MB-BOB

SoCal. Trying to keep an open mind, I tried this procedure over lunch. Here’s my field test report…

1) To set a benchmark from which to compare, I first set my mirrors the traditional way (er, make that the “Way Wrong” way)… Thus, from the driver’s position I can just barely see a hint of door handle in each outside mirror.
2) Next, I moved my head to the right, over the armrest/console, and then readjusted the mirrors (thankfully I have a long left arm) so that, according to your instructions “you can start to see the door handles on each side.” Make mental note that in so doing, I have essentially moved both mirrors to the RIGHT, using only the > arrow on the remote controller.
3) Return head to driver’s position and admire the work, “that is supposed to get it close.”

Observation: Indeed, the right hand mirror is now more “open.” The door handle is long gone from sight. I’ll try it in this position for awhile. Thanks.

However, with my head in the driver’s position, I no longer see a hint of door handle in the left mirror. Instead, as I suspected, I see the entire door handle, the entire rear door, and 2/3 of the front door. Actually, I now see a whole lot of Mercedes Benz, and virtually nothing else. In short, following this procedure closes the angle of the left hand mirror, presenting a view from the driver's position far worse than the “benchmark ” traditional view. No amount of “fine tuning” will improve this without moving the mirror to the LEFT, retracing and passing up the “way wrong” starting mirror position in the process.

Obviously, there is a critical step missing. I’m not saying the traditional way is right… far from it. But, please tell me what this step is, as your “enlightened” procedure followed literally will certainly get me killed in the dog-eat-dog traffic in my metroplex.

Mleskovar, if the legal analogies have no impact on you, perhaps a short, life and death story will. During the Battle of Britain in WWII, the British installed several rear view mirrors around the inner circumference of the bubble canopies in their Spitfire fighters, hoping to cure blind spot problems, the only real fault in the aircraft. They thought their lives depended on it.

However, as their pilots CONTINUED TO DIE at the hands of Germans in their Messerschmidts, the British finally discarded their reliance on these mirrors, instead training their pilots (and the Americans who came later) to “put their heads on a swivel” and use the “Mk 1 Eyeballs” they were born with. Losses dropped. Imagine that?

IMO, this technique transfers positively from the 3-dimensional world of aircraft to the 2-dimensional realm of driving a car. The head swivel is taught in virtually every driver's education course in the U.S. Watching the road ahead is not a problem (for non-tailgaters) compared with the genuine physical effort required to watch the road behind and to the sides.

While some consider it a sign of simple laziness, it’s worse for me. If you are NOT swiveling your head to take a glance, in my view you are driving as if your life DOESN’T depend on it. Which makes any driver behind you (myself included) somewhat nervous.

tommy

Which planes did you fly in WWII again?


I do agree - anyone who relies purely on their mirrors, no matter how well (or WAY WRONG) they are adjusted, is not driving in a safe manner, IMHO.

Of course, I don't think that you should be able to see your door handles in the side mirrors either, so does that mean that I'm on both sides of this argument?

SoCal240/6

Its definately not *my* enlightened procedure, I learned it from someone else.

Its really more critical for the right hand side, as I think you have seen.

There usually isn't much of a blind spot in the driver's side mirror, on most cars. Even if you have the driver's side adjusted so you can see the handle, it still gives you enough vision to avoid a blind spot. But, if you experiment and move it out slightly, I think you'll find that it gives you an even better, more expanded field of vision.

The "head in the middle" thing is just what I read, and a starting point.

The real test is to just follow the car behind you as it passes, the mirrors should be adjusted such that it is always visible in one of the mirrors. You have to play around with all of them to get them just right.

I guess that is what was most enlightening to me about the article. I wasn't aware that it was even possible to eliminate blindspots. I was so used to adjusting the mirrors the traditional way it didn't even cross my mind to try something different.

And, I do still agree with you that the "head swivel" is still a great idea, and I do it, too. But, it certainly doesn't hurt to ALSO have the mirrors adjusted to minimize or eliminate blind spots.

MB-BOB

That's cute, and predictable...

Regretfully, here in Texas, they don't use turn signals to change lanes in front of you. Or, if they do use the signals, its just after they start to bust a move.

So, if I see a head fakie from the driver's seat ahead of time, at least it gives me some chance to react. If they just use the passenger mirror (no fakie), I just get pissed.

SoCal, we're in agreement. Just wanted to read the "official" procedure.

mleskovar

Might as well put in my .02 as well...if you must swivel your head to see behind you then your mirrors are not adjusted correctly...whether you like them that way or not. I must have read the
same article because I too switched to adjusting the outside mirrors to view the blind spots, not the side of the car. Yes, this is America but common sense should prevail. You may feel safer
turning your head to check but when I am in front of you and have to slam on the brakes I become your victim.

revstriker

I do have to agree with you on this one. I have seen more people hit or almost hit the car in front of them because they didn't realize traffic was slowing while they were looking over their shoulder into the next lane. Sure, you could say that they were too close to the car in front of them, but even at a safe distance it can be close.

How about trucks and vans? No way to look over your shoulder (at least on the passenger side) to see what's coming.

One other comment about adjusting mirrors. What about the loss of visibility to the lanes on the left and right? I'm not talking about blind spots, but more for on coming traffic. I find that if I adjust my mirrors as some here have recommended, then I loose my visibility here. I have to lean forward to see. I normally check my mirrors for traffic (always good to know what's going on around you even if you are not changing lanes) more often than I change lanes. Some may suggest the inside mirror, but that still does not give me the visibility on both sides. Not to mention when there are people in the back seat that block the view.

In closing, I'm not trying to suggest that anyone's opinion is right or wrong. I figure as long as you are not getting into accidents, or causing accidents, or even having near misses, then you are doing it right. Whether you have your mirror adjusted to see your blind spot, or you have it adjusted to see the planes flying overhead.

shtatc

hey guys..another person's .02 worth of info....
I like most of us had my mirrors in the "traditional" positions...today on the way home (both highway and city traffic) I tried the "newly recommended" positions...with the mirrors slightly out (reminder, I have a sedan). It took a little getting used to, but it does help reduce your blind spots....but, traffic here in Tucson is crazy....so, I will still look around....
I am assuming the coupe's rearward vision would be alot different than the sedan's. maybe not?

vadim

Frankly, it's a no brainer to me... I have been using clip-on panoramic (convex) rear view mirrors for over 10 years. They take care of the hind area pretty well. The only areas they don't cover are blind spots on both sides. So, I'm also used to adjusting both side mirrors as far outward as possible, with the provision that I still can see the right side of the car. This usually is not a problem, for in most cars I've had the right mirror is convex, meaning that it covers the right side AND the right blind spot at the same time.

In the Coupe, however, a panoramic mirror doesn't make sense, since the C pillars are rather wide and the hatch window is small.

Speaking of visibility, my biggest problem so far is to learn the car's dimensions, especially when backing up, since this is my first non-sedan ...

Richard

Guys, theres two things you need to remember about your eyes aswell

1) You have a large blind spot, which is where the optic nerve connects to the retina. Your brain makes up for it, but if something is truly in it, you cant see it. Its conical (from the back of your eye), so the area covered by the blind spot gets larger the further away from your eye you get.
2) You see things better when they are changing. This is why indicators flash, its easier to see them.

So, if you look straight at your rear view mirror, there is a blind spot not caused by the mirror adjustment.


Now, if were being critical :-) Some of the stuff people say above scares me.

The way I was taught was

(1) Be aware of your blind spot, its always there, in places apart from the USA convex mirrors are not required, and in fact European mirrors (may be US ones aswell) have a seperate blind spot mirror at the edge of the mirror glass (and we dont get stupid warnings about objects in rearview mirrors)
(2) You need to turn your head slightly so you can see the area covered by the blind spot in your [peripheral] vision. I.e no need to look at the back door when driving forward - i.e you dont have to turn your head significantly.
(3) You need to have left enough space between you and the driver in front so that you can stop if you discover he is doing an emergency stop when you refocus on the area in front.
(4) The time taken to look in your blind area and back again is *far* less then the time most drivers spend looking at their passengers when talking to them [or looking in the rear view mirror and admiring their hair], and you must learn to look at the road when speaking to your passenger and not at them

Just my opinion :-)

Ps, as to Vadim's comment below, we get parktronic here in Europe - Im *really* suprised MB dont make it easily available in the US

PPS, here in UK, and i think Europe in general, overtaking on both sides is not allowed.

pixmation

Yeah, I see that a lot. with drivers in front of me talking to the passengers and have their heads turn and looking at the passengers.

revstriker

Richard, very good post. Thanks for contributing.

I do miss driving in Europe though. Although the flow of traffic was much faster, it seemed a lot more organized. Slower traffic to the right (or left in your case ), passing only on one side under normal conditions.

Once comment though about the safe distance. Of couse I agree, but I see people all the time in heavy traffic that are in a big hurry (usually to get nowhere). The person in front of is going too slow for them, and they are trying merge into the left or right lane where traffic is moving faster. This is when it scares me to see people looking over their shoulder while they are still moving.

vadim

Richard, I've always been puzzled as to why the parktronic system is not even an option in North America...

Strictly speaking, overtaking on the right is not allowed in the US, either; nor is left (fast/passing) lane hogging - but neither regulation is enforced.

I also enjoy driving in Europe, where they drive fast and behave predictably and politely (except, maybe Italy and France, but perhaps they just don't like cars with foreign tags? )

Wish they educated drivers like that here in the US. Followed by raising these ridiculously low speed limits...