Drivers Side Mirror

[DFWGenny2015]

There seems to be a big blind spot on the drivers side mirror. A couple of times when I was merging onto a road a small angle, I was unable to see a car coming up from behind. My mirror is set to the max out it can travel. Anyone else have this issue and know a fix?

 

[jtbishop]

If your mirror is positioned such that you cannot see even part of the side of your car which it sounds like it is), you are guaranteed to have a blind spot - particularly on a low angle merge. I position my mirrors so that I have a least the door handles in view, so I know what is coming. The mirrors have a limited field of view by design, which is why the passenger side is convex to provide a bit wider field of view as the expense of a bit of loss in depth perception.

By positioning your driver side mirror at the "max out" position, you leave yourself blind to any car approaching close to your diver side in an area between the view of your rear view mirror and the side mirror.

 

[craigt]

You can also try turning your head. Mirrors will never guarantee no one is next to you.

 

[doozer]

I'll try mine out on Wednesday when I pick it up. I've never had a car that I couldn't completely eliminate the blind spot by carefully adjusting the mirrors.
http://blog.caasco.com/automotive/3-simple-steps-to-reducing-your-blind-spot/

 

[XBOHDPuKC]

The "classic safe" recommendation to set up your driver side mirror is so that you can see a rear door handle when you are sitting in the driver seat and peeking in the mirror without turning your head.

 

[DFWGenny2015]

Thanks, I'll try adjusting it to see a part of the car

 

[Pahaska]

The "classic safe" recommendation to set up your driver side mirror is so that you can see a rear door handle when you are sitting in the driver seat and peeking in the mirror without turning your head.

Not according to my insurance carrier (USAA). They recommend that you should just barely see the side of your car in the driver's mirror with your head over against the window. For the passenger mirror, you should barely see the side of your car when leaned with your head in the center of the car. This minimizes blind spots.

With the blind spot detection, I bring my mirrors a bit in from the recommended position, but I still keep them close to the recommended position.

 

[StarPower]

I keep mine adjusted almost all the way out similar to doozer and Pahaska. There's only a slight overlap between my side and center mirrors. I still turn my head before changing lanes out of habit.

Adjusting them too far inward (so that you can see your car while driving) creates a blind spot: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=adjusting+side+mirrors

 

[dareckibmw]

This is how I adjust my mirrors in every car, since I stared driving in 1987 and I never noticed any blind spots. If you do have them - that means you need to adjust your mirrors.

http://www.drivingtesttips.biz/mirror-adjustment.html

 

[RN2X]

I don't even look anymore. I just hit my turn signal and if it beeps atg me I dont move over.

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[opticsguy]

I was able to get Euro mirrors for my wife's Jetta that are graded convex on drivers and passenger sides. In the meantime, I stuck a small convex mirror on the corner of my driver's side mirror. The blind spots on this car are huge. The a-pillar is able to hide a whole car at a 4-way stop sign intersection.

 

[Top Gear]

Folks, the safest possible way to adjust the mirrors is NOT to be able to see your own car without moving your head/body. Most people do this all wrong, and consequently cause accidents or get hit by not seeing what's about to hit them.

So, put your head against the driver's window glass and adjust the driver's mirror to be able to see down the side of your car. Move your head all the way to the center of the car under/near the rearview to adjust the passenger side mirror to see along the side from there. Then sit normally, and notice that you now see clearly where your blind spots used to be.

Trust me, when you get used to this, you will have no significant blind spots. To test it, drive a bit slow and watch as cars pass you, especially on both sides. They will either be visible in your rearview, one of the side mirrors, or the car will be visible in your sight line.

 

[PaFromFL]

So far, the blind spot monitoring system works better for me than the side mirrors. With the HUD, I don't even need to look to the sides. I do use the rear view mirror to keep track of traffic coming up behind me.

 

[StarPower]

While the blind spot monitor can be a useful operator's aide, I wouldn't rely on it as your only protection. It's missed a car in my blind spot at least once.

 

[ckon]

Folks, the safest possible way to adjust the mirrors is NOT to be able to see your own car without moving your head/body. Most people do this all wrong, and consequently cause accidents or get hit by not seeing what's about to hit them.

So, put your head against the driver's window glass and adjust the driver's mirror to be able to see down the side of your car. Move your head all the way to the center of the car under/near the rearview to adjust the passenger side mirror to see along the side from there. Then sit normally, and notice that you now see clearly where your blind spots used to be.

Trust me, when you get used to this, you will have no significant blind spots. To test it, drive a bit slow and watch as cars pass you, especially on both sides. They will either be visible in your rearview, one of the side mirrors, or the car will be visible in your sight line.

+1

 

[G-77547]

It's not the mirror it self. The whole thing is way to big to see a head of you. I came to a 4 way stop sign one day & didn't even see the car to the left of me.
And the other day I ran into a cement light pole in a parking lot. That was to the left of me & also also in front of me.
I seriously believe that the whole light blocked my view again.

 

[lobsenza]

+1

+2

 

[steveinarizona]

There seems to be a big blind spot on the drivers side mirror. A couple of times when I was merging onto a road a small angle, I was unable to see a car coming up from behind. My mirror is set to the max out it can travel. Anyone else have this issue and know a fix?

You are not positioning it correctly:

Proper positioning of side view mirror per AARP:

To properly set your driver-side mirror, sit behind the wheel and touch your head to the driver’s window. Look at your mirror and adjust it outward until you can see the lane next to you with just a small portion of the back end of your car as a reference point, advises Fuchs.

How to Make Your Car Mirrors Account for Blind Spots

High-tech cameras may help you spot more hazards around your car, but properly positioned mirrors should account for many problem areas.

www.aarp.org

Similar:

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 rearview 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.

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