Blind Spot Mirrors

Yep, I have them. Round, though, not square (not that it really matters). Having driven trucks and emergency vehicles for years, I've become quite accustomed to using my side mirrors for backing, lane changes, etc. The mirrors are one of the first things I added to the car.

 

I don't remember for sure where I got them nor the brand name, but any auto parts store or the automotive section of a department store will have them. I got the smallest ones they have, which are maybe an inch and a half to 2" in diameter. I put them on the outer, upper corner of the side mirrors, attached with adhesive strips included with the mirrors.

 

The best advice I can give is to adjust your mirrors properly so that you can see in all your "blind spots" with no extra convex mirrors blocking the relatively flat glass. The side mirrors are to see what's beside you. The middle "rear view" mirror is to see what is behind you.

Give this an honest try - you will be safer, and won't need the extra stick-on mirrors.

http://www.cartalk.com/content/features/mirrors/

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ May 27 2007, 09:47 PM) [snapback]450840[/snapback]</div>

Those little high-quality plastic mirrors are dramatically more resistant to salt than the glass. So for me, they are a must-have for a reason entirely different from those normally stated. Winter is messy.

There's a photo of mine on page 41 of the User-Guide.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Masnyd @ May 27 2007, 08:59 PM) [snapback]450825[/snapback]</div>

Mary,
For every vehicle I bought, the first 'modification' I did is to stick on the convex mirrors.
They are available at Target, Wal-mart and Kragen, Autozone, etc. you name it.
They usually cost about $1 to $2 dollar per. I recommend putting them on the inside
part (upper or lower) so that you still can make good use of the outer part to judge distance.

 

Mary- Yes you can easily remove them if you decide you do not like them. I suggest using a hair dryer to heat the adhesive tape which adheres them to the car's mirror first and then just grab them and pull them off with your fingers or something that will not scratch the factory mirror. Then a little wax to remove any residue. I too would get the smallest round ones and see if you like them.

 

Darelldd is right.

Set your mirrors to see your blind spots. That is what they are there for. Check out the PDF file attached from Car Talk.

-wiiprii[attachmentid=8391]

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ceric @ May 27 2007, 11:38 PM) [snapback]450868[/snapback]</div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(wiiprii @ May 28 2007, 12:39 PM) [snapback]451001[/snapback]</div>

Much of this is personal preference. I personally keep my mirrors adjusted so I can see down the side of the car. I use them extensively when backing, and I choose not to obstruct the inside of the car's mirror with the blind spot mirror, nor constantly lean back and forth while backing, as the technique described in Wiiprii's attachment would require. In addition, that technique could potentially create a blind spot for small vehicles like motorcycles between the fields of view of the inside and outside mirrors. I describe nearly hitting a motorcycle many years ago in this thread, and elaborate further on the subject.

The upper, outer corner of the mirror is where the blind spot mirror least obstructs my view in the remaining mirror.

Mary, I discovered in searching for the thread I linked above that you started that thread too. I'm glad to help, but with all due respect, why start another?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(john1701a @ May 27 2007, 10:31 PM) [snapback]450863[/snapback]</div>

John, THANKS so much for the link to your guides. This is very informative and will be a great assistance while we learn to drive our new 'baby' (07 Prius Barcelona Red pkg 2). I love this chat group!

 

I add my DO IT to the posted .pdf file. This is another technique virtually the same as taught in "Defensive Driving" courses. Another way to say it is:

[1] Sitting in the driver's seat, lean your head against the driver's side window and adjust the left outside mirror so you can just see the back left corner of your car;
[2] Now, lean your head just over the center console/armrest and adjust the right outside mirror so you can just see the back right corner of your car.

These adjustments provide good views of the lanes adjoining your lane both right and left, and the center rearview mirror provides the view directly behind. Done correctly, this gives the "panoramic" view described.

Another adjustment available: Many Prius owners haven't discovered that the interior rearview mirror's mounting post is attached to the windshield with a ball joint so you can move the entire mirror assembly up or down to adjust your view rearward for the best view depending on your height.

CIAO

 

Twice now I have been surprised by this (2 x to many)

has anyone used a product like this
TurnSmart® Turn Smart Mirror Kithttp://www.amazon.com/dp/product/B000R4CLBA?tag=priuschatcom-20I need to do some thingabout this blind spot and this looked pretty neat.

any thoughts?

Janice
just went over 3000 miles

 

There is no right or wrong.
It is matter of what you are used to.
All our vehicles have them. It is the best $2(x2) you will spend.
Yes, you may adjust the mirrors outwards to cover blind spots, but you
also lose the reference point, which is your own vehicle.

I heard someone said,
"turn your head to look as you are supposed to!"
Yeah, try that in fast and busy traffic. You are going to rear-end someone in front of you pretty soon. I am not sure why DMV insists on that. It may work well in rural area.

 

I have seen them and I don't like them because
- too expensive (obviously $2 vs $98)
- too big for my taste (mine are small and round)
- I like them at inside corner not outside corner.

I just bought a Mazda CX-9. Ford has a Blind-Spot Monitor system (Mazda is 31% owned by Ford) used on Ford, Mazda and Volvo vehicles. It uses two radars hidden inside both sides of the rear bumper. When there is a vehicle at your blind spot, the yellow LED behind the side mirror of the corresponding side will light up to alert the driver. If the turn signal is activated when the LED is on, a beep will sound to further alert driver and also a quick blinking in the dash also. The whole system can be turn off if not wanted. For $200, I bet this will be very popular very soon.

Check it out.
http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/gallery/data/536/medium/lan3.jpg

 

I ride motorcycles a lot and have done so in heavy urban/freeway traffic. I was taught to always head-check before changing lanes.....twice. You use your peripheral vision, turn your head about 90 degrees, not 180, which allows you to also use your peripheral vision to monitor the car in front of you, then signal, do a second head-check, and then and only then smartly change lanes. You are also using your mirrors during this process. I've since applied this process to driving a 'cage' as well. That second look has saved my skin/life more than once, it's amazing how quickly a car can come over and enter that "empty" spot you were initially going to go for.

 

Mary: I had them but removed them after a year or so, because they covered the actual mirror; the tradeoff between far vision and accurate vision wasn't worth it.

There is a trick to setting your side mirrors to avoid blind spots that has been mentioned here in Priuschat and also by Tom and Ray Magliozzi, "Klick and Klack".
Place your head against the driver side window and adjust the side mirror so that the door handles barely intrude into your field of vision.
Move your head to the center of the car, where the main rearview mirror is, and adjust the passenger side rear view mirror so that, again, the door handles barely intrude into the field of vision.
Now, this takes getting used to, when you look out the side view mirrors, you won't see the body of your car at all, but you will notice that cars approaching from the rear will appear in your side mirrors just as they leave the field of view of your center mirror. Before you go driving off, park your car so that you can see traffic coming from behind you; check to see that when you spot a car in your center rearview mirror, it appears in your side view mirror just as it vanishes from your center mirror. If that works for both sides of your car, your mirrors are adjusted correctly and you have a complete field of view.

One last Helpful Heloise hint here. Go to an RV supply store and pick up one of those frensel lenses that stick on the back window and give you wide angle vision. Cut it to fit keeping the center of the lens in place, i.e. cut from the outside towards the center when fashioning it. I positioned mine just to the left of center (driver side) on the lower rear window under the spoiler. RV owners like them because they help see behind the vehicle. They work as well or better than the rear camera, and will help you identify oncoming cars from behind, and make parallel parking soooooo much easier.

Most people adjust their side mirrors so that they can see the side of their car, but this creates a blind spot further out. When adjusted as above, the "space" between the inside edge of your field of view out the mirror and the actual side of the car isn't really wide enough to hide an up coming car.

That said, I still glance over my left shoulder when merging or changing lanes.
Bob

 

I've read all the suggestions and all have good merits. I've used Multivex mirrors on my Crossfire which has really has blind spots and they are great. I'll be getting another set for my Prius.

Glenn