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I found his write-up on MBTA bus mirror positioning to be a short but interesting read as well: https://alexanderellis.github.io/blog/posts/mbta-bus/ https://al

I found his write-up on MBTA bus mirror positioning to be a short but interesting read as well: https://alexanderellis.github.io/blog/posts/mbta-bus/ https://alexanderellis.github.io/blog/posts/mbta-bus/

userbinator 8y ago
Many of the buses I've seen in parts of southeast Asia have their side mirrors hanging in the front instead of jutting out the side, probably for a similar reason (and the streets there are much narrower too.)
- donarb 8y ago
  Another reason that the right side mirror is higher is to prevent hitting passengers as the bus pulls up to a stop. Passengers tend to step up to the curb where the front door opens up as the bus approaches.
fireattack 8y ago
From the map I can't tell how the bus can "go through Bennett Alley and continue straight into the bus tunnel". The streets are not aligned, are they?
- otras 8y ago
  Good call! You're right that "continue straight" might not be the best wording, as they aren't aligned on the map. In real life, they're also not perfectly aligned, but the entrance area to the tunnel is much wider than appears on the map, meaning they can take a slight right to continue down the tunnel. My bet is I was thinking about roads in terms of Boston roads, where going straight is often more of an abstract concept than a true direction. Here's a streetview with Bennett Alley on the right and the bus tunnel on the left if you want to get a feel for the turn: https://www.google.com/maps/@42.3731803,-71.1223078,3a,75y,139.59h,84.47t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sBV8J62aMITLNkWYsq-qNRA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 https://www.google.com/maps/@42.3731803,-71.1223078,3a,75y,1... Unfortunately you can't see through to the tunnel from the other side of Bennett [0], but the good news is you can see the 3 buses in action! https://www.google.com/maps/@42.3725618,-71.1225705,3a,85.4y,27.74h,85.66t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sUtPWI3cNFUs0atO9W-JheQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 https://www.google.com/maps/@42.3725618,-71.1225705,3a,85.4y...
  - fireattack 8y ago
    Fantastic, thanks!
- deleted 8y ago
  [deleted]

userbinator 8y ago

Many of the buses I've seen in parts of southeast Asia have their side mirrors hanging in the front instead of jutting out the side, probably for a similar reason (and the streets there are much narrower too.)

donarb 8y ago
Another reason that the right side mirror is higher is to prevent hitting passengers as the bus pulls up to a stop. Passengers tend to step up to the curb where the front door opens up as the bus approaches.

fireattack 8y ago

From the map I can't tell how the bus can "go through Bennett Alley and continue straight into the bus tunnel". The streets are not aligned, are they?

otras 8y ago
Good call! You're right that "continue straight" might not be the best wording, as they aren't aligned on the map. In real life, they're also not perfectly aligned, but the entrance area to the tunnel is much wider than appears on the map, meaning they can take a slight right to continue down the tunnel. My bet is I was thinking about roads in terms of Boston roads, where going straight is often more of an abstract concept than a true direction. Here's a streetview with Bennett Alley on the right and the bus tunnel on the left if you want to get a feel for the turn: https://www.google.com/maps/@42.3731803,-71.1223078,3a,75y,139.59h,84.47t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sBV8J62aMITLNkWYsq-qNRA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 https://www.google.com/maps/@42.3731803,-71.1223078,3a,75y,1... Unfortunately you can't see through to the tunnel from the other side of Bennett [0], but the good news is you can see the 3 buses in action! https://www.google.com/maps/@42.3725618,-71.1225705,3a,85.4y,27.74h,85.66t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sUtPWI3cNFUs0atO9W-JheQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 https://www.google.com/maps/@42.3725618,-71.1225705,3a,85.4y...
- fireattack 8y ago
  Fantastic, thanks!
deleted 8y ago
[deleted]