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American drivers are simply too stupid to be able to comprehend curved mirrors, so the US government bans them on US-spec cars, and instead you get flat mirrors

American drivers are simply too stupid to be able to comprehend curved mirrors, so the US government bans them on US-spec cars, and instead you get flat mirrors with a warning message.

CorrectHorseBat 4y ago
How does that make sense? Flat mirrors don't make things look further away than they are.
- xani_ 4y ago
- karlshea 4y ago
  The passenger side is curved, the driver’s side isn’t. But the passenger side curved mirror isn’t the same type of curve as Euro cars so there are still bigger blind spots, and the driver’s side blind spots are huge.
  - midoridensha 4y ago
    Exactly; I should have been more specific: EU mirrors are aspherical, so the curvature isn't consistent. The US government believes, rightly or wrongly, that American drivers are simply too stupid to properly comprehend the view from an aspherical mirror, so therefore they are banned in the US.
    - za3faran 4y ago
      Would it be legal to import and install a European mirror for your car model?
      - midoridensha 4y ago
        Definitely not, but it's not something you'd ever be caught for. While some states have safety inspections, mirrors aren't something they check for (other than to make sure they aren't broken), or would even think to check for. But it would technically be against the regulations for allowed equipment. I suppose it could get you in trouble if you were involved in a crash and the other side's attorney found out you had a non-approved mirror installed and this somehow might have affected the crash.
deleted 4y ago
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bergenty 4y ago
That’s a ridiculous hot take. What’s so hard to understand about curved mirrors? The mirrors already have a warning on them that objects are closer than they appear.
- midoridensha 4y ago
  The EU mirrors aren't curved consistently; they curve more towards the outer end (IIRC), to eliminate the blind spot and show more. Apparently this is too much for the brain of an American driver to comprehend. If you disagree with this, you'll have to take it up with the federal government, because this is their opinion.

American drivers are simply too stupid to be able to comprehend curved mirrors, so the US government bans them on US-spec cars, and instead you get flat mirrors with a warning message.

CorrectHorseBat 4y ago

How does that make sense? Flat mirrors don't make things look further away than they are.

xani_ 4y ago
karlshea 4y ago
The passenger side is curved, the driver’s side isn’t. But the passenger side curved mirror isn’t the same type of curve as Euro cars so there are still bigger blind spots, and the driver’s side blind spots are huge.
- midoridensha 4y ago
  Exactly; I should have been more specific: EU mirrors are aspherical, so the curvature isn't consistent. The US government believes, rightly or wrongly, that American drivers are simply too stupid to properly comprehend the view from an aspherical mirror, so therefore they are banned in the US.
  - za3faran 4y ago
    Would it be legal to import and install a European mirror for your car model?
    - midoridensha 4y ago
      Definitely not, but it's not something you'd ever be caught for. While some states have safety inspections, mirrors aren't something they check for (other than to make sure they aren't broken), or would even think to check for. But it would technically be against the regulations for allowed equipment. I suppose it could get you in trouble if you were involved in a crash and the other side's attorney found out you had a non-approved mirror installed and this somehow might have affected the crash.

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]

bergenty 4y ago

That’s a ridiculous hot take. What’s so hard to understand about curved mirrors? The mirrors already have a warning on them that objects are closer than they appear.

midoridensha 4y ago
The EU mirrors aren't curved consistently; they curve more towards the outer end (IIRC), to eliminate the blind spot and show more. Apparently this is too much for the brain of an American driver to comprehend. If you disagree with this, you'll have to take it up with the federal government, because this is their opinion.