View Full Version : Sideview Mirror help please
When you set your sideview mirrors, can you see your own car side at all?
Williamsmith
3-4-16, 5:03am
Unusual question.....but for me, yes. I can see the right rear quarter panel and taillight from my passenger side mirror.
I can. I've read where they're supposed to be set to show only what's alongside and behind you. But I like having that reference point. And I always turn my head to look at what's around before I move in that direction.
I have all mirrors set to see the rear quarter panel of my car. I like to back into parking spaces and having the ability to see my own car in relation to things around me is important.
I adjust mine so the side is just barely in the field of view. I have a small blind spot on the passenger side that I've not been able to help with any mirror position and have to rely on turning around.
I have always set mine to see a slight bit of side of car. I am having a terrible time with the car I have now with blind spot passing when on either side. I really have never had this issue. I went online and read how I should set mirrors to not see any of my car side. I am trying it and yes it is difficult to adjust too. Thanks
Gardenarian
3-5-16, 3:49pm
Here's an article from Car & Driver (http://www.caranddriver.com/features/how-to-adjust-your-mirrors-to-avoid-blind-spots) on how to properly adjust your mirrors.
rodeosweetheart
3-6-16, 7:12am
Car Talk had an opinion on this one, too:
http://www.cartalk.com/sites/default/files/features/mirrors/CarTalkMirrors.pdf
Count me as one who prefers to,see at least a sliver of the car.
ToomuchStuff
3-7-16, 12:29am
It depends on what I am doing. In my truck, I try to keep them so I can see what is in the blind spot and not so much on the vehicle. When I had a car I drove, I could have more of the side for a reference, and see the blind spot. The larger truck, not so much. Plus when I need to back the truck up, I need to adjust them way down, to see where I am backing. If the truck had tow mirrors, I might not have to adjust them so much, but my experience tells me vehicles differ.
Plus when I need to back the truck up, I need to adjust them way down, to see where I am backing. If the truck had tow mirrors, I might not have to adjust them so much, but my experience tells me vehicles differ.
For Christmas I got DW a backup camera (her car predates their being common); makes a huge difference in what she can see, even looking right behind her.
Thank you for the site, I have viewed a few. The back up camera that came with the car, WHAT am I just to old to get the hang of it, I ask myself. It goes against all I ever learned, losing forward while backing up. Then when it is snow or humid I can't see as the camera is snowy or foggy. Oh well guess we did not need driveway edge grass.
ToomuchStuff
3-8-16, 2:40pm
For Christmas I got DW a backup camera (her car predates their being common); makes a huge difference in what she can see, even looking right behind her.
Does the back up camera show the lines on either side of a vehicle (example, backing into a parking spot)?
I understand they are good with things like kids toys in a driveway, but am unsure how good they are at actual distance, judging. (same as those object in the mirror?), Also what do you watch them on? (not all cars have screens)
Part of my job, picking up stuff, means I am backing up to docks, between 18 wheelers often. This is part of where adjusting the mirrors, so I can see the tires/ground, has benefit.
I remember an old Car Talk show where they discussed this. I looked it up and this is their technically correct way of doing it. I miss Tom and Ray.
http://www.cartalk.com/sites/default/files/features/mirrors/CarTalkMirrors.pdf
Does the back up camera show the lines on either side of a vehicle (example, backing into a parking spot)?
I understand they are good with things like kids toys in a driveway, but am unsure how good they are at actual distance, judging. (same as those object in the mirror?), Also what do you watch them on? (not all cars have screens)
The camera I got DW was lower-to-mid-priced. It does show lines on either side of the vehicle, as well as "zones" marked in green, yellow, and red, to indicate proximity to objects. This one also has a 170* field of vision; lots of cheaper models stop at 110-120*.
Since DW's car did not come with a screen, I bought a camera that came with one. The screen is the size of a smartphone. In her car, a wire runs from the camera to the screen and the screen is attached to a holder that fits into one of the cupholders, so it's not terribly out of her line of vision. Some people attach their screen to the sun visor, to the top or front of the dash, or even to flexible stalks which are attached to the floor of the car.
Our neighbor has a backup camera which came standard on his truck; it makes it very easy to back up and hitch his boat trailer.
Does the back up camera show the lines on either side of a vehicle (example, backing into a parking spot)?
Mine does, as you can see in the attached pic, it also shows the space the car would take up as you back up.
http://lefttoright.net/images/IMG-3.JPG
I will read the links suggested but what I find difficult is the lights of the cars behind me or just slightly back of me on either side in night driving. It is a wicked glare on the eyes so will check the links to see what is said about this.
DD2's Dodge Journey has better markings on her backup camera than my Toyota Prius V. I have a habit now of simply wiping my camera eye every time I pass by the back of the car as they do cloud over very easily.
ToomuchStuff
3-11-16, 10:12am
Steve, Alan (make sure I don't forget the comma), thanks for the information and images. It is something to consider, but I should factor in the cost, verses getting too dependent on tech, and losing skills from lack of use.
To dependent on tech. I think of young people when they learn to drive today on the folks car that has all the features. I actually feel sorry for them when the learning car has side, passing,backup sensors, auto park and all the assorted alerts that go on, bluetooth, navigation....Then they get out there and have to buy their won car with nothing or even a Stick shift!
To dependent on tech. I think of young people when they learn to drive today on the folks car that has all the features. I actually feel sorry for them when the learning car has side, passing,backup sensors, auto park and all the assorted alerts that go on, bluetooth, navigation....Then they get out there and have to buy their won car with nothing or even a Stick shift!
Same way computerized check-out has changed basic math skills, and the keyboard has ruined penmanship. I don't think it will do much good to complain about these lost skills. Cars will probably be self-driving in relatively short amount of time. And manual transmission? I think the only people who will know how drive stick will be race car drivers, but again, why is that a big problem if learning it has no relevance anymore?
ToomuchStuff
3-12-16, 12:01pm
Same way computerized check-out has changed basic math skills, and the keyboard has ruined penmanship. I don't think it will do much good to complain about these lost skills. Cars will probably be self-driving in relatively short amount of time. And manual transmission? I think the only people who will know how drive stick will be race car drivers, but again, why is that a big problem if learning it has no relevance anymore?
While I don't think the keyboard was the only thing that ruined penmanship (also the lack of snail mail, in my case, growing up around medical handwriting, etc), I do think basic math skills don't qualify as "no relevance".
I was behind someone who bought something, and they mistyped in the amount of money he gave them. The kid cashier, asked for a manager to get him more money for his drawer, because the change said $500+ back. So the kid has no basic math skills, and worse yet, no common sense. (get more back then cost) I frequently have seen kids that can't read an analog clock (things that won't be disappearing from places like Big Ben anytime soon). And I still wonder how kids "sign" their name, because when I was growing up, sign your name, meant cursive, on legal documents.
I also think stick driving still has relevance, as so many delivery vehicles still use it (UPS, Fed Ex, pretty sure the post office LUV's). But it is not any different then hand tool skills. Not everyone will use it, so relevance is a variable.
So the kid has no basic math skills, and worse yet, no common sense. (get more back then cost)
As soon as someone finds a way to augment common sense with technology, I'm investing -- big time. :D
And I still wonder how kids "sign" their name, because when I was growing up, sign your name, meant cursive, on legal documents.
As more documentation and processes move on-line/electronic, "signing" will become more electronic. My phone is unlocked with a fingerprint. And electronic signatures already exist; I've used them for our tax returns and our recent mortgage re-fi. And they'll only get better, based on more-specific identification and becoming more hacker-proof. Blockchain presents some real opportunities in this area.
freshstart
3-12-16, 1:52pm
I remember an old Car Talk show where they discussed this. I looked it up and this is their technically correct way of doing it. I miss Tom and Ray.
http://www.cartalk.com/sites/default/files/features/mirrors/CarTalkMirrors.pdf
I remember that talk! I need to listen to it again
freshstart
3-12-16, 2:01pm
I lost most vision except seeing blobs of color in my left eye after a retinal detachment. Depth perception is a huge problem, so adjusting my mirrors is very important. What did not help was getting an attachable mirror to add to the left side, kind of like a truck mirror. A mirror that helped makes my rear view mirror bigger helps but it's not perfect. When I am driving again and have a little extra money, I am going to have an extra large rear view mirror installed. And I just don't parallel park anymore or back into spots because I don't feel that I can do it safely. I was surprised to find it is totally kosher to drive with one eye. It did take me a long time to adjust and I did total a car (no one was hurt) because I failed to see a car coming.
Today I head back to the East side across the state, umm Flint or Detroit way? Traffic and those side views on this car, I have never felt this way but I am dreading that issue. I have not express way driven since original post, today I will see if the mirror change helped.
Talking about change and tills. I was actually at a store the other day and the fellow "counted" the change back to me! I was in amazement, I almost commented to him how nice that was. I am so tired of being handed the change back in my hand without it being counted, but I expect that today. I count it before putting it away.
Williamsmith
3-17-16, 6:24am
I lost most vision except seeing blobs of color in my left eye after a retinal detachment. Depth perception is a huge problem, so adjusting my mirrors is very important. What did not help was getting an attachable mirror to add to the left side, kind of like a truck mirror. A mirror that helped makes my rear view mirror bigger helps but it's not perfect. When I am driving again and have a little extra money, I am going to have an extra large rear view mirror installed. And I just don't parallel park anymore or back into spots because I don't feel that I can do it safely. I was surprised to find it is totally kosher to drive with one eye. It did take me a long time to adjust and I did total a car (no one was hurt) because I failed to see a car coming.
You may enjoy a book called....."The Point of Vanishing" by Howard Axlerod. The author suffers the severing of an optic nerve and losses eyesight in one eye due to an injury sustained in a pick up basketball game. He is young, from an affluent family that expects him to become an attorney or a doctor but he feels compelled to be a writer. I read it because he sought out solitude in a secluded house in the Northern Vermont woods and I was interested in his responses to loneliness or aloneness, which are two different existences. There is even a love story weaved into the narrative. He also addresses the challenges of seeing with one eye and the lack of depth perception.
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