Does anyone else drive with side mirrors out?

My mirrors are out. I know where the sides of the car are. I don't need to see them in my mirrors.

 

By leaving the mirrors out, it is harder to squeeze into a tight spot when merging. By seeing the sides of the car, you know right away when the sides of your car pass the nose of the other car when merging.

 

This applies only WAY WAY WAY closer than minimum legal car spacing.

 

Same here. I read about it from a post on this site that was from a current driver ed instructor explaining what he teaches his kids today. The mirrors turned out was one and the other was holding your hands at 8 and 4 on the steering wheel rather than 10 and 2 due to air bag explosions.

Turning the mirrors out made good sense and I have had no problem with them in this position. It does a good job of helping eliminate the blind spots.

 

I think the mirror thing works pretty well.

Of passing interest, moving the recommended hand position to 8 & 4 may be based on the myth that the air bag could rip your thumbs off or something if you gripped the wheel to tightly at 10 and 2. I saw a Myth Busters episode where they tried to prove your hands or fingers could be injured by the air bag if you gripped the steering wheel in the conventional position at 10 and 2. They could produce no injuries, they surmised that the worst would be a sprained thumb, as I recall.

I don't always believe the Myth Busters but the thumbs/hands vs air bag tests looked pretty valid, anyone else see that one? I still use the 10 and 2 position most of the time, sometimes I just put my hands where ever they feel comfortable.

 

I did not see the Myth Busters on the placement of the hands, but I do like you and place my hands where they are comfortable. This is usually in the 10 and 2 position. I will take my chances with the airbag !!

 

I am @ 6... is the potentially hazardous? The other hand is wrapped around the flying bridge.

 

I always use the handsfree on my Prius to keep both hands free for safety. Without both hands, the middle patty slides out of my burger, since I always slather it in ketchup. Luckily, with the advanced technology package, I only have to touch the steering wheel with my knees about once every 15 seconds to keep the Lane Keep Assist going. The rest of the time, I can keep my lap level to hold the napkin.

 

I don't buy that at all. First, you're merging way too close (generating road rage?); second, the side of the car curves back in, so you can't really see the end of your Prius anyway; 3rd, you should be able to tell distance by the size of the car and how much pavement is visible in the mirror.

I think the bigger problem was people resting one hand on top at 12:00, and the arm/wrist being pushed back into the face. Particularly if you're wearing a ring or wristwatch. But even in a sudden accident, you're going to move your hands to a better position pretty quickly if it's a frontal accident (which is the type to cause the airbag to go off).


Back to the mirrors, I grew up driving when the right-hand side mirror was not common, and I never had fancy cars, so I'm still used to turning and looking for the right side, as much as using the mirror. I think I got my first right side mirror in either 1992 or '96.

I back up into all parking spaces (safer than backing into potential traffic when you're ready to leave, I figure). I always turn and look for that, sometimes get close but never touched another car (knock on wood). Backing into the garage I turn and look until the right side clears the garage by 6-8", then use the right mirror to make sure I clear the garbage cans by 2-3", and that the mirror doesn't hit the garage door.

 

Thanks for the tip. I will give this a try. For some reason, I have been maried to the idea that I should adjust the mirrors so get just a glimps of the side of my own car. I do like the Blue Ribbon Metalic, but that should not be what my mirrors are for. Plus I can enjoy the blue hood of the car.

 

Yeah, several folks have pointed out this important aspect of having the mirrors set up correctly (pointed out). If you want to see behind you... or the edge of you car - you still can! At any time! Just lean toward that mirror. I can't stress enough how much more safe it is to set the mirrors correctly. You lose ZERO functionality by doing so, and gain so much. Yes, I've tried convext mirrors. I find it quite difficult to figure out where everything is in relation to the multiple images that this system creates. You can sort of tell something is there - but not really what it is or exactly WHERE it is. And when the mirrors are set up correctly, you simply don't need them.

 

Yep. Ditto.

I know Car Talk's been mentioned but I'm not sure about the URL. As an FYI for others, see Car Talk | How to Avoid the Blind Spot.

I ABSOLUTELY had to do this once I got my 350Z. The rear blind spots were HUGE w/the mirrors set wrong. It took me awhile to get used to it but now this is the only way to go, for me.

 

This is an older thread, but I wanted to bump it up for any newbies. Based on information in this forum, I adjusted my side mirrors out. I have tested it time and again at stoplights as cars approach in the lane next to me on the right. There is absolutely no blind spot. As the vehicle leaves the right side mirror it is already visible when I glance over to the side. Like many others, I was taught to adjust mirrors to see the side of my own car and that is not the way to do it to eliminate blind spots.

 

Re: Does anyone else drive with side mirrors out?

I've never used them any other way.
I'm a little confused about why mirror strategy is so controversial in a sedan with lots of windows and a diminutive (106") wheelbase...but then, I've never understood "parking assist" on this car either.

I think on-the-road driving tests aught to be mandatory in the US every 2-3 years...

 

"Mirrors out" is one of the first things we'd teach in high performance driving for the "newbies" on the racetrack. You really appreciate the idea when things happen very quickly.... regardless if it's the track, or the highway.