Rant: vehicle mirror positioning

[lukethedrifter]

For me, it's just a matter of feeling more "comfortable" when I can see the side of my car in the mirror. It helps me gauge orientation of everything else around me. The blind spot is really a fairly small area anyway.......... I think you're normally going to be able to scope out that area, even with the mirror showing the side of your car.

You may feel safer but you and the vehicle in your blind spot are not safer.

I actually experimented with this last night. I left my mirror where I usually keep it (so I can see the side of my car). By leaning just slightly to my right, my car disappeared, and the "blind spot" was in view. So now I've got the "comfort" of being able to see my car, plus the ability to manage the blind spot by simply leaning slightly to the right and looking in the mirror.

It's very unlikely you are seeing all the way back into the entirety of your blind spot by doing that. TFG said earlier that you still need to turn your head. You sure do because your mirror positioning covers the area behind what you see when you turn your head.


Case study: I responded to a car crash around 5pm just off I44 a couple of years back. Driver was DOA after rolling his car over several times. Witness behind him said he tried to change lanes not seeing the other vehicle then overcorrected when at the very last he saw it.

I agree with luke. The blind spot is spot is actually quite large -- you definitely are not seeing it all by leaning a bit. In fact, playing with this new side mirror position on my car, there is still a bit of a blind spot, that you might be able to fit a motorcycle in, up close and forward, so I'm not comfortable abandoning the head check entirely. That said, pointing the side mirrors farther out does seem to help a lot, especially if there are pillars or other things in your car impeding the view of a good head check.

To be clear, the mirror positioning isn't meant to replace turning your head- unless you mean looking all the way out your rear window. Basically coverage is provided by rearview slightly overlapping properly placed sideview mirrors slightly overlapping turning your head to check to the side and just back of you.

[Socnorb11]

For me, it's just a matter of feeling more "comfortable" when I can see the side of my car in the mirror. It helps me gauge orientation of everything else around me. The blind spot is really a fairly small area anyway.......... I think you're normally going to be able to scope out that area, even with the mirror showing the side of your car.

You may feel safer but you and the vehicle in your blind spot are not safer.

I actually experimented with this last night. I left my mirror where I usually keep it (so I can see the side of my car). By leaning just slightly to my right, my car disappeared, and the "blind spot" was in view. So now I've got the "comfort" of being able to see my car, plus the ability to manage the blind spot by simply leaning slightly to the right and looking in the mirror.

It's very unlikely you are seeing all the way back into the entirety of your blind spot by doing that. TFG said earlier that you still need to turn your head. You sure do because your mirror positioning covers the area behind what you see when you turn your head.

I don't get it. What's the difference between moving your head slightly, or moving the mirror slightly? It seems like either one would have the same effect.

At some point, I think we're splitting hairs a little bit.


Actually, I just tried this with a mirror in my office. I pretty much get the same effect whether I move the mirror or move my head.

[lukethedrifter]

Do what you want. The problem is that checking your rear and sideview mirrors should be done every so often which means you'll be driving and weaving your head back and forth to do it right. Which kind of sounds like Matt Holliday tracking a fly ball.

[StL Dan]

Correct mirror management minimalizes head movement while also increasing visual coverage. Sure, drivers still need to look to their immediate right and left. No mirror covers cars right next to you in plane sight out your drivers or passenger side window. Side mirrors cover the space occupied behind that car that would otherwise require a driver to look over his shoulder to see.

[Socnorb11]

Correct mirror management minimalizes head movement while also increasing visual coverage. Sure, drivers still need to look to their immediate right and left. No mirror covers cars right next to you in plane sight out your drivers or passenger side window. Side mirrors cover the space occupied behind that car that would otherwise require a driver to look over his shoulder to see.

Yeah, I get it.

As I mentioned, I'm more comfortable when I can see my car (some sort of paranoia or compulsion or whatever). Leaning to my right or left slightly isn't really much of an inconvenience for me.

I wonder why more cars aren't equipped with convex mirrors, for a wider spectrum.

[letsgocards89]

Correct mirror management minimalizes head movement while also increasing visual coverage. Sure, drivers still need to look to their immediate right and left. No mirror covers cars right next to you in plane sight out your drivers or passenger side window. Side mirrors cover the space occupied behind that car that would otherwise require a driver to look over his shoulder to see.

Yeah, I get it.

As I mentioned, I'm more comfortable when I can see my car (some sort of paranoia or compulsion or whatever). Leaning to my right or left slightly isn't really much of an inconvenience for me.

I wonder why more cars aren't equipped with convex mirrors, for a wider spectrum.

Strangely enough, NHTSA regulations stipulate they have to be flat.