Board 8 > Okay, REAL car mirror question: Have you eliminated your blind spot?

(+) Yeah! (+)

(Secretly a PSA)
There's a way to adjust your side mirrors to eliminate your blind spot and ensure you can see what's all around you in every mirror that a lot of people don't seem to do:

https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a15131074/how-to-adjust-your-mirrors-to-avoid-blind-spots/

Basically, while sitting in the driver's seat, lean over so that your head is by the left window and adjust the left mirror until you only see a sliver of your car in it. For the right mirror, adjust it so that you see a sliver of your car while leaning over the center console. (The rear view mirror should be adjusted in the common way, where you see the entire back window from where you sit normally).

If you do this correctly your side mirrors will now show the lanes to your sides and show any car that's in your blind spot. That means any car around you will be visible at all times without shoulder checking. When a car in your rear view mirror gets closer to you and vanishes from it, it will appear in your side view mirrors. When it vanishes from your side view mirrors, it will be visible right next to you in your peripheral vision. Instead of fully shoulder checking you can just turn towards the mirror; any car right next to you will either be in your mirror, or visible in the window you're looking at.

For whatever reason a lot of people don't set their mirrors like this. It seems mostly because even if they've heard of it, they're too used to the older way and don't like change if they have had it set that way for a long time. And admittedly it does make parking a bit harder since you can't see the sides of your vehicle well (although I'd vastly prefer to have more visibility while turning and lane changing while at speed on the road, as opposed to when parking when I'm moving slower and can take my time anyway). But overall this is a much safer and easier way to know what's around you, and I wish more people understood this.

that's how i was taught - adjust them so you have a sliver of your door visible

Chaeix posted...

that's how i was taught - adjust them so you have a sliver of your door visible

While leaning over? Or while sitting in your seat? Because that's the big difference.

Admittedly I feel like it's mainly older people who were taught to adjust their mirrors that original way and have just never updated. The new standard isn't really that new, it's been around since the mid-90s, but that's still too recent for a lot of people who have been driving for a long time, and they'll have a tendency to teach their children the way they were taught, so it's a gradual shift.

Grand_Kirby posted...

While leaning over? Or while sitting in your seat? Because that's the big difference.

Admittedly I feel like it's mainly older people who were taught to adjust their mirrors that original way and have just never updated. The new standard isn't really that new, it's been around since the mid-90s, but that's still too recent for a lot of people who have been driving for a long time, and they'll have a tendency to teach their children the way they were taught, so it's a gradual shift.

mostly the latter (which is what the article you linked describes? i didn't see the lean mentioned in it)

the lean may sound more 'strictly effective' but it has two potential practicality issues that pop up off the top of my head?

• if i'm leaning that far over the center console for the right mirror, i'm probably turning my hips already and at that point i can see into the blind spot without the mirror?
• if i'm leaning towards a mirror to use it, it means i have to move around to actually get into a position to use another mirror well. like you can't peek at the right and then the left quickly to get a sense of what's going on around you. you have to lean, look, lean over, look. that sounds slow and janky.

No, but it's probably a good idea. The blind spot, unlike what you see in the rear view mirror, is an actual omnipresent threat

Chaeix posted...

mostly the latter (which is what the article you linked describes? i didn't see the lean mentioned in it)

the lean may sound more 'strictly effective' but it has two potential practicality issues that pop up off the top of my head?
* if i'm leaning that far over the center console for the right mirror, i'm probably turning my hips already and at that point i can see into the blind spot without the mirror?
* if i'm leaning towards a mirror to use it, it means i have to move around to actually get into a position to use another mirror well. like you can't peek at the right and then the left quickly to get a sense of what's going on around you. you have to lean, look, lean over, look. that sounds slow and janky.

I think there's a bit of confusion here. You're leaning over while adjusting your mirrors; before you start driving. That sets them up so that they're in the right position to see what's at your side at a glance while you sit in your seat normally when driving.

Here's a video that might make things clearer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkQX2gkwJoE

My mirrors are set up this way and there is still a blind spot immediately next to my vehicle that I definitely need to manually check. I also think it's necessary if you live somewhere with motorcycles or bikes

MarkS2222222222 posted...

My mirrors are set up this way and there is still a blind spot immediately next to my vehicle that I definitely need to manually check. I also think it's necessary if you live somewhere with motorcycles or bikes

Where is the blind spot exactly? Because once something leaves the rear view mirror it should immediately show up in the side view mirror. Once it leaves the side view mirror it will be right next to you and you can see it just by looking at it right next to you. The only spot on the side that isn't going to show up in your mirrors is what's DIRECTLY next to or ahead of your front doors which you can see with your own eyes easily.

If you still have a blind spot behind you this way, you probably need to re-adjust. A good way to test if you have it set right before going on the road is to look at something stationary next to your car near where you park, like other parked cars, signs, trash bins, etc. Drive slowly past them and check their position. The object next to you will disappear from your window as you pass and show up in the side view mirror. The moment it leaves the side view mirror, it should show up in the rear view mirror. If it still has a moment where it vanishes and isn't visible anywhere without shoulder checking then you still need to re-adjust. Another way to test it out is to have someone you know walk past the side of your car while you're parked. They should show up in your mirrors in the same way, and never have a moment where they're aren't visible.

I have a second set of smaller mirrors on my mirror that eliminate the blind spot

I can get behind the manual check 100%. Every time I switch lanes, hit both mirrors with my eyes first, and then turn my neck to see. Never fails.

Grand_Kirby posted...

Once it leaves the side view mirror it will be right next to you and you can see it just by looking at it right next to you.

Yeah, it's this one. Also at night I feel like the shoulder check is still necessary. The back of a vehicle may technically appear in the side mirror but visibility isn't great if you can't see the headlights

tbh i adjust my seat more often than not since my car's not very big and used less often than my flatmates so when it is used there are passengers in the back and i adjust to accomodate for their leg space... so usually even though i did optimise my mirrors originally i don't actually have them in an ideal position every time since i can't be bothered and only adjust my centre mirror.

so yes but only sometimes? it's definitely a me problem, i know

I've never heard the leaning part of your description. I've otherwise done as you've described, but I guess that's insufficient for full coverage. Then again, I seldom if ever look at the side view mirrors anyway.

I have a camera for the passenger side

Didn't read all that but I have those extra mirrors that show the blind spot. Much simpler solution than trying to get everything with 1 mirror.

My mirrors have lights that tell me when something's in my blindspot. They haven't failed me yet!

The blind spot is the part you check with your eyes

Colegreen_c12 posted...

I have a second set of smaller mirrors on my mirror that eliminate the blind spot

foolm0r0n posted...

I have those extra mirrors that show the blind spot. Much simpler solution than trying to get everything with 1 mirror.

This is the way -- I need to buy these again.

mnk posted...

My mirrors have lights that tell me when something's in my blindspot. They haven't failed me yet!

Are these purchasable by chance? They sound built into the car, but just in case.

HaRRicH posted...

Are these purchasable by chance? They sound built into the car, but just in case.

No idea. Mine are built in, yeah. This car is also the first time I've experienced adaptive cruise control and lane centering, and omg I never want to go back.

Never heard of this method before

regardless of any mirror method or car warning features, I'm always going to continue checking my blind spot manually. Way too many times have I almost gone into a lane only to check and see a car that appeared out of nowhere. I would always recommend manually checking regardless of whatever "life hack" you have set up.

Yeah my dad told me about this when I first started driving. Never had a problem with my blind spots. Total game changer. It was unfortunate when I learned that not everyone knew about this.

Regardless, people who cruise in people's blind spots (or side by side without passing) please stop. Pass them or get over.

guffguy89 posted...

regardless of any mirror method or car warning features, I'm always going to continue checking my blind spot manually. Way too many times have I almost gone into a lane only to check and see a car that appeared out of nowhere. I would always recommend manually checking regardless of whatever "life hack" you have set up.

Hmm, it's interesting you say that, because I think this mirror method is WAY more helpful in that regard. Being able to always see cars around you in your mirrors helps you keep an eye on cars that show up or try to pass you suddenly when you weren't expecting it.

I'll give a real life example that happened to me: I was once on a freeway on-ramp that had two lengthy lanes that merged into one before you reached the freeway. As I was getting closer to the merge point I checked my mirrors and saw there was a car way behind me in my rear view mirror. I signaled and was preparing to merge and when I checked my mirrors again I saw that asshole that was behind me speeding at like 70mph to pass me at the same point the lanes merged. I actually had to brake and let him pass because if I hadn't I wouldn't have had any room left on the road to drive in. It could have been a terrible accident, and it was EXTREMELY helpful to have been able to see him speeding clearly in my side view mirror. Maybe I would have still seen him passing with a shoulder check, but the problem is you would only see that area for that fraction of time that you're checking, and he sped by so fast it was so much better to have been able to keep track of his position fully at all times. To be clear, when using this method your mirror will show you everything you can see when you shoulder check, so it's the same information you would see with your eyes either way.

But yeah, people can still use this method AND still shoulder check if it makes them feel more comfortable. It's just that having the blind spot viewable in your mirrors makes it so much easier, faster, and safer to keep track of it and check it.

The interesting thing is, if you have your mirrors set up in the traditional method, then you'll have a portion of your view in the rear view mirror visible in the side view mirrors as well. It's redundant information, and that's what causes the blind spot area by your side to exist; it's because you have your mirrors' viewing ranges overlapping each other. This new method sets your mirrors so that they cover each other's limitations; where the view from rear mirror ends, that's where the side mirror view begins. It gives you more visibility and control over what you see, let's you see everything that's around your car without having to physically look behind you, and you lose no viewing coverage because you're simply adjusting out of the range that is already covered by your rear view mirror.