Side Mirrors

[Mike3000]

Apologies if this is a dumb question but what are all the occasions that side mirrors should be used?

Thanks

[WhoseGeneration]

Mike3000 said:

Apologies if this is a dumb question but what are all the occasions that side mirrors should be used?

Thanks

Basically, you should be constantly scanning the whole driving environment all the time.
Forwards, rearwards and both sides.
Before any manoeuvre and when just going straight.
They come from all directions at you.
You might have to modify your position and or speed to ensure your safety.

[BOF]

Mike,

A couple of things I tell my punters...might help you to practise...

1) When sitting at lights, or stopped in traffic...BOB and TOM... BOB...inside mirror 'boy on bike' (they can creep up un -noticed)...TOM...outside mirror...tit on motorbike (they do).

2) Two things I have learned from Class 1 Trafpols on commentary driving...A) Mirror SCAN...B) Mirrors one two three.

Very basic, but hope it helps...if you are not checking your mirrors about every 10 seconds these days...

BOF.

Stands back for attack from the punters who cannot control their speed without looking at the speedo - And bikers...only kidding!

[Hooli]

if TOM helps you remember to look for us bikers im all for it. its no different to when i got my PSV & we got told to look for the retard trying to drive in your wheelarch - on bends we had to take wide you ALWAYS get one retard driving into our turning arc.
10secs for mirrors sounds about right, if you havent got a good idea what is happening behind you then id say you need to use them more.

[BOF]

Hooli,

Careful Pal,

You are agreeing with a Chelmsford IAM cardigan!

I actually tell them every seven or eight seconds but did not want to go over the top!

BOF.

Edited by BOF on Tuesday 11th December 21:16

[ph123]

I think it's a more interesting question to ask where you place the side mirror's field of vision?
Broadly speaking, I hate seeing lights behind me, so I use the interior 'rear view' mirror to see behind, and have the two side mirror angled to take in the adjacent lane fairly close to the car, not view the adjacent lane well back. (I cannot see the side of the car in the side mirrors).
Someone will tell me that's wrong.

[BertBert]

ph123 said:

I think it's a more interesting question to ask where you place the side mirror's field of vision?
Broadly speaking, I hate seeing lights behind me, so I use the interior 'rear view' mirror to see behind, and have the two side mirror angled to take in the adjacent lane fairly close to the car, not view the adjacent lane well back. (I cannot see the side of the car in the side mirrors).
Someone will tell me that's wrong.

Not sure if that's "wrong" per se, I think it's not normal practice. I set my side mirrors to just see the side of the car (not saying that's normal, just what I do!).
Bert

[Gromit37]

I set mine so I can only see the sides of my car if I turn my head slightly. This forces me to look to the mirror, rather than just swivel my eyes. Hopefully makes the process more accurate, and gives a better view of the other lanes. Some people have them pointing down to see the rear wheel arches... which baffles me as we generally spend so little time reversing.

[Hooli]

BOF said:

Hooli,

Careful Pal,

You are agreeing with a Chelmsford IAM cardigan!

I actually tell them every seven or eight seconds but did not want to go over the top!

BOF.

Edited by BOF on Tuesday 11th December 21:16

as much as i didnt get on with IAM when i tried it, you cant be wrong 100% of the time


as to where to aim them i have them so i can just see the side of the car. or indeed so i can see my arms/shoulders on the bike.

[Santa Claws]

Side/wing mirrors? I'm a little lost....

Do cars have them?

[Hooli]

Santa Claws said:

Side/wing mirrors? I'm a little lost....

Do cars have them?

not for long if you park in town i find

[Mike3000]

Thanks for the replies. It seems to be as I expected, its just that I had the idea that the IAM have very specific rules on it.

[BOF]

Mike,

Read this link - NB reverse for UK cars...one of my Group prefers the 'wide' setting...I prefer to see a bit of my car to relate to the rest of the view...

http://www.driveandstayalive.com/articles%20and%20...

I am unaware of any hard and fast IAM settings advice...

BOF.

Try this link...

http://www.driveandstayalive.com/index.htm

Go to articles and to mirror settings...

Edited by BOF on Thursday 13th December 09:50

Edited by BOF on Thursday 13th December 09:53

Edited by BOF on Thursday 13th December 10:17

[anonymous-user]

Hooli said:

Santa Claws said:

Side/wing mirrors? I'm a little lost....

Do cars have them?

not for long if you park in town i find

Or if you're like the chap I was following today in heavy town traffic, changing lanes several times with both door mirrors folded in

[ph123]

AND
how do you keep them cleaned ? (plea for dipped headlight use.)
I've just completed a round trip of 1200 miles in this cold muddy sunny weather and the car is completely caked. (I also cleaned the headlights 6 times at least)
So much so, Mr Policeman enquired as to what my reg no was cos he couldn't read it...
You try to clean the mirror and within a few more miles both the mirrors and the side windows are again covered.
No easy answer is there?
Certainly, if you didn't have your headlights on, I could not see you in the side mirrors.