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How to Eliminate the Dreaded “Blind Spot”

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Re: How to Eliminate the Dreaded “Blind Spot”

#21

Post by jnicholasp »

moolcool wrote: post #9
snarf21 wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It also means you always need to re-adjust your mirrors for parking, especially for more urban areas. I don't understand why a portion of the mirror can't simply be made convex. There are lots of aftermarket adhesive ones that do exactly this.

I bought a used car and it came with the sticky convex ones applied. Never going to go without them again, they should totally be mandatory. So simple, so effective

This, exactly. I don't understand why these aren't required stock equipment on all cars.

Re: How to Eliminate the Dreaded “Blind Spot”

#22

Post by [deleted] »

tinbad wrote: post #15
wcarron wrote: post #11

There's an even simpler, more effective way of checking blind spots: Actually turning ones head and looking over the shoulder. The "blind spot" doesn't exist when drivers exercise proper caution and responsible driving behavior. Of course, expecting this of drivers is unrealistically utopian. Nevertheless, a "blind spot" is just another excuse for unsafe drivers.

This is an integral part of a driving exam in the Netherlands. You are drilled to look over the shoulder for literally every maneuver (lane switch, turn, etc.) and if you fail to do it even once during the driving exam you will get a fail. In other news: driving test in the US is a complete joke.

[deleted]

Re: How to Eliminate the Dreaded “Blind Spot”

#23

Post by wcarron »

tinbad wrote: post #15
wcarron wrote: post #11

There's an even simpler, more effective way of checking blind spots: Actually turning ones head and looking over the shoulder. The "blind spot" doesn't exist when drivers exercise proper caution and responsible driving behavior. Of course, expecting this of drivers is unrealistically utopian. Nevertheless, a "blind spot" is just another excuse for unsafe drivers.

This is an integral part of a driving exam in the Netherlands. You are drilled to look over the shoulder for literally every maneuver (lane switch, turn, etc.) and if you fail to do it even once during the driving exam you will get a fail. In other news: driving test in the US is a complete joke.

In the US, this is also part of the driving exam. However, it is not an automatic failure on its own.

I myself failed to do it once, on the test for turning right after crossing through a bicycle lane on my right. Every other maneuver, I checked over my shoulder. Felt bad because I used to commute via bicycle and it was...well, a little ironic that I messed up there of all places.

Agreed, though. The US driving test is pathetic.

Re: How to Eliminate the Dreaded “Blind Spot”

#24

Post by hyperrail »

[Never mind the next para. See child comment I replied to]

In driving school, I was taught to adjust my side mirrors exactly the way described here: rear view mirror points to rear, side mirrors just barely show the side of the car. And still there are blind spots in every car I've driven, no matter how much "fine tuning" I do.

This is why blind spot warning systems are a must in any new car I consider buying.

Re: How to Eliminate the Dreaded “Blind Spot”

#25

Post by ummonk »

There are smaller things (bicycles, motorcycles, pedestrians) that can sneak into the gap between the side and rearview mirror views here. And colliding with one of those is much more likely to cause serious injury or death than colliding with a car.

It's a much better idea to make sure your side and rear mirrors have complete coverage (i.e. no gaps) at the back, and actually turning your head to check the blind spot. Make a habit of doing this on every lane switch or turn, even if you think you're at the side of the road - there may be a bike lane or crosswalk you didn't notice, or someone might be simply be using a nonexistant lane of travel.

A good way to adjust your mirrors is to have someone walk by your car, and make sure you can see them in either your rear or side mirrors, and make a note of where you need to look for the blind spot.

Of course, even if you make sure the side and rear mirrors provide complete rear coverage, that doesn't always keep things safe - some cyclists and motorcyclists seem to like to jump out from behind a vehicle to lane-split and then get mad when they see you switching lanes in front of them...

Re: How to Eliminate the Dreaded “Blind Spot”

#26

Post by andrewla »

hyperrail wrote: post #24

[Never mind the next para. See child comment I replied to] In driving school, I was taught to adjust my side mirrors exactly the way described here: rear view mirror points to rear, side mirrors just barely show the side of the car. And still there are blind spots in every car I've driven, no matter how much "fine tuning" I do. This is why blind spot warning systems are a must in any new car I consider buying.

You might have misread this -- the way that you learned is the traditional way. The way described on this page, you do _not_ see your own car at all in the side view mirror.

Re: How to Eliminate the Dreaded “Blind Spot”

#27

Post by [deleted] »

hyperrail wrote: post #24

[Never mind the next para. See child comment I replied to] In driving school, I was taught to adjust my side mirrors exactly the way described here: rear view mirror points to rear, side mirrors just barely show the side of the car. And still there are blind spots in every car I've driven, no matter how much "fine tuning" I do. This is why blind spot warning systems are a must in any new car I consider buying.

[deleted]

Re: How to Eliminate the Dreaded “Blind Spot”

#28

Post by cafebeen »

These seem like good guidelines, although I would add that drivers should also be aware of other cars that may merge from the side, so you cannot depend entirely on the mirrors. This happens quite frequently in heavy traffic when folks are eager to take any space available

Re: How to Eliminate the Dreaded “Blind Spot”

#29

Post by larrik »

hyperrail wrote: post #24

[Never mind the next para. See child comment I replied to] In driving school, I was taught to adjust my side mirrors exactly the way described here: rear view mirror points to rear, side mirrors just barely show the side of the car. And still there are blind spots in every car I've driven, no matter how much "fine tuning" I do. This is why blind spot warning systems are a must in any new car I consider buying.

That's not what this is. This requires leaning your head all the way over and THEN only barely seeing the car. Then, when you sit straight up, you aren't even close to seeing the side of your own car.

Re: How to Eliminate the Dreaded “Blind Spot”

#30

Post by oliveshell »

tinbad wrote: post #15
wcarron wrote: post #11

There's an even simpler, more effective way of checking blind spots: Actually turning ones head and looking over the shoulder. The "blind spot" doesn't exist when drivers exercise proper caution and responsible driving behavior. Of course, expecting this of drivers is unrealistically utopian. Nevertheless, a "blind spot" is just another excuse for unsafe drivers.

This is an integral part of a driving exam in the Netherlands. You are drilled to look over the shoulder for literally every maneuver (lane switch, turn, etc.) and if you fail to do it even once during the driving exam you will get a fail. In other news: driving test in the US is a complete joke.

For what it’s worth, it’s like that in much of the U.S. too— at least in my state (North Carolina), you’ll certainly fail the test if you change lanes without checking your blind spot.

Driving tests vary state to state, though. And I agree with you that overall, driver education in the U.S. is woeful. I didn’t even have to parallel park for mine! Meanwhile Scandinavians have to prove they can recover from a slide to even get a license.

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