Wider view of traffic vs Blind spot

Do you adjust your side mirrors to see....?

  • Wider view of traffic behind you

    Votes: 8 61.5%
  • Detecting vehicles in your blind spot

    Votes: 4 30.8%
  • Other

    Votes: 1 7.7%

  • Total voters
    13

RareBreed

Throwing the deuces
Oldest is in Driver's Ed and yesterday's lesson included adjusting your side mirror, I, as well as pretty much everyone I know, adjusts the mirrors so that the sides of your car are visible to help with detection of vehicles in your blind spot. Instructor said that is incorrect. You adjust your mirrors outward to see a wider view of the traffic behind you. What say you???
 

RoseRed

American Beauty
PREMO Member
I heard that, too. He said that they sides of your cars were never going to disappear. :lol:

I also have those small round fisheye mirrors affixed to my side mirrors. They help a lot, too.
 

Ken King

A little rusty but not crusty
PREMO Member
Wider view while driving forward and narrower view when backing up.
 

glhs837

Power with Control
Wait, you seem to be confusing two things. It's not blind spot view vs wider view. The wider view IS the blind spot view. Mirrors adjusted to see the sides of your car do NOT let you see your blind spot. That's one reason so many people do not use the correct adjustment, which is set for the lind spot. They cannot make the mental connection between the mirrors view without the reference point of the rear of their own car. Adjusting to see your own car actually cuts down your wider view and keeps you from seeing your blind spot. Every inch of your car you see is an inch less or traffic you can see. I'll be honest, it took me two or three years of trying to finally kick the old way to the curb. Luckily, I was learning as my kids were getting old enough to drive so they came into it the right way.

http://www.cartalk.com/content/avoiding-blind-spot-5

http://www.caranddriver.com/features/how-to-adjust-your-mirrors-to-avoid-blind-spots

Blind Spot.jpg
 

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
Patron
Wider view - I don't see my car at all in my side mirrors. My habit is to turn and look to make sure I'm not going to smash into anything when changing lanes, etc, and I use the mirror is to see the bigger area.

On another note, they put a man on the moon, put wheels on luggage, why can't they make a car without blind spots? I used to love driving my Jeep with the top down because you get a 365 view and nothing can sneak up on you.
 

stgislander

Well-Known Member
PREMO Member
Blind spot. I try to adjust the mirrors so that the rear of the passing vehicle is just exiting the mirror when it's front bumper appears out my side window.
 

RareBreed

Throwing the deuces
Wider view - I don't see my car at all in my side mirrors. My habit is to turn and look to make sure I'm not going to smash into anything when changing lanes, etc, and I use the mirror is to see the bigger area.

On another note, they put a man on the moon, put wheels on luggage, why can't they make a car without blind spots? I used to love driving my Jeep with the top down because you get a 365 view and nothing can sneak up on you.

I do that too. From the response, I and a lot of other people I know have always been doing it wrong with adjusting the mirrors. Never had an issue not seeing anything around me so I'll just do what I've been doing.
 

glhs837

Power with Control
Wider view - I don't see my car at all in my side mirrors. My habit is to turn and look to make sure I'm not going to smash into anything when changing lanes, etc, and I use the mirror is to see the bigger area.

On another note, they put a man on the moon, put wheels on luggage, why can't they make a car without blind spots? I used to love driving my Jeep with the top down because you get a 365 view and nothing can sneak up on you.

Blind spot. I try to adjust the mirrors so that the rear of the passing vehicle is just exiting the mirror when it's front bumper appears out my side window.

See, I'm pretty sure these are describing the exact same adjustment. :)
 

Monello

Smarter than the average bear
PREMO Member
My first car(1968 Dodge) only had a driver's side mirror. What were they thinking? I use the #### out of my mirrors. Especially when I want to show off my mad parallel parking skills. Rolling down the road I often get to amaze Vrai with my "I can fit in that spot" manuevers. Jersey baby!
 

Larry Gude

Strung Out
Oldest is in Driver's Ed and yesterday's lesson included adjusting your side mirror, I, as well as pretty much everyone I know, adjusts the mirrors so that the sides of your car are visible to help with detection of vehicles in your blind spot. Instructor said that is incorrect. You adjust your mirrors outward to see a wider view of the traffic behind you. What say you???

It is correct, the wider view AND, done properly, it covers the blind spot. The problem is humans like a frame of reference and that comes from being able to see the side of the car. It's like looking down from a height or over a cliff; lack of frame of reference gives us pause.
Takes practice but riding a motorcycle makes it all much easier when you get back in the car. When you're on a bike you soonly learn that being able to se MORE is WAY MORE better than the frame of reference of being able to see some of your vehicle. Plus, I get some frame of reference from my body from my shoulders. Unavoidable.
 

black dog

Free America
If you don't turn your head and look, when driving trucks like my crew cab 8' bed dually you will squish motorcyclist riding in the blind spot.
 

Larry Gude

Strung Out
If you don't turn your head and look, when driving trucks like my crew cab 8' bed dually you will squish motorcyclist riding in the blind spot.

If a rider sits in your blind spot for any longer than it takes to get out of it, he's begging to get whacked.
 

RareBreed

Throwing the deuces
Wait, you seem to be confusing two things. It's not blind spot view vs wider view. The wider view IS the blind spot view. Mirrors adjusted to see the sides of your car do NOT let you see your blind spot. That's one reason so many people do not use the correct adjustment, which is set for the lind spot. They cannot make the mental connection between the mirrors view without the reference point of the rear of their own car. Adjusting to see your own car actually cuts down your wider view and keeps you from seeing your blind spot. Every inch of your car you see is an inch less or traffic you can see. I'll be honest, it took me two or three years of trying to finally kick the old way to the curb. Luckily, I was learning as my kids were getting old enough to drive so they came into it the right way.

http://www.cartalk.com/content/avoiding-blind-spot-5

http://www.caranddriver.com/features/how-to-adjust-your-mirrors-to-avoid-blind-spots

View attachment 117534

I will try it later today when I leave work and see if I notice a difference. I have to drive the Beltway and there is always somebody lagging in the blind spots.
 

DEEKAYPEE8569

Well-Known Member
If you don't turn your head and look, when driving trucks like my crew cab 8' bed dually you will squish motorcyclist riding in the blind spot.
That's not see much anymore. That used to be part of Driver's Ed. back in the day. "The proper way to change lanes is to look in three places: Rearview mirror; Blind spot mirror and out of the rear side window of the direction of lane change.
 

black dog

Free America
If a rider sits in your blind spot for any longer than it takes to get out of it, he's begging to get whacked.

It's more fun to " Roll Coal " when that happens.
And I ride, but I certainly can enjoy teaching the " new generation HD riders " lessons in driving dont's.
It's even better with those high humidity days with all that extra moisture in the exhaust.
It gives them that speckled pup look when the coal cloud clears up.
 

glhs837

Power with Control
If you don't turn your head and look, when driving trucks like my crew cab 8' bed dually you will squish motorcyclist riding in the blind spot.

What Larry said. But even with properly adjusted mirrors, I still give a head check, even in the convertibles with the top down.

I will try it later today when I leave work and see if I notice a difference. I have to drive the Beltway and there is always somebody lagging in the blind spots.

As I noted takes some getting used to, especially if you have decades of doing it the other way.
 

RareBreed

Throwing the deuces
What Larry said. But even with properly adjusted mirrors, I still give a head check, even in the convertibles with the top down.



As I noted takes some getting used to, especially if you have decades of doing it the other way.

Maybe the Beltway isn't the place to experiment then. :lol: I've driven it for 30 years and the way some people drive on it still gets me nervous. Maybe I will try it coming into work at 4am when there is less traffic.
 
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