What is a proper seating position
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From: THE NAPA VALLEY, CA
Build date 2-04 E500
Personally speaking the "proper" or "best" seating position is the one at which you are most comfortable... My ol'lady likes to sit with the seat very high off the floor and forward and I like to sit with the seat at its lowest setting closest the floor and as far back as I can... She often kids me of being a "low rider" or "poser" if you will...... I've heard of a term called "submarining" during a frontal accident when you will travel forward and under the steering wheel from sitting to low, but I need my comfort...
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From: Sugar Land, TX
BMW E39
Originally Posted by HELL ONA HARLEY
Personally speaking the "proper" or "best" seating position is the one at which you are most comfortable... My ol'lady likes to sit with the seat very high off the floor and forward and I like to sit with the seat at its lowest setting closest the floor and as far back as I can... She often kids me of being a "low rider" or "poser" if you will...... I've heard of a term called "submarining" during a frontal accident when you will travel forward and under the steering wheel from sitting to low, but I need my comfort...
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From: Tampa FL
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i like to sit down and kind of relax as i have a rather hectic commute in the morning... but if it comes down to it i raise my seat up to see the front two corners of the car when i am driving like i should... this is also the recamendation for auto x (i read in mag somewhere)
IMO best thing is to have is visability of mirrors/blind sports then comes comfortable
IMO best thing is to have is visability of mirrors/blind sports then comes comfortable
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From: Ft. Lauderdale Area, USA
2015 ML 350
Seating position would also be determined by how tall you are (Headroom & Legroom issues... you don't want your hair leaving a circular spot in the headliner!). You don't want to drive with your arms fully extended with elbows locked. I think you'd want your arm to fall in a comfortable hanging position from the wheel.
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From: Maryland, USA
2007 CLK350 Sport, 2006 E320 CDI, 1978 Cessna 152
I perfer the lower seat settings. I am not tall (5'10) but I hate the feeling of being too close to the headliner. I also like a rather erect position instead of reclined (I also have a painful shoulder so its important my shoulder is fully supported). My mirrors are set up so that there are no blind spots on the car. Some of the statistics I have seen have suggested over 90% of drivers have their mirrors adjusted wrong for driving. Apparently the drivers always set the mirrors to see the end of the car in them. They should be much wider so that as a car passes you you first see them in the rearview mirror, then they appear in the side mirror only to appear in your side vision as they disapear from the side mirror. Although you should always check your corners, it helps driving at high speed. Both front seats are also set up so that it easy to brace in them around corners and fast braking (a bit closer to the front so that you can reach the front floorboard with your feet being nearly extended).
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From: Ft. Lauderdale Area, USA
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Originally Posted by RunInColorado
Apparently the drivers always set the mirrors to see the end of the car in them. They should be much wider so that as a car passes you you first see them in the rearview mirror, then they appear in the side mirror only to appear in your side vision as they disapear from the side mirror. Although you should always check your corners, it helps driving at high speed. Both front seats are also set up so that it easy to brace in them around corners and fast braking (a bit closer to the front so that you can reach the front floorboard with your feet being nearly extended).
Its not necessary to set them to see extremely far back down-road behind you as it is to set them so you can see a car that has entered your right or left quarter panel blind spot, so you don't change lanes into their path.
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I like a more erect seating position - really helps with visibility I think. Elbows well bent (old rally days - helps with car control when it's getting sloppy). Legs with knees just slightly bent. And I set each of my mirrors with my head as close to that mirror as is possible from my seated driving position -- left with head up against window, and right with head leaning over as far as is practicable). 
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From: SF Bay Area
'06 E350
I agree with ClayJ. You should set your mirrors so that, by moving your head, you get the greatest field of vision. That means adjusting you mirrors so that you just see your car when tilting your head towards the mirror. This has saved me more than once.
fubar
fubar
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From: Valley of the Sun, Arizona
2011 E550, 2013 GLK
Originally Posted by ClayJ
I like a more erect seating position - really helps with visibility I think. Elbows well bent (old rally days - helps with car control when it's getting sloppy). Legs with knees just slightly bent. And I set each of my mirrors with my head as close to that mirror as is possible from my seated driving position -- left with head up against window, and right with head leaning over as far as is practicable).
Use the center mirror to watch cars coming up beside you and then the outside mirrors to pick them up. It eliminates blind spots.
Actually, I agree with the entire post.
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From: Maryland, USA
2007 CLK350 Sport, 2006 E320 CDI, 1978 Cessna 152
Thanks ClayJ for explaining how to set the mirrors. I guess I didnt explain that enough my earlier post as thats the technique I use as well. It does take a bit getting use to, but when you do, its impossible to go back to the "old" way.
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Originally Posted by RunInColorado
Thanks ClayJ for explaining how to set the mirrors. I guess I didnt explain that enough my earlier post as thats the technique I use as well. It does take a bit getting use to, but when you do, its impossible to go back to the "old" way.
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From: Longmont, CO
04 E320 4 Matic, 95 Audi S6, 99 Carrera 4 Cabrio, 12 Fiat 500 Sport, 00 BMW R1200C 10, BMW R1200R
Even though I have been driving since I was 15 (with a learner's permit), I had to take driving school (just 2 hours) and a complete Motorcycle and Auto test (while being followed by a evaluator at all times) in 1999 in Germany to get my Euro License.
They stress the following: If you can see your own car in your side view mirrors, you are wasting valuable mirror space that could be aimed at reducing a blind spot. Like mentioned before, you use your center rear mirror to see the traffic approach and then you use your side mirror later, after looking into the side mirror, you better look over your shoulder or you will immediately fail the test. I always set my right mirror with my head at the center console position, then I set it so I can see the my car, when I get my had in the normal driving position I can not longer see my car. For the left mirror, you put your head against the drivers window and repeat the same thing.
It took a bit of getting used to, but it really works well. As some of you might remember, I also changed my mirror glass to the European style this August. I no longer have blind spots!
As per the seat position, I am 5'8" and I still chose to sit quite low in the car. I was always told that the more headroom you have the safer you are. I also sit as upright as possible. Especially now after back surgery. If you are reclined and you get rear-ended, you are increasing the chances of herniating a disk and getting whiplash. My arm are also far from locked, when I fully extend my arm, the top of the steering wheel hits my hand between my wrist and my palm.
I have to stress that I do not sacrifice comfort when doing this. I am very comfortable in the seating position of my E and my Audi.
Steve
They stress the following: If you can see your own car in your side view mirrors, you are wasting valuable mirror space that could be aimed at reducing a blind spot. Like mentioned before, you use your center rear mirror to see the traffic approach and then you use your side mirror later, after looking into the side mirror, you better look over your shoulder or you will immediately fail the test. I always set my right mirror with my head at the center console position, then I set it so I can see the my car, when I get my had in the normal driving position I can not longer see my car. For the left mirror, you put your head against the drivers window and repeat the same thing.
It took a bit of getting used to, but it really works well. As some of you might remember, I also changed my mirror glass to the European style this August. I no longer have blind spots!
As per the seat position, I am 5'8" and I still chose to sit quite low in the car. I was always told that the more headroom you have the safer you are. I also sit as upright as possible. Especially now after back surgery. If you are reclined and you get rear-ended, you are increasing the chances of herniating a disk and getting whiplash. My arm are also far from locked, when I fully extend my arm, the top of the steering wheel hits my hand between my wrist and my palm.
I have to stress that I do not sacrifice comfort when doing this. I am very comfortable in the seating position of my E and my Audi.
Steve
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From: Huntington Beach, Ca.
'17 Jaguar XF
Originally Posted by SAguirre
....after looking into the side mirror, you better look over your shoulder or you will immediately fail the test
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From: Longmont, CO
04 E320 4 Matic, 95 Audi S6, 99 Carrera 4 Cabrio, 12 Fiat 500 Sport, 00 BMW R1200C 10, BMW R1200R
Originally Posted by mleskovar
Do I understand this correctly to say that if you don't look over your shoulder you will fail the test? I agree with their method of mirror adjustment but thought it was to keep you from looking over your shoulder
When you do the car test, he/she is sitting in the back seat and they check for the same thing. I think that they really do need to be this strict since Europe is full of bicycles and they are extremely easy to miss in the side view mirror.
I am still in the habit of looking first in the mirror and then over my shoulder real quickly and it has saved me from one incident that I can think of in Boulder where there are also tons on cyclists.
Looking out for people on bicycles was such a priority that that is one reason why a lot of German cars had different size right rear view mirrors than left. My 190E and 300E and my Audi had/have different mirror size.
Steve
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From: Maryland, USA
2007 CLK350 Sport, 2006 E320 CDI, 1978 Cessna 152
Thanks for mentioning about the cyclists. Here in NC there are few bikes and I have used the mirror setup during fast driving on the interstate to avoid taking my eyes off the road infront of me although I do check the corners in the city. I will have to make sure to check them more often for cyclists!
