I just had a near accident on the freeway on my morning commute. I’m on a 2 lane highway in the right lane going 60mph. To my right is a merge that comes out of a loop, but the merge has its own dotted lane for several hundred feet. Nevertheless, this is a NOTORIOUS merge. There’s always a stream of cars here, coming from the other freeway. And, because it’s an overpass/upward slope, you can’t see the cars coming until they enter the merging lane. Today traffic was flowing well, so much that far ahead I could see the cars entering the lane, keeping pace, and then merging to my lane. I’m about 100 feet from the tip of the merge, however, when a huge charter bus coming out of the loop enters that dotted lane. “OK,” I think, “He’s going to get up to speed before merging into my lane, and merge AFTER I pass him” Not the case! (I’d seen this bus before on my commute, same place. It had done the same idiotic thing, except I was within safer distance.) His turn signal turns on and he’s entering my lane going SUPER SLOW (you know how busses are). Rather than slamming my brake pedal, my instincts told me to immediately change lanes to avoid having to a near stop. I started to pull left, simultaneously checking my blind spot. HONNNNNNNNNNKKKKKKK from a blue Toyota SUV in my blind spot. I swerved back in my lane, while simultaneously trying to brake behind the bus to somewhere under 20 mph, I think. The SUV, I’m guessing, also had to swerve to the shoulder to avoid me. We were both unscathed and he eventually sped away, being in the left lane. As for the bus driver however, what an donkey. He continued to plow to the left lane and eventually the carpool lane when the freeway opened up to 3 lanes. What I’m most grateful for is that at the end of this, I learned some things without having to actually “learn my lesson.” 1. Always check your blind spot. 2. Horns can truly help avoid accidents. They’re not just for when you’re mad at someone. 3. Be wary of truck and bus drivers and their actions. For me, it was always easy to assume that they are good drivers (otherwise they wouldn’t have a commercial license, right?) but they have the same personalities of everyone else that can make them bad drivers. 4. Thank god for my lowered springs and rear swaybar. These things work. In conclusion, I now feel really lucky to be at work today and I’m super glad my car is okay too, because I just washed it. Be safe everyone.
I thought you were quitting? J/K I would call the bus co. and complain. Posted from my iPhone via the Tapatalk app.
With properly adjusted mirrors, there is no such thing as a "blind spot". How To: Adjust Your Mirrors to Avoid Blind Spots - Feature - Car and Driver Prepare for idiots, expect the worst, this will keep you alive.
While an interesting read, most drivers need to see the back of their car as a point of reference. Otherwise, it's very difficult to judge distance and how far someone is away from you. Also, you should ALWAYS check blind spots, even if you think you "don't have any." "Expect the worst." This I truly disagree with. You should expect to survive. A huge key to avoiding a near accident is envisioning yourself doing all the right things to avoid it in the first place. It's just like in sports, when someone is "in the zone." You have to picture yourself making the shot. Expect your face in an airbag for a split second, and it just might happen.
I agree with pointing the side mirrors into the blind spots. Why have all 3 mirrors looking in the same place? The inside mirror looks straight back. The side mirrors look into the blind spots. The way to align these mirrors is first you move your head to the center of the car, then adjust the right outer mirror to look straight back. Then you move your head till it touches the side window, then you adjust the left outer mirror to look straight back. Now when you move your head to the normal position your side mirrors are looking at the blind spots. be aware though that even with the mirrors adjusted this way there's times when only part of a blind spot car will show up in your vision. Practice looking as a car passes. It should first be in the center mirror, then move to one of the side mirrors, then come into your peripheral vision. If it totally disappears then try adjusting your mirrors some more.
That sucks, bro. I have never had much of a problem with blind spots in my GenII but twice now I tried to change lanes into someone while driving my GenIII. I'll try readjusting my mirrors before I cause an accident.
Regardless of how you adjust your mirrors there is ALWAYS a blind spot! Unless, of course, you drive a 1960 Mitsubushi Bubble car! It is imposible to adjust your mirrors for every eventuality. So just learn to look over your shoulder before changing lanes - dead simple, we Europeans have been taught it since our cradle. Take Care: Drive safe!
Hi macmaster05-- I find myself both agreeing and disagreeing with this part. Because while I certainly don't expect to have air bags flying up in my face, I'm always cued into what the other cars are doing - and more importantly what they might so. As I find myself thinking, "what if this guy does something dumb"? It's saved my butt a few times.
Oh yeah. When I say you shouldn't expect the worse, I was talking about the point where you're already in an "incident" and potentially an accident - in other words, when you are already making your evasive maneuvers. Of course prior to that you should expect the worst.
Regardless of that magazine article there is most definitely a blind spot on the Prius no matter how you adjust the mirrors and in fact the Prius manual itself warns you of the situation. I have had my Prius for 3 months now and have had several blind spot incidents which I never had in any previous car. Likely I will paste a small circular wide view mirror onto my driver's side mirror. I've never had a worse blind spot situation than I have experienced in the Prius.
