How To: Adjust Your Mirrors to Avoid Blind Spots

[TJPark01]

I was contemplating getting those blind spot mirrors you attach to your side mirrors, until I kept seeing people with them and thinking what an eye sore. Then I started doing this a few months ago, it takes a little getting used to but, makes a world of difference on the highway...

How To: Adjust Your Mirrors to Avoid Blind Spots - Less obvious than it sounds.

 

[Ron Veenker]

Amazing, simple and very cool. Thanks, TJ.

 

[Mark_888]

I have always done it that way. I thought everyone else did it that way also.

 

[Pahaska]

My insurance company (USAA) periodically reminds folks to position their mirrors thus.

 

[JOwest]

I have been adjusting my mirrors that way for years and works great for me.

 

[ctrcbob]

I like the method some (if not all) European cars, sold in Europe have. The Renault Lagunas that I have leased the last two times, had a driver outside mirror that the outer quarter of the mirror was such that you could see in your blind spot. If you ran your hand over the mirror, it felt flat, but the outer quarter was different. The closest I can describe this is someone that uses "progressive lenses" in their eye glasses. The mirror also had a vertical dotted line showing where the blind spot of the mirror starts, and where the normal mirror ends. (I can't remember if the passenger mirror was like this or not).

With this kind of side mirror, one could "have their cake and eat it too".

 

[TJPark01]

I like the method some (if not all) European cars, sold in Europe have. The Renault Lagunas that I have leased the last two times, had a driver outside mirror that the outer quarter of the mirror was such that you could see in your blind spot. If you ran your hand over the mirror, it felt flat, but the outer quarter was different. The closest I can describe this is someone that uses "progressive lenses" in their eye glasses. The mirror also had a vertical dotted line showing where the blind spot of the mirror starts, and where the normal mirror ends. (I can't remember if the passenger mirror was like this or not).

With this kind of side mirror, one could "have their cake and eat it too".

I know what you mean, you see this in large trucks sometimes, where the lower quarter has the fish eye mirror built into it. You can see an object but it's distorted. What i'm glad the car doesn't have is the Blind spot warning or lane detection, or any of that BS. It seems like a good idea at the time, but it ends up pissing you off in the end because the systems don't work like they're supposed to. What ever happened to driver skill?

 

[QQ007]

I just tried the proposed side mirror adjustment and I liked it. The road just happended to have other cars for me to do the adjustment.

Questions: If there was no other cars or I want to do the intial set up in my drive way, how do I do that?

 

[JOwest]

I just tried the proposed side mirror adjustment and I liked it. The road just happended to have other cars for me to do the adjustment.

Questions: If there was no other cars or I want to do the intial set up in my drive way, how do I do that?

Go to a shopping mall parking lot. Choose a spot that has 3 or more cars parked side by side. Drive to the front of the middle care about a couple of car length in front of it. Adjust your mirrors to the positions you want.

 

[STREETS]

Just rented a Ford Edge on a business trip. Both side mirrors have an integrated smooth convex mirror in the outer top corner. Work great and and nicely done without the look of the a typical add on convex mirror.

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[ctrcbob]

Just rented a Ford Edge on a business trip. Both side mirrors have an integrated smooth convex mirror in the outer top corner. Work great and and nicely done without the look of the a typical add on convex mirror.

Well, I guess American (FORD) cars are learning the advantage to this. Your Edge had it on the outer top corner, while the last two Renault Lagunas that I leased in France had the entire outer one or two inches integrated.
There was also the "dotted line" seperating the two parts of the smooth mirror, to remind the driver that the outer edge is different than the main part of the mirror.

 

[kaberle]

By adjusting the mirrors as suggested, if the car is not in your rear view mirror and it is not in your side mirror, then its not there at all..........For some people it may take just a little getting used to not seeing your own car in the side view mirror but once they adjust it is the only safe way to use your mirrors.

 

[dataguy]

Just rented a Ford Edge on a business trip. Both side mirrors have an integrated smooth convex mirror in the outer top corner. Work great and and nicely done without the look of the a typical add on convex mirror.

That's cool, but isn't the right mirror almost always convex on every car due to the focal distance from the driver's position? That's why "objects in mirror are closer than they appear" is stamped on them

 

[STREETS]

Right mirror is, but the added portion is even more so and thus more effective.

 

[ctrcbob]

Sorry guys. I tried that method and did not like it. Also noticed that there is still a blind spot with that method. Went back to:

Using a blind spot mirror in the inside lower corner of each mirror. Been doing this for years, and see no reason to stop now.

 

[dataguy]

Right mirror is, but the added portion is even more so and thus more effective.

Hmmm,
I'll have to try adding a spare, small blind-spot mirror on the right to see if it helps. I thought it was pretty pointless, since it's hard enough to see anything that small on the driver's mirror, let alone on the right-hand side.

 

[OldSpice]

I have always done it that way. I thought everyone else did it that way also.

My father taught me to do this many years ago, it is not new but that doesn't mean that some drivers never learned to do this.

Good Post

 

[dond13]

I was contemplating getting those blind spot mirrors you attach to your side mirrors, until I kept seeing people with them and thinking what an eye sore. Then I started doing this a few months ago, it takes a little getting used to but, makes a world of difference on the highway...

How To: Adjust Your Mirrors to Avoid Blind Spots - Less obvious than it sounds.

I adjusted my mirrors to this concept several months ago and it is "Great'. After driving for 60 + years though with mirrors set the old conventional way, it took a while to get used to this. Here is a web site that has a video showing how to adjust them that is a little easier to understand. Everyone needs to try it, but it won't be for to some drivers taste. It is different.

http://www.linquist.net/motorsports/tech/mirrors/

The bad thing is that if you drive a different car without the mirrors reset, you can get in trouble. My wife couldn't get used to the new way and insists on using the old method. When I use her car I really have to be extra careful.

 

[OldSpice]

I just tried the proposed side mirror adjustment and I liked it. The road just happended to have other cars for me to do the adjustment.

Questions: If there was no other cars or I want to do the intial set up in my drive way, how do I do that?

I adjust my mirrors to see straight back, then move them out until I don't see the side of my car without moving my head slightly, this covers both blind spots and allows for rear view on both sides with a slight movement of my head.
Rod

 

[OldSpice]

I just tried the proposed side mirror adjustment and I liked it. The road just happended to have other cars for me to do the adjustment.

Questions: If there was no other cars or I want to do the intial set up in my drive way, how do I do that?

I adjust my mirrors to see straight back, then move them out until I don't see the side of my car without moving my head slightly, this covers both blind spots and allows for rear view on both sides with a slight movement of my head.
Rod

sorry for the repeat