How to adjust your car mirrors to avoid blind spots

[DanT]

Earlier today another driver almost got hit cutting into my lane. This was in West Sacramento, CA, where Westbound US Hwy 50 ends by blending into I-80. (From the perspective of someone on US Hwy 50, which stays more or less straight, the I-80 drivers are merging into our lanes.) When I got behind his sea-green Prius with Illinois license plates and saw that I could see his reflection in both of his side-view mirrors, it made me think there might be some folks on the Planet that could benefit from information on how to properly adjust their car mirrors to avoid blind spots.

https://www.caranddriver.com/feature...d-blind-spots/

P.S. On the opposite side of the highway, where eastbound US Hwy 50 begins, is a sign that includes the amusing information that Ocean City MD is 3,073 miles away. https://www.capradio.org/articles/20...-md-3073-sign/

[Pablo]

When I got my new vehicle it had the extended mirrors as part of the tow package or whatever. And it is very nice to be able to see across all lanes of traffic. I still look over my shoulder out of habit but really don’t need to. My last car was a sedan and I had to adjust per the video like a year ago and it makes a yuuuge difference in eliminating the blind spots.

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by KurtCobain

WTF is a "new car"?

Over the past 40 years I've owned 11 different vehicles. Four were new, the rest at least a year used.

No intention of ever buying another new one.

[DanT]

Originally Posted by Frazod

Back in the day, whenever I got a new vehicle the first thing I would do is add the round spot mirrors. My current car came equipped with something similar so it wasn't necessary.

I would also add that drivers in the Sacramento area are nastiest ****ers on earth. Everybody drove like a speed freak lunatic on crack.

Exactly, the drivers here are horrendous. That's why even if you're moving into a lane on your right, it's not enough to verify that the lane has an opening, you have to check for lunatics coming up on you from far behind, fully intending to pass you while going 25+ miles per hours over the speed limit.

Technically, Bakersfield beat Sacramento for worst driver in the study reported on the news (https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/n...-second-worst/), but that study includes number of tickets when ranking cities, and I sure don't see cops out on these crazy roads writing tickets, so I know our 2nd place finish doesn't capture our true performance.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by DanT

Exactly, the drivers here are horrendous. That's why even if you're moving into a lane on your right, it's not enough to verify that the lane has an opening, you have to check for lunatics coming up on you from far behind, fully intending to pass you while going 25+ miles per hours over the speed limit.

Technically, Bakersfield beat Sacramento for worst driver in the study reported on the news (https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/n...-second-worst/), but that study includes number of tickets when ranking cities, and I sure don't see cops out on these crazy roads writing tickets, so I know our 2nd place finish doesn't capture our true performance.

Drivers everywhere are horrendous. The main culprit is that nobody cares anymore about anybody but themselves. And on the main thoroughfares there's almost zero law enforcement effort. People going 90 in a 70 are just ignored so now everybody drives like that. I usually drive 5 over and I'm routinely the slowest driver on the road. People pass on the shoulder and all kinds of stupid shit just so they can get where they are going 2 minutes earlier.

[SuperBowl4]

I have auto insurance so I don't care about blind spots.

[ReynardMuldrake]

A few years ago I cut someone off on accident when they didn't show up in my side mirrors. Ever since then I have angled them outwards to cover the blind spots. Feels weird at first but it's much safer that way.

[ReynardMuldrake]

Originally Posted by Frazod

Over the past 40 years I've owned 11 different vehicles. Four were new, the rest at least a year used.

No intention of ever buying another new one.

I used to think that way until my car died in 2021 and I had to buy another one. The used car market is so insane that used cars are selling for around the same price as a new one. At that point, why not buy new?

I think the market's come down somewhat since then but used cars are crazy expensive right now.

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by ReynardMuldrake

I used to think that way until my car died in 2021 and I had to buy another one. The used car market is so insane that used cars are selling for around the same price as a new one. At that point, why not buy new?

I think the market's come down somewhat since then but used cars are crazy expensive right now.

This was me 1.5 years ago. New car was almost the same price as a slightly used car but I could get 0% financing on a 3 year dealer loan for the new car. No brainer to go new and it was a nice surprise.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by lewdog

This was me 1.5 years ago. New car was almost the same price as a slightly used car but I could get 0% financing on a 3 year dealer loan for the new car. No brainer to go new and it was a nice surprise.

I haven't bought a used car in ages. At the end of the day, the total ROI of a new car is just higher than used because used prices are just plain too high.

[Chief Pagan]

Originally Posted by DJay23

Hmm. I've adjusted my mirrors like this for some time when I thought, "Why do I need to see the side of my own car?"

My question is, do people still look over their shoulder too? I still do it 90% of the time, unless I am all alone on the highway at night for example.

Electric mirrors are better but if you don’t see the side of your car you don’t know that your mirror hasn’t been bumped and is now pointing out in space and not showing your blind spot.

I like to be able to see the side of the car if I lean a bit.

And then have a mirror that still covers the blind spot either because it has a blind spot mirror on it or it is a curved mirror.

My current car has a camera on the side view mirror that shows up on dashboard console. It does a great job of showing the blind spot and is also great at night for showing things like bicycles approaching. I don’t know why every car doesn’t have this.

[TimeForWasp]

People in your mirror are dummer than they appear.

[TimeForWasp]

People in your mirror lives next to you?

[ROYC75]

I've always opened my eyes in blind spots. Found out I wasn't blind!

[TimeForWasp]

Blind spots are an eye-opening experience.

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by DanT

Exactly, the drivers here are horrendous. That's why even if you're moving into a lane on your right, it's not enough to verify that the lane has an opening, you have to check for lunatics coming up on you from far behind, fully intending to pass you while going 25+ miles per hours over the speed limit.

Technically, Bakersfield beat Sacramento for worst driver in the study reported on the news (https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/n...-second-worst/), but that study includes number of tickets when ranking cities, and I sure don't see cops out on these crazy roads writing tickets, so I know our 2nd place finish doesn't capture our true performance.

My only (and there won't be another) experience with Sacramento came on the drive from Yosemite to Reno. After being stuck behind poke ass morons on winding two lane roads for a week, I decided I would be happier getting to an interstate as quickly as possible, so I headed west to I-5 an took that to I-80 east for what I assumed would be a less annoying drive. WRONG. I-5 was a nightmare. Heavy, shitty traffic, and everybody drove like they were getting paid to **** with me. Empty spot in front of a vehicle which is maintaining a constant speed, but the second I turn on my blinker to shift lanes the driver instantly speeds up to cut me off. That happened repeatedly. It wasn't that they were overly aggressive; they were just dicks. I was also introduced to the motorcycles allowed to drive on the shoulder thing, apparently at unlimited speeds. The first one must have been doing about 100 when he blasted past me while I was at a standstill in heavy traffic. I'm not going to lie, it scared the shit out of me. Of course I've seen people on motorcycles do crazy/stupid things before, but not that.

Once we got on eastbound 80 outside of Sacramento things became normal again. But that was one of the worst driving experiences I've ever had. Definitely should have went back through Lee Vining on 395.