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Are blind spot mirrors useful at all?

Revslide

By Revslide,
in Lite & EZ

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Neutralsg

Neutralsg

5th Gear

I believe having a good wide angle rear mirror CAN assist in checking a driver's blind spot much better and easier than the type glued to a side mirror. Perhaps, the one glued to the side mirror is more useful for parking since checking an 'accurate' blind spot while driving is very important which may enable one to avoid an accident.

Since checking the sides (blind spots) by turning one's head while filtering is necessary, a good wide angle mirror does add to easier and safer driving and filtering.

Thus far, I have less need for a blind spot mirror for parking than one for driving and filtering and a good wide angle rear mirror IMO is undoubtedly a more useful 'blind spot' mirror than the one glued to the side mirrors.

Just having a random thought about getting blind-spot mirrors(round button-like) and technically it seems like a good device/aid to have. But i'm just wondering if it really does help for the lookout given the small area used on your side mirror? It seems like nobody uses them at all.

 

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Othello

Othello

Supersonic

I believe having a good wide angle rear mirror CAN assist in checking a driver's blind spot much better and easier than the type glued to a side mirror. Perhaps, the one glued to the side mirror is more useful for parking since checking an 'accurate' blind spot while driving is very important which may enable one to avoid an accident.

Since checking the sides (blind spots) by turning one's head while filtering is necessary, a good wide angle mirror does add to easier and safer driving and filtering.

Thus far, I have less need for a blind spot mirror for parking than one for driving and filtering and a good wide angle rear mirror IMO is undoubtedly a more useful 'blind spot' mirror than the one glued to the side mirrors.

 

 

I agree, this is the FIRST mod I do for all my cars - Wide angle slightly convex mirror. Amazes me so many drivers still depend on their puny original rear mirror

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Vid

Vid

Hypersonic

 

I agree, this is the FIRST mod I do for all my cars - Wide angle slightly convex mirror. Amazes me so many drivers still depend on their puny original rear mirror

I also depend on my original mirrors leh. I have this habit of constantly checking traffic behind me through the rear mirror and side mirrors. Almost every few seconds I will see what is happening behind me. So way before I change lane I would know where most of the other vehicles are or if anyone is speeding up.

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Neutralsg

Neutralsg

5th Gear

I would do the same i.e. improve the rear view via such mirrors as I find the puny mirrors hardly useful for blind spot checking.

Having a good and accurate wide angle rear mirror (little wonder why some can be fairly expensive for a mirror) certainly beats not having one because to turn one's head is never always practical depending on the traveling speed and road as well as traffic conditions.

 

I agree, this is the FIRST mod I do for all my cars - Wide angle slightly convex mirror. Amazes me so many drivers still depend on their puny original rear mirror

 

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Neutralsg

Neutralsg

5th Gear

The only time I have to depend PURELY on my side mirrors and turning my head (only for the right for right blind spot while checking the left by moving slightly forward for a better view for left blind spot) is when I drive a box vehicle which rear mirror is rendered useless for blind spot checking when filtering.

While it is possible to drive and filter safely with a puny rear view mirror, having a better one which can enhance blind spot checking is surely a plus.

From your posts, I guess you are an experienced and skilful driver with good driving habits. [:)]

I also depend on my original mirrors leh. I have this habit of constantly checking traffic behind me through the rear mirror and side mirrors. Almost every few seconds I will see what is happening behind me. So way before I change lane I would know where most of the other vehicles are or if anyone is speeding up.

 


This is a 360 deg blind spot checking [bounce1] - No mirror - regardless its type, is actually needed :grin:

.

 

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Wishcumstrue

Wishcumstrue

6th Gear

 

I agree, this is the FIRST mod I do for all my cars - Wide angle slightly convex mirror. Amazes me so many drivers still depend on their puny original rear mirror

 

I had tried those aftermarket rear view wide-angel mirrors, and came away dissappointed.

 

Why ?

 

OEM rearview mirrors comes with build-in anti-glare tab setting.

A simple yet effective feature that makes my night driving much much more pleasant when those irritating cars with aftermarket HIDs is directly behind me.

 

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Vid

Vid

Hypersonic

The only time I have to depend PURELY on my side mirrors and turning my head (only for the right for right blind spot while checking the left by moving slightly forward for a better view for left blind spot) is when I drive a box vehicle which rear mirror is rendered useless for blind spot checking when filtering.

While it is possible to drive and filter safely with a puny rear view mirror, having a better one which can enhance blind spot checking is surely a plus.

From your posts, I guess you are an experienced and skilful driver with good driving habits. [:)]

 

 

 

Yes, at the same time can spot whether TP is coming from behind [:p]

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1fast1

1fast1

Supersonic

Not worth it in my opinion. The longer rear view mirrors are somewhat useful but they render the anti-glare feature present in many modern cars useless.

 

As for the blind spot mirrors, I worry about how they might affect the automatic mirror closing/opening mechanism on my cars. The extra weight does put a strain which can built up over time and cause early failure. And if the add-on is protuberant enough, I think it may actually block the mirror from closing flush with the side of the car.

 

The dainty little blind spot mirrors help more in parallel parking than in actual dynamic blind spot checking. But they often get "cloudy" quite fast, depending on quality. In any case, well-equipped modern cars have 360-view cameras that allow you to see all around the car. I find parallel parking very easy with this feature.

 

At the end of the day, you won't always be driving one particular car. If you find that you need to hop into another car and drive it, you may find yourself at a disadvantage because of all the extra aids you've grown accustomed to. I think cars are mostly fine as they come, just learn to drive within the limitation of their feature set.

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Yewheng

Yewheng

Twincharged
(edited)

 

I agree, this is the FIRST mod I do for all my cars - Wide angle slightly convex mirror. Amazes me so many drivers still depend on their puny original rear mirror

Personal preference perhaps. The wide angle convex mirror make my eye turn dizzy. I cannot keep looking at the rear view mirror with everytime look back forward and my eye need few seconds to adept to road ahead again.

 

It makes my eye very tired and would be better off with normal mirror. I switch to normal mirror after that.

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Yewheng

Yewheng

Twincharged

I have been driving for 10 over years without needing one. Just use side-mirrors and turn the head a bit can sense the blind spot already mah....

 

Sometimes too many mirrors may even make you confuse.

Yup that's what I think so too. And I noticed many driver been adjusting the side mirror the wrong way. May drivers like to adjust mirror to be able to see about 1/3 to 1/5 of the car body. To me if the side mirror can be adjusted further outwards to see less then 1/10 of the car body, the blindspot would be greatly minimize.

 

You all know the lady who changed lane on PIE that caused the bikers to fall and bring run over by lorry a few days ago? I don't know how she adjust side mirror.

 

I am dead sure if she adjusted side mirror to see less then 1/10 of the car body, she would be able to see the bikers on the extreme left on the side mirror and would have take avoidance action by turning back to lane one again. Having side mirror to see 1/3 of car body would have totally missed the biker and by then hit onto it would be too late.

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Zxcvb

Zxcvb

Turbocharged

 

 

What do you guys think of such method to view your blind spot? Yes, it'll definitely see more. But it creates another blind spot for bikers that are at lane splitting. Imagine you're in a jam or slow moving bumper to bumper and want to change lane with such side mirror adjustment like the above - how to see in-between lanes where bike will be wheezing thru??

 

In addition, it can't use the side mirror for parking anymore, cos no reference to the car body (side mirror can't see car body at all!!). Don't even know if you're parking within the lane or on the lane or outside the lane.

 

If i'm a motorcyclist (I have 2A license), I'll be terrified if all car drivers subscribe to the above side mirror adjustment.

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