Stop Complaining about Rear Visibility

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by 2k1Toaster, Jul 26, 2011.

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  1. Sergiospl

    Sergiospl Senior Member

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    Those who are complaining should get inside of one of these: BMW X6!

    [​IMG]
     
    #21 Sergiospl, Jul 26, 2011
  2. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    Me too. I have the fixed convex style on the bottom outsides of both mirrors. Work great. I look at those much more than the mirror itself.
    Especially at night.
     
    #22 edthefox5, Jul 26, 2011
  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    so when you adjust your mirrors this way, how far back can you track a car coming from behind on your right? sometimes, the biggest problem is that they are passing you by 20+ mph!
     
    #23 bisco, Jul 26, 2011
  4. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    You would use the rear view mirror for that purpose. The side mirrors are intended primarily to see into the blind spots that exist if you were to rely solely on the rear view mirror.
     
    #24 Patrick Wong, Jul 26, 2011
  5. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Frankly I think it's psychological. They see something in the path of their intended view and think "omg I can't see anything". I usually respond with "tell me something that you'll see how the back window or through the rear view mirror that's horizontal and will be blocked by the spoiler."

    The only time I have an issue with rear visibility is in the winter and spring. That lower rear window needs a wiper (esp. now that it's taller than the 2nd Gen). It gets caked in mud and it becomes useless (and the backup camera will also be covered in mud or large droplets). In the rain, it'll get covered in oil or other stuff that gets sucked into the vortex left by the car but it's still somewhat translucent and you can still make out object (and the camera is still useable and clear. Even if it's caked in sand, it's still visible because the particles are small. I have photos as an example if needed)
     
    #25 Tideland Prius, Jul 27, 2011
  6. Corwyn

    Corwyn Energy Curmudgeon

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    And at least for me, you would be entirely wrong. My complaint is not that I think I won't be able to see things, but rather that I have been surprised by the sudden appearance of things which I actually did not see.
     
    #26 Corwyn, Jul 27, 2011
  7. xs650

    xs650 Senior Member

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    Bisco, give it a try, I think you will like it. It just takes a few minutes.

    When you adjust your mirror that way, you eliminate blind spots large enough to hide a car. It has no effect on your in car review mirror which is where you will see a car approaching at 20 mph on the right until it is too late to do anything about it. As the other car gets closer, you will see it in the right side mirror well before it is out of sight in the center mirror.
     
    #27 xs650, Jul 27, 2011
  8. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

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    @Corwyn:

    Please provide an example car within a few years or a model year within your vehicle that has better visibility.

    So far we have from other posters:
    91 Accord -- great
    06 Civic -- horrid, but better than the Prius

    With the 91 accord, I think we are getting into the "yeah but a geo metro gets 50mpg on the highway too" kind of problem. It is not a car as designed today. If they made a new car and it looked like a 91 accord, nobody will buy it today.

    The 06 Civic is closer to a comparison. I have 2 7th generation civics (2001-2005) and drove two 06 civics (2dr si and 4dr ex) on testdrives. I do not explicitly remember the rearview visibility in them. However in the 7th gen civic it is a similar deal. Our coupe, has great visibility just because it is smaller and windows all around. I can see out and up anywhere, but can see out and down nowhere. The 4dr is not as great but still not bad. I would not say it is better than the Prius in visibility though.

    Lets get an actual list of current "modern" cars that have better visibility than the Prius.
     
    #28 2k1Toaster, Jul 27, 2011
  9. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i gave it a try today. it is amazing how you can see everything to the side and back! it is a bit disconcerting not seeing the rear corners of my car anymore and will take some getting used to. thanks guys!
     
    #29 bisco, Jul 27, 2011
  10. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    And would that be backing up or while you're driving forward? If it's backing up, I guess it depends on how flexible you are and how far you can turn around. I find if I look straight out the back window (twist as far as I can go), it's a pretty good view. If I need to, I can elevate myself off the chair to see "over" the rear spoiler. With the Gen 3, the spoiler is higher so I haven't done that elevated position yet.

    Also, remember to do a 360° check before you look out the window. I've seen people who reverse out of a stall but forgot to look left so they'll see anyone approaching from the right hand side of the car but they have no idea that anyone's on the left side of the car cause they never looked out the driver's window before turning around and backing up.
     
    #30 Tideland Prius, Jul 27, 2011
  11. xs650

    xs650 Senior Member

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    2006 Corvette which has identical visibility to a 2011 Corvette. Vastly better than a Prius.

    2006 Acura TL, rear visibility is nothing to write home about but still a bunch better than a Prius.

    When I say rear visibility I mean the ability to see what's coming when backing out of a parking lot space, so about 45 degrees to either side of the centerline with only the part of the car behind the back seat sticking out into traffic.
     
    #31 xs650, Jul 27, 2011
  12. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

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    On the corvette, BS. The only exception is if you are driving with the top down.

    Vert Rear Window Visibility? - Corvette Forum

    I don't drive american P.O.S.'s so I can't attest to the corvette 1st hand. However I have driven similar sports cars, and their visibility are horrible. I can't see a damned thing out my Delorean. I have to lift the door and drive with my head out the car to back up sometimes.

    As to the acura, it seems much better than the impala I'm in.

    [​IMG]

    It looks very very similar with the side pillars and all to my 7th gen civics. So I would say visibility is good out of it. But if it is close to the 7th gen civic, then it is not better than a Prius. I do know someone with a TL, I'll have to ask them for first hand knowledge.
     
    #32 2k1Toaster, Jul 27, 2011
  13. gak27

    gak27 Prius, Take Two

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    As long as we're collecting examples:

    1988 Honda Civic sedan (felt like being in a panoramic observation dome)

    [​IMG]

    1996 VW Passat Wagon

    [​IMG]

    2000 Audi A6 Wagon (looks exactly like ours)

    [​IMG]

    And yes, I know they are all approaching the "non-current design" designation, but perhaps that's a problem with the current design philosophy...
     
    #33 gak27, Jul 28, 2011
  14. xs650

    xs650 Senior Member

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    A 2006 is a C6 not a C5 and like the majority of them mine isn't a convertible. Other than using the wrong car and wrong body style as an example you were spot on.
     
    #34 xs650, Jul 28, 2011
  15. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

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    They all look very similar, and like I said I don't buy or care about big-3 crap.

    Post a pic of it. I would be very surprised if it looks radically different which causes it to have better visibility.
     
    #35 2k1Toaster, Jul 28, 2011
  16. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

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    The audi does have good sight because of the narrow back pillars. I'll give that one to you because it is only 4 years off of the oldest GenII.

    The others are way too old to be comparable.
     
    #36 2k1Toaster, Jul 28, 2011
  17. Eoin

    Eoin Active Member

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    The thick pillars on modern cars really do obstruct visibility. Could they be made thinner or even transparent? In making cars like strong cages, they neglected visibility.
     
    #37 Eoin, Jul 28, 2011
  18. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

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    But you can see the stuff "blocked" by the pillars in the mirrors or by turning your head... I still don't get this problem unless you are paralyzed or in a neck brace of some sort, and then you shouldn't be driving.
     
    #38 2k1Toaster, Jul 28, 2011
  19. xs650

    xs650 Senior Member

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    If you are backing out of a parking lot space with non-transparent vehicles parked beside you, you can't see what the pillars are blocking until the rear of the car is several feet out into the flow of lot traffic.

    Driving with the mirrors properly adjusted, visibility is OK.
     
    #39 xs650, Jul 28, 2011
  20. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

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    When backing out of a spot you have many options. If you got the rearview camera then problem solved. You can see cars coming without even moving your head.

    Otherwise, you can look out of your neighbour cars' windows too. They do not become opaque when parked (unless parked next to some very high end austin martins and the like, in which case you wouldn't be driving...) so you can see through them.

    And the pillars block a portion of your backwards view but not the extremes of that view. So unless the vehicle is so short that it can be completely blocked by a pillar, the notion that the pillars are obscuring all the view, is ridiculous.
     
    #40 2k1Toaster, Jul 28, 2011
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