How to correctly adjust your mirrors

preilly79

i read this yesterday: http://www.linquist.net/motorsports/tech/mirrors/

i adjusted my mirrors according to the instructions and i have to say it makes a huge difference. going through driving school i remember being told how to adjust my mirrors ... so i can see 1/3 of my car in the mirror, but this seems to work much better.

the only thing is that reversing into tight spaces is a little different as i dont get to see the side my car, but i know that the side of my car is just outside of the field of view so it just takes a little getting used to.

let me know if it works better for you. who knows, maybe this could prevent some shunts where people dont check their blind spot before pulling out?

Ernie Ball

After several decades driving, I only learned this tip about a year ago and it makes a huge difference.

It helps if you can get a friend to walk around the rear of the car so you can make sure that, once he leaves the centre mirror, you can see him in the wing mirrors.

Rovi

I've been doing this for years, and if I drive someone else's vehicle, I'll set their mirrors up this way too. They usually adjust them back :rolleyes:

I've sat into vehicles with the mirrors set so that I practically have to put my head against the steering wheel before I get a decent view to the left or right behind me. :eek:
Lots of people seem to think that it's vitally important that they can 'keep an eye' on the side of the car, for some reason

Avns1s

Rovi wrote:

Lots of people seem to think that it's vitally important that they can 'keep an eye' on the side of the car, for some reason

I don't think people want to "keep an eye on the car" but rather psychologically need a "fixed reference point".

unkel

Why would you have your side mirror fill up to a third with your car?

I've always adjusted my side mirrors so that I can just about see the sides of my car at the inner most bit of my mirrors. The test to check if your driver side mirror is adjusted correctly, drive on a motorway in the driving lane and observe someone overtaking you. The moment the overtaking car disappears from your side mirror, you should be able to see the car beside you. You might have to slightly look over your shoulder

preilly79

unkel wrote:

Why would you have your side mirror fill up to a third with your car?

Because that's how I, and as far as i gather, most people were taught. we tend not to change our habits, or question the people that are supposed to know what they are doing! just goes to show you how badly we need a driving curriculum so that people know what the right and wrong way is.

prospect

unkel wrote:

Why would you have your side mirror fill up to a third with your car?

I've always adjusted my side mirrors so that I can just about see the sides of my car at the inner most bit of my mirrors. The test to check if your driver side mirror is adjusted correctly, drive on a motorway in the driving lane and observe someone overtaking you. The moment the overtaking car disappears from your side mirror, you should be able to see the car beside you. You might have to slightly look over your shoulder

Agreed.

Also this way it is easier to see cyclists and motorcyclists (and someties pedestrians) in traffic, when they tend to be quite close to your car.

Also, it is important that you should always glance over your shoulder (turning right) aswell, particularly in fast moving traffic, e.g. changing lanes on a motorway.

mike65

Interesting, my mirrors are about 85% road, they are quite wide angle which helps. Unless reversing!

Mike.

TKK

I know that with the truck at home you need to set the mirrors so that you can see the side of it. Otherwise you couldn't see to reverse into gateways or turning in tight spots or having to negotiate beside cars in towns etc.

That being said the mirrors are larger than those on a car and therefore don't suffer the blind spot problem as much.

6ix

good post - i recently got a car-van and i was having blind spot problems. Takes a bit of getting used to since i changed it today, im so used to the reference point of the car taking up a small bit of my mirror. I'm sure it'll be for the better though.

Bluehair

Great post, thanks!

Supercell

Thats a great tip, will be adjusting my mirrors tomorrow in the work car park !

Lex Luthor

Is this site from the states?

I think its all well & good adjusting them like this for large highway driving in the states, but for back road driving here I'll stick to what I'm used to

Squirrel

I set them up so there's about 3mm of my car on the inside, it's a reference point. It was how I was told to do it by an Early Drive instructor in Mondello, and by my driving instructor

Tobias Greeshman

I set my mirrors yesterday after reading this thread, and the difference it makes especially on the motorway is unbelievable.

Great find preilly79

Beruthiel

I'm off to adjust my mirrors during my lunch break, it makes perfect sense once it's been pointed out to you!
thank a mil

prospect

Dont mean to be a stick-in-the-mud, but:

I would request that you all exercise a bit of caution here, I would hate to hear of one of you haveing an accident because you misread/misunderstood the advice on the link. Or if you are not used to the adjusted positions.

Just a word of caution.

6ix

Lex Luthor wrote:

Is this site from the states?

I think its all well & good adjusting them like this for large highway driving in the states, but for back road driving here I'll stick to what I'm used to

Yeah the site is from the states - its got the left-right thing back to front. Just substitute left for right and vice versa and it makes perfect sense.

unkel

Squirrel wrote:

I set them up so there's about 3mm of my car on the inside, it's a reference point

Spot on! I couldn't quite put that into words in my previous post but that was exactly what I meant. Gives one hope that a young driver like yourself is getting things right

preilly79 wrote:

Because that's how I, and as far as i gather, most people were taught

Okay, I understand. Yet another reason why it is time we moved from people teaching themselves or being taught by some family member to a system where the only way a learner driver is allowed on the road is with a fully qualified driving instructor in a dual controlled vehicle

Great to see though that several people here are using your advice, preilly79. Well done for that!

mloc123

tried this setup today, great on motorway but not so good trying to reverse into a tight driveway....if only I had some '2 memory' sysem for my electric mirrors

preilly79

Lex Luthor wrote:

Is this site from the states?

I think its all well & good adjusting them like this for large highway driving in the states, but for back road driving here I'll stick to what I'm used to

for back road driving, ie bohreens and single lane roads, you're unlikely to have somebody sitting in your blindspot, which is what adjusting you mirrors like this is designed to help you detect.

CyberGhost

Tried this today, definitely improved my observation, but still kinda feels odd when I'm looking in the side mirrors and can't see a lane lines behind me, but still I think I'm going to keep it.

Thanks!