Blind spots (or the lack thereof)

[wasions]

I've been meaning to post this for awhile - just never seemed to get around to it. I sure hope none of you reading this are dead on my account.

I learned this from my older brother (NOT a car nut) several years ago, and though it took a little getting used to, I don't drive any other way now, if I can help it.

To completely avoid blind spots: Lean out toward the driver's side window, if fact, let your head rest against the window, and adjust your driver's side mirror so that you can barely see the side of your car. Now, lean the other way, until your head is as near to the center of the car as you can get, and adjust the passenger side mirror the same way. (The SVX actually won't go far enough - many cars won't - but adjust it out as far as possible.) Now center the inside mirror the way you normally would.

Now drive. You may have to make minor adjustments - mostly to height - but notice that when a car passes you on your left, as his image leaves your inside (center) mirror, it appears in your outside mirror. As the image leaves the outside mirror, it appears in your peripheral vision (unless you have tunnel vision). It only takes a quick glance in the mirrors and through the side glass to immediately know your position relative to the closest traffic. The same applies to passing, but (duh) on the other side.

Some (small minded) people hate this technique, but it's saved my butt more than once. My wife refuses to drive this way. (Hmmm. Do y'think maybe I should have said that?) Ahhh, there's the exception to every rule.

Steve

That is also the method I use, and find it especially useful for my convertible with the large blindspots.

[immortal_suby]

About 2 years ago they actually wrote up this method in the Subaru Drive magazine. I use it and I love it - it's definitely saved me from more than a few collisions. But you're right, you can't get the mirrors on an SVX to get out quite far enough.

[jscorse]

I've added two tiny 1 inch dia. convex mirrors to the lower inner corner of each side mirror. I find them indespensable. I know that seem distracting at first but after a short adjustment I got used to them. I use them on both of my Subies.

I also have my side mirrows adjusted such that I can barely see the sides of my car.

[mohrds]

<<Lean out toward the driver's side window, if fact, let your head rest against the window>>

I've never don it that way, I've always adjusted the mirrors to their furthest out position and that usually does it. Or If I'm on the highway, I'll drive in the left lane and adjust the left mirror until the center line is in the lower left corner of the mirror, move to the right lane and adjust the right mirror so the shoulder line is in the lower right corner.

It achieves the same effect.

<<find it especially useful for my convertible with the large blindspots>>

Have you tried putting the top down? :-}

Sorry, I couldn't resist. I rarely drive any of my convertibles with the tops up, its nasty in quick changing traffic.

I learned this trick from a friend of mine back when I was a teenager. Inside your mind, put a picture in a picture of a top view of the road like on a video game. Try to keep track with your peripheral vision of where each car is around you. It tires you out quick, but its pretty amazing once you get past the headaches.

Doug

I was waiting for some wisenheimer to suggest putting the top down. Lately we've had nothing but rain, but I still like to drive it some. And that is when you really have to use your mirrors. That was one of the things I liked about the SVX when I first bought it , the relative lack of blindspots. Bill