Adjust Your Mirrors

[ihatemybike]

The right way.

http://www.caranddriver.com/features/10 ... ts-feature

I've been doing it this way for years.

[lockdoc]

Sounds great. IF you have a rear view mirror. The little convex mirrors solve the problem for me. I'm so used to not having a rear view in my work truck that I don't use them on my personal rides.

[kings-x59]

They teach it this way in Texas driver's Ed now as well. I can't adjust them like that, I find it disorienting. Not to mention, my outside driver's mirror gives me the best view of what's behind me. The center of the barn doors blocks an entire car from view at certain distances.
I just do it the old school way and turn my fat head to take a look.

[CaptSquid]

I have the LaneChanger II mirror in my van. It takes care of all blind spots.

[kings-x59]

I have the LaneChanger II mirror in my van. It takes care of all blind spots.

crutch....

[ihatemybike]

The center of the barn doors blocks an entire car from view at certain distances.

I hear that, but I'm more interested in what is beside me than behind me.

[astroturf]

Old school adjustment for me. It paints a panorama, and I always look (turn my head) for lane changes. Mirror dependent people are the cause of more accidents. Come to think of it what did we do before a passenger side mirror became a stock offering? Turned our heads...

[Kidhauler]

I think that adjusting your mirrors that way is a danger. You will still have blindspots. Turn your head and look when doing a lane change. Also how are you supposed to back up the car if you can't get any perpective on if your going straight by looking down the side of the car.

If you can't see the side of your car at all then you have no idea as to how far the car in your mirror is away from you. If your too lazy to turn your head or keep a constant eye on your mirrors then go to NAPA or where ever you buy parts and pick up stick on bubble mirror.

[CaptSquid]

I have the LaneChanger II mirror in my van. It takes care of all blind spots.

crutch....

No, it's called SITUATIONAL AWARENESS, something I learned while driving a Class 8 vehicle.

[ihatemybike]

Danger? With my mirrors adjusted this way other vehicles are never out of my site. As a vehicle overtakes me, they start in my rear view (behind me), move over to my side view (on my back corner), then enter my peripheral (beside me). Much easier to know what's going on around me with a quick glance to keep my attention on what is really important, what's ahead of me.

I started out setting my mirrors to the side of the vehicle, driving in Chicago I learned to set my mirrors this way and it helps big time. The only blind spots are areas that another vehicle would already be into your sheet metal to be in. In other words, where it is already too late.

I back my van in over 95% of the time and I can't remember the last time I used mirrors to do so. I turn my head and torso for that.

[thefrog747]

I read the article and I profess I'm still looking at the sides of my van. I also profess I'm one who is constantly watching my centre mirror to see if anybody is sneaking up on me !! Just thinking I always give a head spin to look when changing lanes , nothing like a real visual. I guess I just like to see my van in the side mirrors in really tight courters....

[Kabey's Van]

Situation awareness and properly adjusted mirrors are key to knowing whats around you when your in traffic. Constant monitoring of your mirrors will reduce the chance of someone entering your blind spots without your knowledge. You will still have a blind spot, but you will know if someones in it. If your still uncertain about your situation in traffic then by all means do a shoulder check.
Don't sit there in a merge lane looking over your left shoulder trying to see if you can kill yourself or others, use your mirror.
Being a class 1 driver I have had the opportunity to drive some of the largest vehicals there are on the road.
Try driving a 115ft 8 axle float with a 119,000 lbs. John Deere 450 clc on the deck without mirrors; you can't do it.
Stay mirror dependant, it's your best chance for knowing whats going on around you and your best chance at survival.

[T.Low]

Situation awareness and properly adjusted mirrors are key to knowing whats around you when your in traffic. Constant monitoring of your mirrors will reduce the chance of someone entering your blind spots without your knowledge. You will still have a blind spot, but you will know if someones in it. If your still uncertain about your situation in traffic then by all means do a shoulder check.
Don't sit there in a merge lane looking over your left shoulder trying to see if you can kill yourself or others, use your mirror.
Being a class 1 driver I have had the opportunity to drive some of the largest vehicals there are on the road.
Try driving a 115ft 8 axle float with a 119,000 lbs. John Deere 450 clc on the deck without mirrors; you can't do it.
Stay mirror dependant, it's your best chance for knowing whats going on around you and your best chance at survival.

Yep. Like a good defensemen; head on a swivel.

And leave enough distance between you and the car in front of you so can gaze out behind all the barns you drive by, looking for that B body Dodge Charger for cheap.

[rlsllc]

That's great if you have an inside mirror. I think this method pertains largely to cars, which as a rule have an inside mirror and small outside mirrors.

I drove a service rig with no inside mirror for many years. It only had the stock Ford swing away mirrors, not the big trailer jobs. they were about the same size as what is standard on most Astro/Safaris, but mounted down on the door. The right one was a "objects smaller than they appear" and the left was flat glass. I adjusted them so that there was about 1/4" of the mirror glass occupied by the truck so I had a reference point. I still to this day adjust my mirrors this way, and almost never use the center mirror. I also pull up perpendicular at crossroads for vision, and never look over my shoulder, 'cause you couldn't see anything out of the back of the cab. It's what I'm used to, and works good.

The exception: when I drive my 1981 Monte Carlo. It doesn't have a right mirror, and yes, it feels really weird to me. You have to look back since there is no mirror over there, and yes, I look for it every time I drive the thing.

I also drove a service rig with flat glass mirrors on both sides, and 3" round blind spot mirrors on seperate mounts. This was also a very good set up.

[Kidhauler]

I drive Class 1 all day backwards at my work. I am so used to backing up with the mirrors if I have any distance at all to back up I use the mirrors. Parking the car I will look out the back window but to line up and make sure I am straight in the spot I use the mirrors. If you keep a check on your mirrors every 5-8 seconds no one should be able to sneak up on you.