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> In driving tests they will mark you down if you use the mirrors for switching lanes wait, how are you supposed to safely change lanes without looking at mirr

by jrib 8y ago

> In driving tests they will mark you down if you use the mirrors for switching lanes wait, how are you supposed to safely change lanes without looking at mirrors?

howard941 8y ago
You're supposed to use both.
- BeetleB 8y ago
  >You're supposed to use both. You're free to use both (I do), but you only need (and are required) to look behind to ensure there isn't a car in the blind spot or just behind it. There's a reason why in many states you need only one side view mirror. In some states, merely having the rear view mirror suffices (i.e. no side view mirrors required).
  - cgriswald 8y ago
    You can reduce your blind spots to smaller than a motorcycle or remove them entirely depending on mirror size: https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a15131074/how-to-adjust-your-mirrors-to-avoid-blind-spots/ https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a15131074/how-to-adjus... I’ve been using this method since before this article. I still look, but there’s never a car when I look.
    - howard941 8y ago
      This, everyone should adjust their mirrors that way and work at getting used to it. But I still look anyway like you do, and like you there was never a surprise car there until a few weeks ago and suddenly there was: A vette going a lot faster than my 75MPH and crossing from one rear quarter to the other then flying ahead as I was preparing to pass the car ahead of me from the center lane. I noticed it only because both eyes over my shoulder caught his flight across the periphery of my gaze.
tzs 8y ago
Speaking of car mirrors, adding a small stick on convex mirror to your side mirror can greatly increase what you can see. Here's the kind of mirror I'm talking about [1]. I've got something like that on my driver side mirror (although not that one...I think I got mine in the small section of random car accessories common in US grocery store chains). When looking straight at the side view mirror the convex mirror nicely fills the gap between when something approaching from the next line disappears from the side view mirror and appears in my peripheral vision. On my previous car I also put one on the passenger side mirror but I've found that it isn't that helpful, because (1) the head turns more to look at that mirror, meaning peripheral vision covers farther back, and so I've already got them in that when they disappear from the mirror, and (2) the small mirror is too far away to see well. [1] https://www.amazon.com/Ampper-Blind-Mirror-Frameless-Convex/dp/B01CV4ANCC/ https://www.amazon.com/Ampper-Blind-Mirror-Frameless-Convex/...

by jrib 8y ago

> In driving tests they will mark you down if you use the mirrors for switching lanes wait, how are you supposed to safely change lanes without looking at mirrors?

howard941 8y ago

You're supposed to use both.

BeetleB 8y ago
>You're supposed to use both. You're free to use both (I do), but you only need (and are required) to look behind to ensure there isn't a car in the blind spot or just behind it. There's a reason why in many states you need only one side view mirror. In some states, merely having the rear view mirror suffices (i.e. no side view mirrors required).
- cgriswald 8y ago
  You can reduce your blind spots to smaller than a motorcycle or remove them entirely depending on mirror size: https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a15131074/how-to-adjust-your-mirrors-to-avoid-blind-spots/ https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a15131074/how-to-adjus... I’ve been using this method since before this article. I still look, but there’s never a car when I look.
  - howard941 8y ago
    This, everyone should adjust their mirrors that way and work at getting used to it. But I still look anyway like you do, and like you there was never a surprise car there until a few weeks ago and suddenly there was: A vette going a lot faster than my 75MPH and crossing from one rear quarter to the other then flying ahead as I was preparing to pass the car ahead of me from the center lane. I noticed it only because both eyes over my shoulder caught his flight across the periphery of my gaze.

tzs 8y ago

Speaking of car mirrors, adding a small stick on convex mirror to your side mirror can greatly increase what you can see. Here's the kind of mirror I'm talking about [1]. I've got something like that on my driver side mirror (although not that one...I think I got mine in the small section of random car accessories common in US grocery store chains). When looking straight at the side view mirror the convex mirror nicely fills the gap between when something approaching from the next line disappears from the side view mirror and appears in my peripheral vision. On my previous car I also put one on the passenger side mirror but I've found that it isn't that helpful, because (1) the head turns more to look at that mirror, meaning peripheral vision covers farther back, and so I've already got them in that when they disappear from the mirror, and (2) the small mirror is too far away to see well. [1] https://www.amazon.com/Ampper-Blind-Mirror-Frameless-Convex/dp/B01CV4ANCC/ https://www.amazon.com/Ampper-Blind-Mirror-Frameless-Convex/...