BetterMakeWay

In the last days i got alot of suprises and damn i was close to making smth stupid. I learned myself to check the mirros very often, like every 5 seconds or so throw a look into them, but in the last few days i got a bit unfortunate that everytime i wanted to move to the other lane or change the direction i checked my rear view mirror (happened both on the right and on the left) and nothing there...welll then signal the move and right about when i wanted to start the manouver, moving the car a bit to the other lane but not exiting mine ...baaf the car appers from nowhere in the mirror. The thing is i was watching exactly that mirror and nothing was there in the 1st place. So i found that there are quite a few blind spots where if you are caught unprepared then it might get nasty. I have both side mirrors adjusted properly (i think) like the left one is tilted so that i can see the rear door opener on the bottom right corner of the mirror, and on the right one the same but in the left bottom corner on the mirror.
Just wanted to know if you experienced stuff like that...and to worn you a bit.
Anyway the thing is i wouldn't have started the topic if it would have happened consistently, but in the last year and untill now no problems like that and no, woooohoww a few consecutive ones.

AC_S5

If you check your mirrors that often, you should realise where every car around you is. Of course there's blind spots on cars so that's why they teach you to turn your head to check your blind spot before a lane change. At least that's what they preach in America.

Also when I went to BMW driving course, they teach you to adjust your side mirror so they cover the space you rearview can't. Don't look at your fenders, it will always be there I m sure.

But apparently this method works only in U.S. or Canada where you don't have tight parking space, in HK I need those mirrors looking at my doors everytime I park in order not to take out somebody's front.

Stranger

You can arrange you rear and both side mirrors in such a way that there is no blind spot. But you need to get used to this type of setting. It might be a bit uncomfortable for you in the beginning.

1. Sit as you would normally, adjust the rear view mirror.
2. Tilt your head towards the dirver's window (or rest against it). Adjust your driver side mirror till you see just a bit of the car body.
3. Tilt your head towards the centre of the car; do the same for the other side mirror.

Now if you go back to your normal sitting postion, you will notice the image at the edges of the rear view mirror sort of "join" with the images at the edges of the side mirrors.

I actually find that slightly uncomfortable so I modify that slightly so that the images on the edges of each mirror sligtly overlap with the images on the edges of the "adjacent" mirror (e.g. inner edge of driver side mirror and driver side's edge of rear view)

Ricracing

I have also experienced that the right hand mirrow do not show everyting.

It leaves a blind spot.

It have given me hartbeats a couple of times.

EBMCS03

Yup I was just going to say. IF anyone has gone to the BMW M5 Driving Experience in South Carolina the instructors teach you to adjust your mirrors like this. I myself have been using this for quite a while.

BUT I do not set it at such an extream as what Stranger says. I do not rest my head on the side window and adjust it where I can see the body of the car. I compromise in between that.


So sitting normally facting the middle of the steering wheel. Move your body / tilt your body between 1/2 to 3/4 of the way to the drivers side window and adjust your mirrors till you can see a little bit of the car. (* Basically adjust your mirrors as you normally would, but instead now you are sitting with your head moved twards the window *)

Now Move your head to the passenger side where your ear is like in line with the middle of the rear view mirror (* the little red clown nose *) and adjust again.


Now when you sit normally in your seat you should not be able to see the sides of your car. But you should see your blind spot.

When you do need to see the body of the car say for reversing out the driveway or into a parking space just move your body to the left or right and you'll see the body of the car. Simple.

vegastrashed

My brother showed me that techique to avoid blindspots, but like you said it is uncomfortable. The images coming from the side mirrors are moving fast. Too much of a distraction. I went back to the normal side mirror positions and my customary looking over the shoulder when changing lanes.

Ricracing

CVTBenhogan

Yeap. Still not used to the blindspots. Almost bumped a car today. :'( I'll try the adjustment mentioned in this tread.

CVT Benhogan

JDN

Great instructions, Stranger. I've had mine adjusted that way for the past ten years and feel almost naked when the dealer services and returns with the mirrors set back in instead of out. With the right amount of overlap with the inside rear view mirror, you have a panoramic view of what is behind you as well as along side. No more rubbernecking in the wrong direction when you are traveling 70 mph to see if it's safe to change lanes. Also gives you a wider field at traffic lights to watch for potential carjackers coming up. Incidentally, rear PDC helps with that regard, too.

Ricracing

I have the right side mirrow adjusted so that I just see the side of the car (also good for parking).

The inside mirrow with the overlap to the right do not give me the vision that I need in city traffic.

Still using my head for line changing...