Proper Mirror Setting

How to set your car's mirrors correctly to eliminate blind spots.
Best viewed in high quality mode, and my first YouTube video so please pardon the quality overall.

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Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Mirrors
• Car
• Cars
• Auto
• Blind Spot
• Blind Spots
• Driving
• Driving Awareness
• drivingawareness.net
• Chuck Hawks
• Rear View Mirror
• Rear-View Mirror
• Side View Mirror
• Side-View Mirror
• Accident
• Avoidance
• Teen
• Teen Safety
• Teen Driving

[andrewsms]

@cgh1 is it easy to back-park the car without seeing the back lights of the car..

[cgh1]

@andrewsms I'm not sure I follow your question. Do you mean seeing the back of the car itself in the mirrors, or do you mean without the benefit of the lights mounted in the back of the car; or something else? Can you clarify for me?

Thanks!

[cgh1]

@joefenstenblow - You bring up a great point! Motorcycles should bee seen as easily as cars with proper mirror setting BUT - we have to be looking for them!! The issue is motorcycles are so much smaller (narrower) than cars, if our situational awareness is not optimal, we can miss that they have entered our area and then be looking for something much larger - so a glance won't get it done. ANYTIME you see a bike rider - amp up the attention and track them until safely gone. Thnx 4 the gr8 ?

[cgh1]

@saritajakahere - This is a 'no hate' zone! No hatin' going on here... To your post: If you adjust your mirrors as in the video and you can see a car in the side-view but not the rear-view mirror then they are too close and the lane is NOT clear. When you can see them in both mirrors, you are clear to change lanes. As for backing into a parking place either move your head in the car or move the mirrors in to see close up - but only for backing! Hope this helps! :-)

[cgh1]

@TheSohanandrei: You will naturally have a sense of distance and believe it or not do not need to see your own car to get that information. In fact, if you can see your own car, you will create a blind area such that you can't see a car in an adjoining lane at all! Since cars are 6-8' wide, when they are close to you/your back bumper they will still show up in your side-view mirror.

@itscodyw: As stated somewhere below, when backing up in close quarters, one should tow mirrors in as you say.

[cgh1]

@hondadirtbikesrule:

Great question!! When you have no rear window (Lotus Exige comes to mind), tow your mirrors in and likely a little downward for the period when you are reversing allowing you to see close proximity to the vehicle.

Just remember to reset your mirrors to the proper driving position once back under forward motion! Or do what I usually do - get a friend or bystander in the area to guide you out so no adjustment is required for the situation.

Thanks for the great question!!

[TheVeryLazyGuy]

Thanks for the explanation!

[joefenstenblow]

Meant to write, "is" there a loophole...

[joefenstenblow]

Nice explanation! It works. OS there a loophole? How about motorcycles? Do they follow a general pattern of visibility in the blind spot area?

[ivarsrini]

the best video for this topic. thanks!

[saritajakhere]

I cannot gauge the distance between the car I can see in the mirror and my car. Especially at night. I also have trouble backing into a parking space. But my main issue is changing lanes on the freeway. Well... I have started driving recently so don't hate me.