What's the point of the giant tow mirrors if you aren't going to use them? [oc]
OCThis guy would get a giant thumbs up through the sunroof.
No sunroof, it's a convertible.
All sunroof
Windroof
Rainroof
Fireroof
Same result
To be fair if I heard that music I'd have to run you off the road to I'm sorry /s
They probably have their mirrors pointing at the side of their vehicle instead of into the lane next to them.
It's crazy how many people seem to think their side view mirrors are for monitoring the side of their vehicle instead of monitoring what is to the side of the vehicle.
They have the towing mirrors with the wide convex mirror on the bottom. Definitely could see the car next to them if they were paying attention.
if they were paying attention.
That's a lot to expect of people these days.
Why would they need to pay attention? They're in a big truck towing a big camper. People will just move out of their way!
(/s, hopefully obviously)
I have a few heavy duty trucks for my business and those mirrors show everything. If your mirrors are adjusted properly there's like no blind spot between the wide view and regular mirror.
My thoughts exactly. Commentor missed it. Or they're ignorant.
A lot of people don't even know what the covex mirrors are for. "Look at the cute little round mirrors dear. They make you look funny if you see your reflection!"
To be fair his car is a dark color and he was in the truck's shadow on a bright and sunny day, and I'm guessing that OP doesn't drive with his lights on during the daytime.
My dad's truck has those but cheap Chinese ones and they're kind crap. I see more in normal mirrors.
when my dad was teaching me how to drive, he told me to align my side mirrors so i just barely couldn't see the handle of my rear door. i did that for a long time purely bc that's the only way i was told.
then, i can't for the life of me remember where, i heard that you should align your side mirrors so that you just barely don't see any overlap with your rear view mirror. like, when another car passes me, i should never see both of their headlights in both mirrors at once. my blind spot is so much smaller now!
I was taught the same thing except to place my head against the side window when doing it.
I still do this. Not directly against the window, but just leaning forward a bit increases the range of vision.
Exactly. I have had no "blindspot" ever since I started driving. The most there is is maybe a small gap between the range of the rear view mirror and the side view mirrors where a motorcycle could fit. It rarely causes problems because I can still shift around slightly to see everything and it's easier to already be aware of your surroundings
If I'm going on a road trip especially, I always pick the first few cars passing me and make sure can follow them from rear mirror, to side, to periferal, to full sight.
Was always taught to lean and adjust it to just barely hit the car as well.
Yep that's essentially what happens
Yup and then you lean over the center console for for the passenger mirror. Practically remove the need to shoulder check
The idea of seeing a little bit of the far end of the car is so you don't bump into obstacles. By seeing a small side of your car in reference to the street (and obstacles) it's easier to avoid them hitting them. I learned to not only trust in the mirrors, maybe the rear one. Most of the times it's safer to turn your neck around for 1 or 2 seconds.
I'd say it's also a good reference point. If you can see the car (even just a little bit of it) then it's way easier to comprehend where everything else is in relation to the car
I tried adjusting the "proper" way where I couldn't see even a small part of my car in the mirror, and found my brain taking an extra half to full second every time I looked to just orient itself. Much better to have one of those fisheye button mirrors and a well rehearsed physical turn and look baked into my muscle memory.
align my side mirrors so i just barely couldn't see the handle of my rear door.
I was taught this by my driver's ed teacher. Now idk what to do lbs
I align my mirrors so I can see the car in my blind spot. That way I don’t really have a blind spot.
You did it right the first time. Any further and you run the risk of running over cyclists who you can't see because your mirror is too far. It's also helpful for parking.
I drive truck for a big farm. For the life of me I don't understand what everyone is looking at the side of their trailers for. I'd rather be able to see my rear tandems when I'm making a turn
I'm curious about something. I drive a sedan and my side mirrors are angled so I can just barely see the side of my car for reference. Do most people have then pointed "out" more where they can't see their car at all? I've been driving for almost an 30 years and haven't merged into any one thus far, but I'm just wondering how most people position them.
Being able to just barely see your car for reference is fine IMO. It's the people who have their mirrors set so far angled inward that half their mirror is taken up with their car that are doing it wrong.
I thought when I get in other people’s cars that the fact I could mainly see their car & what’s behind them was a difference in our stature but now I’m worried
Side mirrors should start where the rearview mirror ends, with a little overlap. When the car starts disappearing in your side mirror, you should start seeing them in you peripheral vision. This does away with most of your blindspots.
I have mine adjusted so I can see the car next to me when it’s just behind my peripheral vision.
I prefer seeing a tad of my own car for reference. Couldn't really imagine not having them like that tbh.
Also useful for backing into a tight spot.
This position is fine. Specially good when maneuvering around dense traffic as you are able to make sure you won't hit somebody when changing lanes or traveling through a 2-way street that is narrow and has cars parked on both sides.
You need to understand the limitations of your mirrors. When you can see part of your car in the side mirrors, they’re showing you the same thing as your rear view mirror. You can verify this yourself in a parking lot by looking in your mirrors and turn around and confirm where your mirrors are pointing.
By moving the side mirrors out, you get a better view of what’s beside you. Ideally I want a car to flow from my rear view to my side mirrors and then it’s right beside me. But, YMMV.
Under typical circumstances, you'd want your side mirrors aimed so that overlap of their FOV with that of your center rear view is minimal. This gives you the widest possible breadth of view across your three mirrors.
It's not necessary in the sense that you should shoulder check regardless. It's more optimal, however, in that you will typically need fewer shoulder checks when your mirrors already tell you that the space adjacent isn't clear.
Can the person behind you stare directly into your soul through your side mirror? If so that shits incorrect.
If you are loaded for a camping trip with the family, the center rear view mirror is worthless. In California, you need TWO mirrors where you can see "X" feet (50?) BEHIND you. That's what the officer told me. So position your wing mirrors to see behind you and use the convex mirrors and turn your head too. You will catch that SOB on the onramp that suddenly guns it to get ahead of you when you thought a nice calm move behind you was what a good driver would do.
My mother insists they're for looking at what's behind your car, in your lane, rather than what's in the next lane over. I ask her what the rearview on her windshield is for then and she just repeats "they're [all] called rearview mirrors because they're supposed to be pointed *behind* you." Like, okay, but you're minimizing your field of view, leaving your blind spot dangerously large. "That's why you turn your head!"
She wonders why I have a death grip on the "oh shit handle" whenever she drives.
Driving with these people is terrifying because they either can't see and go anyway or have to dance the neck-cracker every time they want to make any maneuver, which inevitably takes their eyes off the road in front of them entirely for the duration of said dance. Bonus terror points to those who veer off-course if they aren't looking directly ahead.
I have virtually no blind spot because my mirrors are adjusted properly. I still do a quick double-check, but I've never been surprised by a vehicle I didn't know was there.
I had an old coworker that was convinced that his side mirror was to be pointed at him so he could watch himself driving. He had to buy and attach 2 extra mirrors to his side mirror to correct for his complete blind spot.
It’s also crazy how many electrically-operated side mirrors in rental cars don’t allow you to tilt them far enough to not have your vehicle cover 1/3 of the view.
Rental cars are no different than regular cars btw.
They're faster.
That has nothing to do with rental cars my guy, you're either sitting really weird, or very tall/short. Mirrors have less range to the left and right when tilted up or down very far
Some cars just have less range in the mirrors though. My civic I could have them out all the way comfortably and with my Subaru I can't quite get the driver side 100% how I'd prefer it. It's close enough tho
That is somewhat the point of those long tow mirrors. The pickup's center rear view is obstructed by the camper in tow, so they need the sides to see behind them.
That said, tow mirrors also typically provide a wide FOV and a convex section to help see alongside (visible in the video), so it's not like they have an excuse. They didn't look.
Can't remember where I saw the clip but it's something I've always remembered. The gist is that you're sitting in your seat in the position you'd normally drive in, and you push your mirrors out just past the point where the side of your vehicle disappears on the inside portion of the mirror so that you don't see your vehicle's sides. With the mirrors like this, you can see a vehicle from the point that they're behind you and all the way to the point that they're moving up past your blind spot at which point a very slight turn of the head would allow you to see the front of their vehicle. So basically, you can almost always see the vehicle approaching from behind you and see the point at which it is beside you with minimal head turning to do so.
It just makes sense once you set your mirrors that way.
When I’m towing something, I usually want to see the load I’m hauling. But I also turn my head to look before changing lanes.
I came here to say the exact same thing but I'll just piggyback on what you said. Most people have no clue how to position their mirrors which leads to massive blindspots.
If you can see your own car in your side mirrors without leaning, they're too far in.
Adjust them correctly: How to adjust your mirrors to avoid blindspots
I am a person that likes to keep my side mirror about half on my vehicle and half on the lane next to me with it point more down. The reason being is that I can catch the lane next to me while also being able to get the lines for all the backing up I do. I really miss having the Ford side view mirror that had a view lense built into the regular one so you could have your backup view and side view in the same mirror. Those were the days 😞
Did you miss the part where the mirror has two stages?
The top portion for looking behind you, the bottom portion for beside you, to avoid blind spots.
Once someone showed me this a long time ago it was the best change ever.
I have the same mirrors, they absolutely could have seen them if they looked.
The mirrors are for whatever you want them to be for, I generally have the tall flat mirrors looking back seeing a small amount of my semi trailer and the bubble mirrors aimed so that I can see my drive tires and whatever else is next to me.
Also, if that driver would have signaled you could have backed off. Drivers, especially when pulling trailers need to indicate. You got the squeeze.
They can also just stay in the right lane where they belong, rather than jumping into the left lane at an intersection so they can jam up everyone with their slow acceleration.
Agreed, there was no need to take that empty lane when pulling a trailer.
OP staying totally calm under threat of death. Live your life. Blast your jams. Have a hot girl Summer.
I actually blared the air horn, but you cannot hear it because the car has active noise canceling and the dashcam is right above the center speaker.
Oh I can hear it
lol yeah I can too I saw your comment said hold up let me check
Look no need to brag!!
Isnt the bottom part of his mirror a wide view one too?
Yes
It is, but it looks like the idiot tilted it inward so they can view the trailer.
This idiot should not be towing a trailer.
That's while I like leaving my 'Moose Mirrors' on my Ram in the horizontal position. I can leave the larger inner mirror pointed at my blindspot, and the smaller outer mirror pointed at my trailer tires.
yeah but you have to aim eyeballs at it, and those eyeballs have to be connected to a working brain
In before the idiots show up and blame OP for existing.
Nah, we're blaming OP's mom.
Not nice to throw your grandmother under the buss like that.
Father? You left for cigarettes 15 years ago.
Funny thing is I don't smoke.
You finally find a store that carries King Cobra?
Only kink Cobra
That wouldn't work out for the bus!
Not a word about Cheryl she makes the best snickerdoodles
OP existed, they're in the wrong, revoke their license, KICK HIM OFF THE TOUR DOUG
And zero reason for that idiot to change lanes.
People do this way too often. They will always choose an empty lane even tho there's traffic coming up behind them.
Especially if you tow something. Just stay were you are is less risky
Even money he has them extended when he's NOT towing.
That's how you know which one is yours at the mall
It also bothers me that he was trying to go to the left lane, the open lane. Keep your slow ass behind that Malibu dude. No one needs you two going neck and neck under for miles on end.
*edit Is not a Malibu
Because most people who are driving think they need to be able to see the side of their vehicle with their mirrors. With properly adjusted mirrors, and a very slight amount of head movement when you check your mirrors, there's no vehicle that has a blind spot.
Yes, if the side mirrors are properly set you shouldn't be able to see the side of your car but you should be able to see what is JUST next to the side of your car.
yeah I always went off the logic of the car's rear door handle should be visible in the bottom right-hand corner of the mirror and that's it.
Driver is one of those who can’t stay in a lane if someone is in front of them, and the passing lane is open at a stop light.
Music is criminal
Wtf is u listening to🤦♀️
I get the sense he saw you, but was just trying to bully his way in.
I've had people try this while staring me down. I do kind of miss driving my old shitty car because hey, fuck you, you want to pay for both our cars to get repaired rather than wait 10 seconds and merge behind me?
Looks like you were in their Blindspot. Just highlights the need to check mirrors and over your shoulder
He's just trying to get close enough to reach your volume knob
Center speaker is right bellow the dashcam.
I got giant toe mirrors: they're about a foot
Proud of yourself for that one, huh?
:D now and then I knock it out of a very small park of my own design
Horrible music
"what do you mean?" -autotuned
I'm not defending the driver in this video, but I will say from experience that some of those towing mirrors suck even when they are adjusted properly and there are a LOT of people who don't adjust them properly.
Source: decades of driving commercial vehicles.
I've been known to add my own convex mirrors because the stock mirrors left blind spots big enough for a minivan to hide in.
All things considered, I just assume the driver won't see me and drive accordingly.
Fashion over function.
Whats a mirror?...that guy probably
Giant mirrors are for killing bicyclists in the bike lane when you blow past them two feet away.
The only thing more disturbing than the idiot in that truck is the music playing in OP’s car.
To kill pedestrian and cyclist
Why use it when others will yield.
Others, not me.
This music is more offensive then the driving.
Same point as a horn if you're not going to use it. Seriously, it's good practice for when it's actually needed.
People with RVs and campers think that while towing an entire home, they should also be first in line in whatever lane they like. Dude, your extreme levels of debt is not a pass to the fast lane
I have a travel trailer that I tow regularly in the summer and every time I see one of these videos it always blows my mind at how complacent these drivers are. I don't have a new truck will all the fancy towing cameras and sensors so I have to rely on my mirrors to get through traffic so I am constantly checking them and when I need to change lanes I also shoulder check like 12 times just to make sure. I just don't understand how this happens.......
Who knows the song playing??
All that just to be the first in line at the light. Never understood why people do that. They usually go just as slow as the person they came from behind.
Not sure they think they look cool or somthing. Really goofy mfs
Is that SpongeBob singing
Dash cams always remind me how atrocious everyone’s taste in music is
Well.... you did just drive yourself into a "collision trap." I learned that defensive driving is paramount way back in high school in Driver's Ed. Even if you wouldn't have been found at fault in an accident, you still would have been involved in an accident.
they would've been dead. But the important thing is that they would've been right.
I think you might've been in his blind spot.
Edit: I'm not saying that he's excused. Just making a comment.
He's got to worry about his blind spots, not me.
You still always turn your head and look at your blind spots before you just weave into a lane.
Of course. I didn't mean that he's excused or anything. Just making a comment.
That's fair. Lol. I do delivery for DHL. So I see morons allllll day, so I probably wouldn't have pulled up as far as op did. In between a rock and a hard place lol.
That was a dangerous turn into the labe
What’s with the music?.?.?
Dash cam is right above a speaker, plus the top was down. So it boosts the volume automatically.
I think the real question here is …..What, …the f**k, …. Are you listening to bro? Is that a hip hop version of Mickey Mouse Club House, or just the latest from the mini pops? 😂
I hate the music. HATE IT UNCONTROLLABLY
What The fuck Is that noise
User deleted comment
3d
“Better to let idiots run the world than to live my life following civic guidelines and the rule of decency.”
-This guy 👆🏻
I was making a left at the next light.
Oh man I totally bungled my comment. I wasn't trying to imply you did anything wrong. You handled it perfectly. I was just trying to say I'm like neurotically anxious about big trucks and cars towing things. To the point where driving next to a semi on a curved freeway makes me panic.
In fact, you have giant balls of titanium for how you handled it. Like Texas is jealous of your set at this point.
Or not, ingrates.
I am always afraid of changing lanes into someone’s blind spot. I have no trust they are paying attention.
OP didn't change lanes though
You’re right. The way that semi moved off tricked me.
I don’t know why, but your driving annoys me.
😁
The same can be said for brakes
The other driver didn't indicate that they were going to change lanes. You can't blame OP in this situation.
Not blaming the driver. When the truck started entering his lane I have zero idea why he didn't immediately brake hard.
Becuase that causes more problems. People who slam on thier breaks cause more accidents. Maintain your speed when he drifts into you. When he makes contact slowing press the breaks and slow both of you down.
in this situation at least.
- me a ford certified technician.
If he were to hit OP, would he legally have to pay for the damages? Assuming OP doesn't have insurance.
Yes, and I have full coverage.
What's the point in brakes if you aren't going to use them?
What’s the point of having a brain if you aren’t going to use it
Even with those big mirrors there’s still a blind spot and it seems you were in it. Newer vehicles have a sensor that flashes a yellow indicator when there’s someone in that blind spot on either side of the vehicle.
You were in his blind spot. Don't do that.
Don't merge blindly. Open is not at fault. Truck driver is to secure his position before leaving his lane. End of story.
Seeing as I needed to be in that lane in order to make a left turn at the next light what the fuck am I supposed to do?
“What do you mean ‘blind spot’?”
That thing has convex wide-angle mirrors.
It doesn't have blind spots, just idiots that can't use them.
If you have convex mirrors, and don't know how to use them, you shouldn't be on the road with this size of trailer. Full stop.
I'm sick of blind spot apologists. Modern vehicles, semi-trucks included (most have blind spot mirrors at the tip of the hood -- including the semi in the video) don't have blind spots (with properly adjusted mirrors).
Ur in his blind spot dumbass
Since when is OP responsible for others shitty driving and not checking when changing lanes ya dunce.
His problem, dumbass.
Sure let's blame others for their incompetence. Since when the fuck did we stop blaming people for not checking their blind spots? And that dude had giant ass windows that eliminate any blind spot if installed properly.
Crazy to not understand blind spots, both you and the truck driver, obviously the truck is in the wrong, but you where in a blind spot too
I was turning left at the next light. What am I supposed to do, make a left turn from the right lane?
You had no choice, i get that, he’s the idiot who doesn’t check blind spots, you happened to be in the blind spot, not saying your wrong at all
Kind of implying it with that comment.
Crazy to not look behind you before you get into a lane. If you're gonna just drive into other people's lanes without a turn signal or glancing at you blind spots why have a drivers license.
Crazy you missed the blinker being used before her started over, but sure, not saying the truck shouldn’t have looked in the blind spot before moving over like that
The first light is a break light and letting your blinker blink once before coming over is a bad choice. All the trucks choices were bad choices But I do agree with you he did put his turn signal on at the last second.
When did they stop teaching kids about blind spots? This is 25% your fault.
0% my fault.
Whatever you say. Learn some defensive driving though if you want to avoid accidents.
Defensive driving says you shouldn't leave your house ever
Yes, paying attention to other drivers = never leaving the house.
What kind of attention should he have paid? The other driver didn't indicate switching lanes and that dude has convex mirrors that allow him to see everything (there is no blind spot). Blaming OP is laughable.
You were in the blind spot when he checked (if he checked) before he moved over. Unfortunately it happens all the time.
That’s what shoulder checking is for.
Turn head to look? Nope, too complicated.
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