You can eliminate your blind spot by adjusting your side mirrors properly.
Most people adjust them in a way that gives too narrow a field of view.

Exterior rearview mirrors - As for the side view mirror or mirrors, most people adjust them so they can see the side of the car on the inside edge of the mirror. If you adjust your mirrors using that criteria, are you aware of the huge blind spots that you've created? (Now is the time to take another look at the animated diagram at the top of the page.) Consider the view when the side view mirrors are set up as just described. Essentially, you have created "tunnel vision" to the rear. Your side view mirrors overlap much of what your inside rearview mirrors sees and you've also created blind spots. What in the solution to tunnel vision and blind spots? Simply adjust the side view mirrors just beyond the point where you could see the side of the car on the inside edge of the mirror. With this setup, you almost completely solve the blind spot problem. It takes a little while to get used to, but it is an improvement. Some quick tips: For the driver's side mirror: Place the side of your head against the window, then adjust the mirror until the side of your vehicle comes into view. For the passenger's side mirror: While sitting in the driver's seat, lean to the right so that your head is in the car's centerline. Adjust the mirror until the side of your vehicle comes into view.

Go here for more information http://www.smartmotorist.com/mir/mir.htm

I've been adjusting my mirrors this way after reading about it years ago, and have no blind spot problem at all in my GT. As a vehicle starts to be disappear in the rear view, it starts to appear in the side mirror. You also won't be blinded by headlights shining in your side mirrors anymore. Works great!!

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1987 GT - 2 Award 2002 WoW Winner &
Multiple IASCA Stereo Award Winner

[This message has been edited by fierosound (edited 01-17-2003).]

very informative. i've been adjusting mine this way all my life, just because it makes the most sense. thanks for the animation it makes it easy for lazy people like me to get the point without reading.

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Josh Munilla

Don't forget there is no substitute for actually turning your head and checking.

I've had the pleasure of two people in the last week signaling and then merrily trying to drive into me without the courtesy of having a look. They even look shocked when they get the air horns.

quote Originally posted by FieroBUZZ: I've had the pleasure of two people in the last week signaling and then merrily trying to drive into me without the courtesy of having a look. They even look shocked when they get the air horns.

Obviously you were in THEIR blind spot because they have their mirror's field of view adjusted "too narrow".

quote Originally posted by FieroBUZZ: Don't forget there is no substitute for actually turning your head and checking.

There is no reason to have to turn your head any further than glancing at the side mirrors. With the side mirrors ajusted as above, there is no problem seeing a vehicle either directly next to you or next to and slightly behind you. But too many people have no clue as to how the mirors are supposed to be ajusted.

The next time you come up next to someone on the freeway, look at their drivers side mirror just as you come along side of them. You should be able to see the drivers eyes through the side mirror (you'll notice most truckers have them ajusted like this). If not, they are one of the clueless and get past them quickly. Cause the only way they will see you is buy taking their eyes off of the road for a few seconds to crank their empty head around to where they can see you.

So that's how they work......

Ok, it's a good graphic and makes the point. I assume that most cars aren't 2 feet wide so I adjust them out a bit to fill in the big hole. If you're on a bike, well, it might hurt.

Terry

quote Originally posted by turbotoad: There is no reason to have to turn your head any further than glancing at the side mirrors. Cause the only way they will see you is buy taking their eyes off of the road for a few seconds to crank their empty head around to where they can see you.

Thanks for the compliment! If you drive by mirror only here you'll flunk your driver's test.
BTW I drive trucks and buses, most people don't realize how many blind spots there are to hide in.

What blind spots? I have almost 360 degrees of vision in my car with my setup. I hardly ever use the side mirrors with this. Good article by the way. I have my daily driver set up as you descrive.

[This message has been edited by avengador1 (edited 01-18-2003).]

Hey Fiero Sound , damn good post ! Another tip from the truckers that I used to run with is to keep your sun visors always in the down position , day or night . What I was told was that it keeps your attention on the road . It also helps to keep the mind at night from getting timed to any highway lights that are set at pre-set distances . I was told that I didn't need to be concerned about " Landing Air Craft " trying to land in my lane , also it doesn't tire the eyes . Just try it one time at night and you will see what I mean . Always keep your sun visors DOWN . Once you get used to running like this you will never go back .

Yes , it will narrow you perception , but that is exactly what you want while driveing . You don't need to be concerned whats comeing from above or below ! If something happens from above or below your SOL anyways !

Galen Smith
Red 85 Sport Coupe
Founder of Suncoast Fiero Club
Florida Fiero Council

This is a great post! I also have adjusted my mirrors that way forever and taught my kids to do the same. My daughter, however, decided that she would follow the driver trainer method of adjusting the mirrors to see the side of the car and turning her head to check the blind spot. She had the difficult lesson of wanting to pass a bus in front of her on a four lane street and while having her head turned to check the lane next to her, the bus stopped and she ran into the back of the bus. She now adjusts her mirrors as dad suggested and has me walk behind the car to ensure that she can see me continuously in all three mirrors as I walk across the back of the car. She now knows that she needs to have a quick reference in her mirrors that is reliable and needs to always look in the direction of travel. Thanks again for posting this valuable information.

Another important habit to develop is to continuously scan your rear view mirrors so that you always know what cars are around you so that you always have a way out when something happens in front of you.

The other comment regarding not being able to see the other driver's eyes in their rear view mirrors is a good way to determine what drivers you need to stay away from. Who said profiling is a bad thing.

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Bill Levin

[This message has been edited by 87GT3800SC5SPD (edited 01-19-2003).]

My friend's always tell me I have some godly vision because I never miss a car around me (Sometimes a good thing when they merge into me). I keep my mirrors adjusted accordingly, yet also follow a very agressive scanning pattern when needed.

I've got my mirros adjusted on the wide side also, and the way I pick my spot was in a parking lot. backed into a space with a car on each side. slowly pulled forward untill the cars on each side dispappered from looking out the side windows. cranked the mirrors so I could see the cars in each mirror. pulled forward some more so I was actually clear on both sides, and verified I could still see the cars, and see where "clear" actaully was. got rid of the blind spots, but was very hard to get used to. I think I'm just gonna get little "fish eyes" instead, they work great on my truck.

I just came across this thread. I've been setting my mirrors like this for quite a while, even though I got bitched at about it by my driving instructors who were convinced that I should see part of my car in the mirror (you know, just in case I get hit by my own car). I just got a ride home with a friend, and as he was pulling out of the garage, he somehow managed to rip off the left mirror by not quite fitting throught the door properly (!?). I was quite unsettled by this alone, but I felt even more uncomfortable when he said "Oh well, I don't use my side mirrors anyway." I looked over at the right side mirror and noticed it was pointing right at the ground. He's one of those people that's convinced that all you need is the rearview mirror, and a huge and ungainly shoulder check. I still glance over my shoulder a little bit when I'm not 100% sure that there isn't a car next to me, but it's not nearly as far as if I didn't have the mirrors. The B pillar in my notchback blocks most of my view from about 90* back anyway, so I pretty much have to use the mirrors in order to be safe.

I'm bumping this back up because I think this information is important.

Shoulder checking is good, but do this test.

If when you shoulder check, you see a Mini-Van that is not visible in your side mirror or rear view mirror, you now have PROOF that your side mirror's angle of view is too narrow or wide. Obviously, your mirror's adjustment is not doing anything for you.

Need I say more??

[This message has been edited by fierosound (edited 01-30-2003).]

I have been setting my mirrors like that for about a year and a half. The only problem that i noticed (and it only happened once) was that i didn't see a bike in either of the three mirrors. I still usually check over the shoulder, and was suprised to see somebody there. But... if you keep scanning your mirrors, you'll be aware if there is a bike coming up, and remember to check if you don't see them anymore

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AIM: phool88fiero

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