For the third time this week I was forced to abort a left side lane change at the last moment. Twice on the freeway and once on a busy street. In all cases I checked the mirror, I lean forward a bit and glance over my left shoulder (where that horrible blind spot is on my GT. The sail window is transparent glass but it doesn't seem to matter on the drivers side as that view is blocked by the seat back anyway), signaled the lane change, checked the mirror and the left shoulder again before initiating the lane change. And still I had another close call. (Yes, I really am that conscientious about that since I bought this little car as a daily driver).
So my question is ... Is it me, or "them?" Honestly, I don't know. I do all my checks and begin the lane change and then suddenly there is a car looming large in the mirror. I bought one of those little convex mirrors a few weeks ago and stuck it in the corner of the mirror. It's better but didn't help in these examples. I have considered that maybe my car is so low that these cars are not seeing me and changing lanes into the same lane I am moving into. I swear they were not there a second ago! Nobody blew their horn or gave me the bird so maybe it was "them". Does anyone else experience this?
Anyway after today's repeat experience it got me thinking about a rear view camera set up for the left side blind spot. Anyone have any comments or suggestions...?
------------------ My rides... 1988 GT with a 3.4L V6 automatic 2006 Harley Sportster 'cause I love the twisties on two wheels or four.
Personally I think people overlook the car. I've been t-boned by a motorcycle (who later blamed me for their fault) simply because he didn't see me. I realize that's not the same as a the blind spot problem.
One reason I bought bigger mirrors. Sensors are a good idea but even my wife's Volvo gives false readings, ie vehicle there but there really isn't. Hasn't been the other way around thank God.
I've done that a couple times in my fiero (notchback), never in any of my other cars... Combination of a blind spot and others literally looking over the roof of my car... I usually resorted to craning my neck a lot..
It happens to me in the GT, but not so much in the notchie. I did use those adjustable mirrors on the notchie. Actually, I had a '97 Firehawk that had the same issue as my GT. The fix in the Formula? Find an open spot ahead and step on the gas. Worked great with 487 HP. Not so great with 135 HP. I was considering thise extra mirrors again. The adjustable ones were no extra help.
My car is currently a notichie, so I can't say about the GT blindspot, but I normally slow down a tad, or speed up, while I put on my blinker. This way I move the blind spot.
My biggest issue is the pillar. I've almost hit something on a few occasions while making a left turn because it's hidden by the pillar.
A couple of cheap fixes... make sure you adjust your mirrors properly... which means you don't see your vehicle in the mirror. Get a small blind spot mirror and stick on the larger mirror. There are lots of options for those types of stick on mirrors.
I'm 6' 1" so I have my seat positioned almost to the full rear. My brother has one of those panoramic mirrors in his car and when I've driven it, I found it blocks your view of traffic lights and overhead signs and creates the need for me to slide down in the seat to effective see ahead as it hangs right in the top half of your view. It does, however, almost totally eliminate your blind spots.
With having my seat slid so far back, I can lean to my right and look sharply back to my left and see through the GT quarter window or behind the sail panel on my notchback. Keeping the left mirror turned a little more outward also helps, but you could lean forward a little to look out the side window.
It happens to me in the GT, but not so much in the notchie. I did use those adjustable mirrors on the notchie. Actually, I had a '97 Firehawk that had the same issue as my GT. The fix in the Formula? Find an open spot ahead and step on the gas. Worked great with 487 HP. Not so great with 135 HP. I was considering thise extra mirrors again. The adjustable ones were no extra help.
Actually, even with only the stock 2.8, it's not too bad when you also drop into 3rd gear from 5th, with the Getrag. The auto can be a pain though.
A couple of cheap fixes... make sure you adjust your mirrors properly... which means you don't see your vehicle in the mirror.
This would help a LOT. Pretty sure most people are staring at their gas cap from their drivers' side mirror. I adjust it so the spoiler (GT) is just out of view.
I like cameras too as a longggggg previous thread pointed out...
However...IF you have your side mirrors adjusted properly, no car has any blind spots. Your inside mirror is for seeing out the back. Side mirrors should be adjusted to see ONLY the next lane over at your quarter panel. As said above, you should NOT be able to see any part of your car or even within a foot of it in a side mirror. Set right, a car in another lane should be in your inside mirror till it gets to your tail light, then as soon as its not visible in the inside mirror it should show up on the side mirror. You should be able to see a car in the adjoining lane till its up to your door. The other thread if you do a search had some great diagrams to use. 95% of cars Ive been in had the side mirrors adjusted totally wrong...you dont need to see your gas fill while your driving
Never thought about that, straight out of drivers ed they said to align it with your rear door handle, or in my case the gas cap. I will try adjusting them and seeing how I like it...
This would help a LOT. Pretty sure most people are staring at their gas cap from their drivers' side mirror. I adjust it so the spoiler (GT) is just out of view.
I usually do the opposite; have it adjust so the rear of the car is just barely in view, based on what I can see at a glance by turning my head. The more I can see directly out the side/rear from turning my head, the further out the mirror is angled.
But yeah, if you have a true blind spot, best thing to do is re-adjust the mirrors so that you don't.
I like cameras too as a longggggg previous thread pointed out...
However...IF you have your side mirrors adjusted properly, no car has any blind spots. Your inside mirror is for seeing out the back. Side mirrors should be adjusted to see ONLY the next lane over at your quarter panel. As said above, you should NOT be able to see any part of your car or even within a foot of it in a side mirror. Set right, a car in another lane should be in your inside mirror till it gets to your tail light, then as soon as its not visible in the inside mirror it should show up on the side mirror. You should be able to see a car in the adjoining lane till its up to your door. The other thread if you do a search had some great diagrams to use. 95% of cars Ive been in had the side mirrors adjusted totally wrong...you dont need to see your gas fill while your driving
You took the words right out of my mouth. I was going to make this exact post, till I got to the 2nd to last post in the thread, and saw it all typed out already
In my case as well 95% of the cars I get in, the mirrors are adjusted wrong. The rear view miror, as it name sake states, is just that, to see behind you, where the side mirrors are to see to the sides.
Try this:
Sit in your car, and look in the rear view mirror. Without leaning, then look in the side view mirror. I am willing to bet that you can see an overlap of coverage. Meaning you can see some of the same stuff in your side view mirror, as you can in the rear view mirror. This means you are "duplicating coverage" and just making your own blind spot.
Now, move the side view mirrors out till you see nothing in them that you can already see in the rear view mirror, and go a tiny bit more. Now, move them a little further yet. The tiny bit more is not enough to hide a car, but enough to give you more coverage. You can also still see some of the overlap if you lean. This will allow you to still see the overlap if necessary when backing up, and checking behind you when you back up. This makes things in reverse to what 95% of people are used to, and takes a few days to get used to. Now glancing at the mirror to check what used to be a blind spot, and only leaning to get the "overlap" or what was originally there when you just glanced in the mirror.
Now, this is how you can test it, and make minor adjustments.
While driving, look at a car in your rear view mirror that is in a side lane, and about to pass you. When you can no longer see that car in the rear view mirror, you should now see it appear in your side view mirror. As it continues to pass you, and you can just no longer see it in the side view mirror any longer, it should be far enough up along side you to see it without the mirrors. Look to your left or right hand side with the turn of your head, or your peripheral vision.
Again, this will take a good week to get used to, as most people are used to looking at the side of their car in the side view mirrors. That being said, adjust the mirrors like this, and stick to it! Once you are accustomed to it, you will no longer have a blind spot, and you will start showing others how to improve their mirror adjustments
[This message has been edited by JohnWPB (edited 05-11-2014).]
Yes, If you can see your own cars quarter in the side mirror, your not going to see anything in the next lane because you created a blind spot....even more so trying to see freeway traffic when your trying to blend with traffic from an on ramp.
I have had my close calls also. I think adjusting the mirrors as far out as you can is key. And never rely on just the mirror. I have this issue in my '07 Murano and I had it in my '02 firebird. I always keep the passenger seat back and out of the way as well. If I have a passenger, they have to help! It is definitely an issue. I look forward to the newer cars that have blind spot help! A rear monitor for backing up helps also.
Just for the hell of it, Ill mention Millenium Motor Homes have up to 8 outside video cameras....No blind spots there at all...... 1 at each corner with 2 more down the middle of both sides. Each has about 120* field of vision.
+1 on adjusting the mirrors. I have done this for years in my Fiero, and even back with my first one that was a daily driver. I've come to find that modern cars (at least my Ion and Bravada) don't have enough range to adjust out in this way. They'll stop before they get in the right position.
Anyway, here's how I do it.
1. Sit in your normal driving position and adjust your inside rearview mirror. Nothing new here, you want to be able to see behind you. 2. To adjust driver's side mirror, lean your head against the driver's side window. A. Now adjust the mirror out until you can just barely see the edge of your vehicle in it. (Note: this is sight picture is probably how you have your mirror normally adjusted, but now you're moving it out due to your head touching the window. B. Clean the smudge on the window from your greasy forehead. 3. To adjust passenger mirror, lean your head to the center of the car. Now adjust your mirror as stated before, so that you just see the edge.
That's it. Now, when you drive, you'll notice a car coming up behind you, as it passes you on the left, it'll transition from your inside mirror to your driver's side mirror, but you won't see the same part of the car in both mirrors at the same time. If anything, you may see the front in the driver's side, while seeing the rear in the rearview. As it passes you, it'll leave from your driver's side mirror and be in your peripheral vision.
It takes a little getting used to, but works great.
If you cant get the mirrors out far enough to see the adjoining lanes, try sliding the seat up. I get in lots of cars where the owners have the seat all the way back, and even reclined while they drive. Seems to be a habit of even short people. Im 6' tall and I cant reach the pedals good myself with the way theyre driving them. I dont get why you need to lie down or have your head in the back side window to drive.
1 at each corner with 2 more down the middle of both sides. Each has about 120* field of vision.
