to see their own car in the side mirrors. To them we say, “Have fun filling out those accident reports.

While you should always look over your shoulder when changing lanes, using this method really improves your awareness of who and what is around you. My car has a really big C pillar since its a 2-door coupe, so this really helps. The way I have it set up, when a car is passing me, and leaves the side of my rear-view mirror, it will then enter the range of my side mirrors with nearly perfect overlap. I don't understand why I (and a lot of other people, apparently) felt the need to see the side of my car while driving. It might help for parallel parking, but this configuration is much better for actual driving.

 

[gturner]

It's critical to be able to see both sides of your car while driving to know if a zombie has grabbed on. If you know one is there it's easy to scrap him off on a crash barrier or a semi, but if you remain blissly unaware, as would happen with the SAE mirror positions, you'll get your brains eaten before you manage to come to a complete stop.

 

[Flavius]

I got a hybrid last November, a Ford Fusion that has a couple of mirror features - for one if there's a car in the blind spot lights are coming on in the side mirrors which is really useful and when I'm in reverse the camera picture displays in the mirror.

 

[Gary Mitchell]

It's critical to be able to see both sides of your car while driving to know if a zombie has grabbed on. If you know one is there it's easy to scrap him off on a crash barrier or a semi, but if you remain blissly unaware, as would happen with the SAE mirror positions, you'll get your brains eaten before you manage to come to a complete stop.

It's also very important to wear your seatbelt. With enough warning, you can stomp on your brakes and send those zombies flying.

 

[Captain Ice]

I'm with you, Flux. I read that article or something similar to it about 10 - 12 years ago. My car previous to this one had no outside rearview mirror on the passenger side, but doing this really helped with the immense blind spot on the driver's side (it was a coupe too).

It's immensely easy to accomplish too. With you sitting in the driver's seat, lean as far left as you can and then adjust the driver's side mirror so that you can just see the side of your car. Then lean over so your head is over the console and do the same for the passenger side.

It took a week or so to get used to, but now I won't drive any other way.

With my work vehicle, it makes an even bigger difference since it has blind spots you could hide Texas in (Cargo van) and this way I can use my mirrors to back out of a parking spot easily and much more safely than if I looked over my shoulder.

 

[Kirkman1987]

I really thought this thread was about sex.

 

[gturner]

I always adjust my mirrors so I can see my beautiful face as I drive.

 

[BigFoot]

And yeah I have my side mirrors setup properly. If I need to use them for parking (so I can see a kerb on the side of my car for instance) I just move them on that rare occasion.

I really thought this thread was about sex.

lol

 

[Hermiod]

I really thought this thread was about sex.

I think every thread is about sex until its proven otherwise.

"I'm goin' to Vegas, baby!" - For the hookers.

"You follow any cool blogs?" - About sex ?

"Who'd you want to meet?" - For sex ?

"NOT LOUD ENOUGH!" - That's what she said.

"Your latest purchases" - More hookers.

"Terrorist freed, terrorist victim's widow deported" - Crap, joke falls a bit flat with that one.

 

[Scout101]

I've always driven like that, adjusting the mirrors way out from where they are "supposed" to be. Basically, you see the car in your rear view mirror, and then when it leaves that mirror, it gets picked up by the side mirror. When it leaves that mirror, it's in the side window, so there's really not a blind spot...

 

[propita]

It's critical to be able to see both sides of your car while driving to know if a zombie has grabbed on. If you know one is there it's easy to scrap him off on a crash barrier or a semi, but if you remain blissly unaware, as would happen with the SAE mirror positions, you'll get your brains eaten before you manage to come to a complete stop.

You on a zombie kick? I was reading your zombies in your posts on another thread--which, while I often don't agree with you, were interesting today.


On topic: I read years ago that the side mirrors should be adjusted so that, when moving your head to an extreme while remaining correctly seated, you should just be able to see the side of your car.

I usually double-check mine when stopped at a light with lots of traffic around me--check the rearview and compare/adjust the sides to get clear vision. Usually only one mirror per stop light, but some waits at lights are so long that both can be checked.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

When people take pictures of themselves in a mirror, for the love of God, please wash the damn thing. Seeing toothpaste spittle and hand smears on your bathroom mirror is not sexy, even when you're naked.

 

[Holdfast]

It would really bug me, not seeing the sides of my car - there are way too many narrow parking spaces/lines around, and having to constantly move the mirror every time I wanted to park would get boring.

As for blind spots, this is one time having a fast-accelerating car is actually really useful. After the first mirror-check, I've got into the habit of then giving the car a quick, hard push forward just before changing lanes (at the same time as still looking in the side-mirror), which moves anything in a blind spot back out into full view. Combined with being pretty patient about changing lanes, this trick has stopped me changing into traffic on at least a few occasions over the years, so it really does work, and saves me having to look over my shoulder. It's actually something I have to consciously adjust for when in a slower car and I can't "cheat" the blind spot like this.

Anyway, fingers crossed it keeps working, because I really wouldn't want to have to readjust mirrors to see the gridlines or kerbs, every time I parked.

 

[scotpens]

Mirrors? What do you need mirrors on your car for, anyway? Who needs to see where they've been?