Blindspot Mirrors vs Looking over your shoulder
Discussion
Situational awareness + a glance over the shoulder. In theory she shouldn’t have to look, because she knows damn fine that someone has come up next to her car, they don’t just come out of nowhere. If she’s the sort of driver who only uses their mirrors when they decide to do something, then a look over the shoulder is essential.
IMO the only point of blind spot mirrors is for the elderly who can’t turn their heads. I had a god awful neck problem a few months ago, and realised I was not safe to drive - couldn’t turn my head to the right!
IMO the only point of blind spot mirrors is for the elderly who can’t turn their heads. I had a god awful neck problem a few months ago, and realised I was not safe to drive - couldn’t turn my head to the right!
Bautistasamuel844 said:
Your plan on teaching her to glance over the shoulder is appreciated but your car should have a blind spot mirror. It is one of the most important things to ensure safety. You know what blind spot is the main cause of about 840,000 road accidents.
What is the source of your information?(Or are you bumping an old thread in advance of posting some Spam threads, as I have seen happen many times before?)
waremark said:
What do people mean by a blind spot mirror?
There are a few options:https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=blind+spot+mirror
Shoulder check is something emphasised by RoSPA although I had a discussion with them about that recently.
Depends on circumstance but if you think about a scenario where you might need to move offside - let's use a dual carriageway or, even more relevant a multi-lane motorway, as an example. Do you already know what is there and can you take action to avoid an incident? If you use your mirrors often enough then the shoulder check in these situations could delay your manoeuvre and your forward vision enough to result in a collision.
I realise there are counter arguments and happy to engage as I think it's an important topic.
Depends on circumstance but if you think about a scenario where you might need to move offside - let's use a dual carriageway or, even more relevant a multi-lane motorway, as an example. Do you already know what is there and can you take action to avoid an incident? If you use your mirrors often enough then the shoulder check in these situations could delay your manoeuvre and your forward vision enough to result in a collision.
I realise there are counter arguments and happy to engage as I think it's an important topic.
RSTurboPaul said:
waremark said:
What do people mean by a blind spot mirror?
There are a few options:https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=blind+spot+mirror
When I tried a device like that (long ago) I found it both difficult to interpret and distracting. Before all cars came with convex door mirrors I used to change my mirrors to convex.
I agree with DocSteve that whether or not to turn the head depends on the level of confidence that you know what is around you and that if you have been monitoring the mirrors you are sometimes very confident.
A biker will be taught to do the "lifesaver" glance before changing direction/lanes.....it's a brilliant safety check....saved many of us at times
When in a car, using mirrors, correctly set, is also vital, because one day there will be something there...in that blind spot...maybe moving from lane 3 into lane 2 just as you are moving into lane 2 from lane 1...
So when i teach "mirrors" I say always at least two (starting with interior) then signal/position, then check either right or left again, and if you can throw in a "lifesaver" check do it.....for learners just getting any kind of mirrors check is a relief, but when they check twice, at high speed, and a shoulder glance it's great.
I don't have "blind spot" mirrors on my learner car, because like mentioned earlier most will not bother buying any when they get their own car, and moving a head is not exactly a difficult skill to learn...could save a life one day....we can be lucky most of the time...but only have to be unlucky once
For OP she should learn as many skills as necessary to keep her safe (and others) on the road
I have noticed over the years that some swing their heads so violently the weight of it makes them steer the way they look...so she has to make sure she keeps the car straight, some swivel so fast there is no way the eyes can register what they are supposed to be looking for, and like already mentioned not looking for too long...
When she moves off from stationary from the side of the road, she should do a full 360 deg check around the car before moving off, just looking in her offside mirror would not be good enough a safety check....they (driving examiners) will get her to pull over at the side of the road upto 5/6 times, so it's easy to fail test just for ineffective obs on moving off.
Once for a hill start. once for an angled start, maybe once for a reverse exercise, once for a brief for emergency stop, then the move off from the emergency stop, maybe another couple of times on a quiet road, and a more busy road...watch her they soon "forget" or cease to bother as they know it all once they have passed
When in a car, using mirrors, correctly set, is also vital, because one day there will be something there...in that blind spot...maybe moving from lane 3 into lane 2 just as you are moving into lane 2 from lane 1...
So when i teach "mirrors" I say always at least two (starting with interior) then signal/position, then check either right or left again, and if you can throw in a "lifesaver" check do it.....for learners just getting any kind of mirrors check is a relief, but when they check twice, at high speed, and a shoulder glance it's great.
I don't have "blind spot" mirrors on my learner car, because like mentioned earlier most will not bother buying any when they get their own car, and moving a head is not exactly a difficult skill to learn...could save a life one day....we can be lucky most of the time...but only have to be unlucky once
For OP she should learn as many skills as necessary to keep her safe (and others) on the road
I have noticed over the years that some swing their heads so violently the weight of it makes them steer the way they look...so she has to make sure she keeps the car straight, some swivel so fast there is no way the eyes can register what they are supposed to be looking for, and like already mentioned not looking for too long...
When she moves off from stationary from the side of the road, she should do a full 360 deg check around the car before moving off, just looking in her offside mirror would not be good enough a safety check....they (driving examiners) will get her to pull over at the side of the road upto 5/6 times, so it's easy to fail test just for ineffective obs on moving off.
Once for a hill start. once for an angled start, maybe once for a reverse exercise, once for a brief for emergency stop, then the move off from the emergency stop, maybe another couple of times on a quiet road, and a more busy road...watch her they soon "forget" or cease to bother as they know it all once they have passed
Edited by watchnut on Tuesday 11th February 17:40
anonymous-user said:
Ex biker, so lifesavers are automatic for me.
Can't say how many times I've been saved from cars hiding in a blind spot.
New car has blind spot detection which works really well, still do a lifesaver though.
Unless it's a dark quiet motorway I always do a shoulder glance; it's very rare a car or van is hidden in blind spot but bikers (especially scooter drivers in London) are often hiddenCan't say how many times I've been saved from cars hiding in a blind spot.
New car has blind spot detection which works really well, still do a lifesaver though.
I'd love to be able to turn my head to look in my blind spot. but the 40"+ behind me has massive blind spots. The mirrors are huge and convex, and we have a third mirror just ahead of the driver's window and the main ones up top. Two very convex mirrors under the high mirrors help you seen the front corners of the coach. Beyond that, you have to hope that nobody is foolish enough to come up the inside while you're turning left.
mercedeslimos said:
I'd love to be able to turn my head to look in my blind spot. but the 40"+ behind me has massive blind spots. The mirrors are huge and convex, and we have a third mirror just ahead of the driver's window and the main ones up top. Two very convex mirrors under the high mirrors help you seen the front corners of the coach. Beyond that, you have to hope that nobody is foolish enough to come up the inside while you're turning left.
40 inches, behind you?Two separate points;
Firstly, in a vehicle with windows (a car not a van, for example), a blind-spot is a symptom of a mirror that is improperly adjusted.
When your driving position is correct you can adjust the mirrors to eliminate all blind spots.
Secondly, because the majority people do not know how to find the correcting seating/driving position their mirrors can not be adjusted correctly and so blind-spot mirrors sell.
The consequence of adding a blind-spot mirror to an incorrectly adjusted mirror is that the blind spot moves. In or out, left or right, it just shifts somewhere else.
Disclaimers apply for those towing trailers/caravans etc, vehicles without rear side windows such as defenders, and those who do not have wing/door mirrors on both sides of the vehicle.
The basics of driving position and setting mirrors is covered in our driving lessons but bad habits develop and we forget what our instructor told us all those decades ago.
Adjust your seat, then adjust your mirrors. Bingo!
Firstly, in a vehicle with windows (a car not a van, for example), a blind-spot is a symptom of a mirror that is improperly adjusted.
When your driving position is correct you can adjust the mirrors to eliminate all blind spots.
Secondly, because the majority people do not know how to find the correcting seating/driving position their mirrors can not be adjusted correctly and so blind-spot mirrors sell.
The consequence of adding a blind-spot mirror to an incorrectly adjusted mirror is that the blind spot moves. In or out, left or right, it just shifts somewhere else.
Disclaimers apply for those towing trailers/caravans etc, vehicles without rear side windows such as defenders, and those who do not have wing/door mirrors on both sides of the vehicle.
The basics of driving position and setting mirrors is covered in our driving lessons but bad habits develop and we forget what our instructor told us all those decades ago.
Adjust your seat, then adjust your mirrors. Bingo!
Mathew Dexter said:
I have none to teach me. Want to know the easiest way to get blind spot mirror.
As already mentioned...:RSTurboPaul said:
waremark said:
What do people mean by a blind spot mirror?
There are a few options:https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=blind+spot+mirror
Olas said:
Two separate points;
Firstly, in a vehicle with windows (a car not a van, for example), a blind-spot is a symptom of a mirror that is improperly adjusted.
When your driving position is correct you can adjust the mirrors to eliminate all blind spots.
Secondly, because the majority people do not know how to find the correcting seating/driving position their mirrors can not be adjusted correctly and so blind-spot mirrors sell.
The consequence of adding a blind-spot mirror to an incorrectly adjusted mirror is that the blind spot moves. In or out, left or right, it just shifts somewhere else.
Disclaimers apply for those towing trailers/caravans etc, vehicles without rear side windows such as defenders, and those who do not have wing/door mirrors on both sides of the vehicle.
The basics of driving position and setting mirrors is covered in our driving lessons but bad habits develop and we forget what our instructor told us all those decades ago.
Adjust your seat, then adjust your mirrors. Bingo!
Wrong on both counts. vehicles have blind spots even with correctly adjusted mirrors. Size and location vary slightly but they are still there. Firstly, in a vehicle with windows (a car not a van, for example), a blind-spot is a symptom of a mirror that is improperly adjusted.
When your driving position is correct you can adjust the mirrors to eliminate all blind spots.
Secondly, because the majority people do not know how to find the correcting seating/driving position their mirrors can not be adjusted correctly and so blind-spot mirrors sell.
The consequence of adding a blind-spot mirror to an incorrectly adjusted mirror is that the blind spot moves. In or out, left or right, it just shifts somewhere else.
Disclaimers apply for those towing trailers/caravans etc, vehicles without rear side windows such as defenders, and those who do not have wing/door mirrors on both sides of the vehicle.
The basics of driving position and setting mirrors is covered in our driving lessons but bad habits develop and we forget what our instructor told us all those decades ago.
Adjust your seat, then adjust your mirrors. Bingo!
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