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Thread: Eliminating the Blind Spot

  1. #1
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    Default Eliminating the Blind Spot

    So I adjusted my mirrors using this method years ago and it makes a big difference in your ability to quickly tell what's around you on the road. I started thinking about it again after reading the article on the Global News site about the motorcycle crash where Sgt. Wood said "They can be right on your side without you even seeing them"

    While I know this would have changed the outcome of that accident, it is something that allows a driver to see around them much easier and could prevent other accidents. And not having a blind spot is a nice reward.


    The first step is to adjust the rear-view mirror to do exactly that - give you a view directly to the rear. Position it so that it best covers your view straight out the rear window. Don't bother tilting it to one side or the other to assist with your view of traffic to either side of your car. That's what the side mirrors are for.

    Next, lean your head until it almost touches the driver's side window. Then, adjust your left side mirrors so that you can just barely see the side of your car, and no more than that.

    Lean your head to the right towards the middle of the car and adjust the right side mirror so that you can just barely see the right side of your car. You should NOT be able to see the side of your car when your head is perfectly upright. After all, why would you want to? When was the last time your own car ran into itself?

    Check for blind spots by doing the following: While driving along a four-lane road in the right lane, note a vehicle in the left lane coming up to pass you from behind. Without moving your head, glance in the rear-view mirror and follow it as it approaches your car in the left lane. Just before it disappears from your view in the rear-view mirror, glance to the left side mirror. There it is. Now follow that vehicle in the side mirror as it begins to pass you. Then, just before it disappears from the side mirror, you should see it with your peripheral vision. Notice that without even turning your head, you never had a blind-spot. Then try it with the right side mirror. Watch as you pass a vehicle travelling in the right lane go from your peripheral vision, to your right side mirror, to your rear-view mirror. Again, no blind-spot. If there is a blind spot for even a fraction of a second, your side mirror adjustment needs some fine-tuning.
    It's from some SAE article from the 90s but I can't find an original link. I did find this one however;
    http://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~gdguo/driving/BlindSpot.htm
    -U

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    I have the mirrors adjusted like this on the Fiesta and it makes a huge difference. It boggles my mind how so many people have their side view nearly entirely overlapped with the rear view.

    Another, albeit illegal, fix is to get convex mirrors. I have blue tinted convex side mirrors on the Miata. It has an even wider field of view than this mirror adjustment but there is a slight downside in that everything seems much closer and that you can't see the parking lines/curb when backing into a spot but still totally worth it.

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    Originally posted by xnvy
    I have the mirrors adjusted like this on the Fiesta and it makes a huge difference. It boggles my mind how so many people have their side view nearly entirely overlapped with the rear view.

    Another, albeit illegal, fix is to get convex mirrors. I have blue tinted convex side mirrors on the Miata. It has an even wider field of view than this mirror adjustment but there is a slight downside in that everything seems much closer and that you can't see the parking lines/curb when backing into a spot but still totally worth it.
    why would convex mirrors be illegal?
    sig deleted by moderator, click here for info

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    I heard about this mirror set up a few years ago on Motoring TV and applied it to my vehicles. I don't know why anyone wouldn't.
    "Masked Bandit is a gateway drug for frugal spending." - Unknown303

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    There is more to blind spots than just your outside mirrors. Vehicles this days have horrid blind spots on the A pillar and B pillar.

    My girlfriends car can have people going across a crosswalk and be right in the A pillar and I won't see them. Same thing with the B pillar and making it extremely difficult to see people.

    I'm not sure why people have such troubles with mirrors for its not like they are that hard to figure out. Adjust it to where you feel you can see the vehicles beside you and leave it.

    My work tried to tell us to use the method the OP posted and I tried it and did not like it.

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    I have also tried the method from OP, multiple times on multiple cars, and did not like it.

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    You guys should check out Blind Spot Mirrors for your cars. I have them on my car and I highly recommend them.

    click for larger version
    » Click image for larger version

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    I've been doing this method for decades. The only thing it sucks for is parking, where you actually want to see your own car when backing up into a stall.
    Originally posted by SEANBANERJEE
    I have gone above and beyond what I should rightfully have to do to protect my good name

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    Originally posted by rage2
    I've been doing this method for decades. The only thing it sucks for is parking, where you actually want to see your own car when backing up into a stall.

    I have done this forever also, rarely have to shoulder check which is nice. Don't know why everyone doesn't do this. I guess people don't use their mirrors anyways.

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    Originally posted by firebane
    There is more to blind spots than just your outside mirrors. Vehicles this days have horrid blind spots on the A pillar and B pillar.

    My girlfriends car can have people going across a crosswalk and be right in the A pillar and I won't see them. Same thing with the B pillar and making it extremely difficult to see people.
    My '12 Civic was terrible for that, the A pillar hid anyone who was waiting to cross at a normal 4 lane by 4 lane intersection. I almost hit several people before realizing it.

    As for mirror position blind spots, I just shoulder check. Gives me a pretty clear view of anyone beside me.

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    .
    Last edited by 01RedDX; 09-24-2020 at 08:53 PM.

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    360 camera for parking FTW!

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    Originally posted by 01RedDX
    Now I am really curious about Mar's method. "I pull my mirrors in and move laterally to check my blind spots because it hurts my neck." or some shit.

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    Originally posted by rage2
    I've been doing this method for decades. The only thing it sucks for is parking, where you actually want to see your own car when backing up into a stall.
    i've been doing this for a while too. It does take a while to get used to... did it to the fiance's car recently and she's curbed every single rim thus far since she cant see the curb/side of her car. Benefits far outweigh the annoyances however.

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    I do this on all my vehicles as well. I find it particularly helpful when merging left onto a freeway where there's an on-ramp and an exit in close proximity (i.e. where you need to move over two lanes in order to get into the through lane). I can typically check the mirror and see traffic a few lanes over and several car lengths back, and determine if they're going to make an aggressive move or cut in at the last minute.

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    I have these on my car. I'm pretty much blind when driving in other people's cars lol.

    The bubbles are awesome to see lines for back-in parking

    click for larger version
    » Click image for larger version

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    Originally posted by M.alex


    why would convex mirrors be illegal?
    I'm not 100% sure as I have never read the TSA but I have heard before that you're only allowed to have the passenger side mirror be convex and neither the rear view nor driver's side are allowed to be.

    EDIT: They're illegal in BC unless on the passenger side

    Mirrors
    7.04 (1) Subject to subsections (3) and (4), every motor vehicle shall be equipped with an inside mirror that provides the driver with an undistorted reflected view of the highway directly to the rear of the vehicle extending to the horizon from a point on the road surface not more than 61 m behind the vehicle.

    (2) In addition to the requirements of subsections (1) and (3), every motor vehicle manufactured after January 1, 1973 shall be equipped with an outside mirror on the driver's side that provides the driver with an undistorted reflected view of the adjacent lane of the highway rearward to the horizon from a point on the road surface 11 m behind the driver.
    [en. B.C. Reg. 5/83, s. 2.]
    Last edited by xnvy; 06-09-2015 at 11:02 AM.

  18. #18
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    Mirrors and blindspots aside, I try to be constantly be aware of vehicles around me. Making mental notes on who is coming and going. For the most part, I am rarely surprised by who is near me or don't know who somehow is somehow next to me all of a sudden.

    Minimize distraction. no phone, no effing around when I'm driving. A good awareness of the road and others on the road.
    Damn +44411's

  19. #19
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    Originally posted by jwslam
    I have these on my car. I'm pretty much blind when driving in other people's cars lol.

    The bubbles are awesome to see lines for back-in parking

    ]
    I love those little bubble mirrors, they go on all of my cars. So nice for parking too as they give a nice view of the lines. I used to have the broadway mirror as well but it doesn't fit over the mirror in my current car due to it being a powered mirror with buttons.

  20. #20
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    Originally posted by Ferio_vti
    Mirrors and blindspots aside, I try to be constantly be aware of vehicles around me. Making mental notes on who is coming and going. For the most part, I am rarely surprised by who is near me or don't know who somehow is somehow next to me all of a sudden.

    Minimize distraction. no phone, no effing around when I'm driving. A good awareness of the road and others on the road.


    I will try this method though ... currently my mirrors are set in a way where I do not see the side of my car, but I can see the door handles jutting out. I have blind spot monitors on both vehicles but I rarely have to use them. I always have awareness of whats around me and always always always shoulder check.

    I actually got mad at a salesman at a dealership who, while test driving a merc, told me the blind spot monitors mean I don't have to worry about who is around me lol. My response was "Thats what Shoulder Checking is for!!"

    I generally don't like people having those convex mirrors because that means they're too lazy to shoulder check - but if it means they are not going to change lanes into someone.. then so be it.

    Road awareness is key IMO. As much as all of us try not to be distracted, I think sometimes there are cases when it can't be helped - i.e. your kid throws something at you when you're driving etc. So whatever we can do to facilitate our ability to be aware of our surroundings (whatever tools that we use i.e. convex mirrors, blind spot monitors, mirror positioning etc.,) we should maximize the benefits from such tools.

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