Adjusting Car Mirrors Properly

[HTSS_TR]

http://www.cheatsheet.com/automobiles/am...html/?a=viewall

This article perfectly described how to adjust side view mirrors properly.

With the side view mirrors properly, when I change lane I look at rear view mirror then quickly look at side view mirror and a quick gland on that side, if no car in both mirrors I turn on signal for 1 second then change lane.

I don't need to turn my head more than 90 degrees to look for cars in the supposed blind spot.

 

[BRZED]

Adjusting all thee mirrors properly before driving off is part of the routine learned in driving school. Then again, we let people do all things that require proper training without them having as much as an inkling. Common lack of sense prevails.

 

[Whitewolf]

I don't think that cars in Michigan have mirrors

 

[Inspecktor]

I usually find mirrors adjusted too far inward on almost any car I drive, including the wife's. Haven't been able to convince her she doesn't need to see the side of the car.

 

[earlyre]

Originally Posted By: Inspecktor
I usually find mirrors adjusted too far inward on almost any car I drive, including the wife's. Haven't been able to convince her she doesn't need to see the side of the car.


I am guilty of having them too far in myself, and i understand why you don't need to see the side of the car, but...dang it, when I'm drivin' and a look at the mirror and DON'T See the side of the car(even a little) this sudden wave of (irrational)panic comes over me... so...

the things i can't stand, are the GIANT convex blind spot mirrors. when i bought my neon from my brother, he had the biggest ones he could find, they covered 70%-ish of the Mirror.
I couldn't remove them soon enough.

 

[BRZED]

You only need to see a tiny bit of the side of your vehicle in the exterior mirrors to have a spacial reference point. When parallel parking I often adjust my mirrors farther in and down so I can conveniently see my rear tire and the curb. Asymmetrical blind spot mirrors, common in Euro cars for the past 20 years, are great because they give you a wider field of view only near the outer edge, greatly reducing the blind spot, while not distorting the rest of the image.

 

[stephen9666]

Here's a Car and Driver article on this topic.
http://www.caranddriver.com/features/how-to-adjust-your-mirrors-to-avoid-blind-spots

 

[Garak]

Thanks for this. Quattro Pete or dparm posted a video on this ages ago, and this is a good reminder.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: Garak
Thanks for this. Quattro Pete or dparm posted a video on this ages ago, and this is a good reminder.


Yup. The BMW driving school video. It's the process I use for adjusting myself to a vehicle every time now

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
http://www.cheatsheet.com/automobiles/am...html/?a=viewall

This article perfectly described how to adjust side view mirrors properly.

With the side view mirrors properly, when I change lane I look at rear view mirror then quickly look at side view mirror and a quick gland on that side, if no car in both mirrors I turn on signal for 1 second then change lane.

I don't need to turn my head more than 90 degrees to look for cars in the supposed blind spot.


I've used this method for years (BMW driving school) and it has worked out well. My wife on the other hand doesn't believe it works and insists on looking over her shoulder. Her fear however is the car two lanes over who's also wanting to move down into the lane you want to move into. It makes for some interesting driving as I am only allowed to pass when the two lanes to my left are clear.

 

[demarpaint]

Mine are properly adjusted and I have blind spot mirrors which are a plus. I've been using them since the 1970's when I drove box trucks to deliver auto parts. I love them and have them on every vehicle I own.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Yup. The BMW driving school video. It's the process I use for adjusting myself to a vehicle every time now

I do, too, but it's still a bit difficult since I'm so used to having mirrors adjusted for backing up big trucks on the farm.

 

[supton]

If I can't see the corner of my vehicle then I have no idea where that vehicle in my mirror is relative to me. I definitely swivel my head to double check blind spots.

I do like to get the mirror set so that if I lean outward just a hair I can see down my car body.

I test drove a base model truck, and suddenly realized I could never willingly go back to manual mirrors. It is nice to adjust on the fly, and both of them at that.

 

[wirelessF]

Anyone use that mirror adjustment technique on a pickup truck? I have the side mirrors face inward down where I can see the rear fenders and makes it easer to back into a parking stall or loading zone. Driving a truck I head-check when I need to change lanes and try not to change lanes as much.

 

[BRZED]

Originally Posted By: wirelessF
Anyone use that mirror adjustment technique on a pickup truck? I have the side mirrors face inward down where I can see the rear fenders and makes it easer to back into a parking stall or loading zone. Driving a truck I head-check when I need to change lanes and try not to change lanes as much.


Many cars allow the mirrors, just like the driver's seat, to be set to two preferred settings via a memory function. Usually it's meant to be used for two drivers, but why not use one setting for optimized viewing when driving and the other one for parking in and backing up? If there's no preferences settings it's not very inconvenient to adjust mirrors manually. After all it's about safety.

 

[Nick1994]

I prefer to just barely see the side of my car, maybe 1/2" of my mirror sees my car that was I can gauge the other cars better

 

[hpb]

Originally Posted By: BRZED
Many cars allow the mirrors, just like the driver's seat, to be set to two preferred settings via a memory function. Usually it's meant to be used for two drivers, but why not use one setting for optimized viewing when driving and the other one for parking in and backing up? If there's no preferences settings it's not very inconvenient to adjust mirrors manually. After all it's about safety.


Our CX9 has a great feature, the mirrors can be programmed so when reverse is selected, they angle down, allowing you to see the kerb, or the lines that you're parking between. I really miss it when I drive other cars!

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: BRZED
Originally Posted By: wirelessF
Anyone use that mirror adjustment technique on a pickup truck? I have the side mirrors face inward down where I can see the rear fenders and makes it easer to back into a parking stall or loading zone. Driving a truck I head-check when I need to change lanes and try not to change lanes as much.


Many cars allow the mirrors, just like the driver's seat, to be set to two preferred settings via a memory function. Usually it's meant to be used for two drivers, but why not use one setting for optimized viewing when driving and the other one for parking in and backing up? If there's no preferences settings it's not very inconvenient to adjust mirrors manually. After all it's about safety.

Some cars when you shift gear into reverse the right side mirror adjusts inward and down so driver can see the curb, my 15 years old E430 has this feature.

BRZED idea is good, use other memory(with side view mirror adjusted) when shift gear to reverse then switch back to normal driving position with second memory button.

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
I prefer to just barely see the side of my car, maybe 1/2" of my mirror sees my car that was I can gauge the other cars better

With proper adjust side view mirror you don't see any part of your car, if you see any part of a car on side view mirror, even a small faction of a front bumper, that car is too close for you to change into that lane. Also, that particular car is in your rear view mirror too.

 

[hpb]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR

Some cars when you shift gear into reverse the right side mirror adjusts inward and down so driver can see the curb, my 15 years old E430 has this feature.


Yes, this is exactly what I was talking about...except the LEFT mirror angles down on my car, being as how we drive on the correct side of the road here!

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
I prefer to just barely see the side of my car, maybe 1/2" of my mirror sees my car that was I can gauge the other cars better

With proper adjust side view mirror you don't see any part of your car, if you see any part of a car on side view mirror, even a small faction of a front bumper, that car is too close for you to change into that lane. Also, that particular car is in your rear view mirror too.


Originally Posted By: stephen9666
Here's a Car and Driver article on this topic.
http://www.caranddriver.com/features/how-to-adjust-your-mirrors-to-avoid-blind-spots

HSS, I don't get your comment. In the pic, yes the red car is obscured by mirror placement; this is why I do the head swivel. But the green car is visible in either mirror placement, yet there is ample room to change lanes. Almost two full car lengths.

Speaking of which, notice how yellow is following at one car length? Looks like typical rush hour habits.