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Why are there blind spots in car wing mirrors


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All this time the cars have been invented and we still find blind spots on the wing mirrors, why have car companies not been able to crease this problem out. So many accidents and close misses every day on the roads because the wing mirror does not show the cars parallel to you.

Have you personally faced such issues and what would you do to eradicate this problem?

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Very valid concern and I think in newer car after 2010 many cars have one quarter of extra mirror on top outward corner that shows exactly what you are asking. In my Mustang I have that and it really help in gauging the parallel car to some extent. Secondly I have also seen red light ON on most of luxury cars newer model showing as lane collision warning and in some cars I have seen yellow triangle in wing mirror to indicate the near by car in case driver think of lane change.

Cars manufacture have been working hard to address such minor but important issue and it will only take time until all car manufacture opt this as a must feature than added feature for people who opt.

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Let's root for each other & watch each other grow.

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The problem involves simple optics. A mirror can only reflect light that falls onto it, and at a certain point, the light emitted by a vehicle almost next to you can no longer fall onto your mirror's reflective surface. One way around this is to bend the mirror, but the problem with this is that at a certain point, it becomes impossible to judge distance in a curved mirror.

The solution for me would be to use a rear facing camera, and then to project what the camera sees onto a sort of screen. In effect, you would then be seeing what the camera sees, and not what the mirror reflects.

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I used to drive 18 wheel trucks to earn extra cash when mechanic work wasn't available and the blind spots are even worse.

I know the blind spots are there so drive accordingly. However, a lot of car drivers and especially motorcyclists drive close beside you and don't realize and it's very easy for them to get crushed and killed if you change lanes or swerve.

The best thing to remember is if that you look at a trucks mirror and can't see the drivers eyes, them he can't see you either and you shouldn't be on that part of the road.

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Some cars are even worse, specially US imports. They have a flat mirror instead of a concave one on the driver side, making the blind spot even worse. I remember volvo was the opposite the the last 1/5th out edge had a bigger curve to cover the blind spot. 

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Wow guys, all great points. I have noticed the little round mirror within the mirror and yes with the newer technology there are cars equipped with sensors on the sides to warn of other vehicles or object next to you.

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You guys must be kidding me.

Actually, the automotive industry has taken care of this long time back. Drivers just aren’t using the mirrors correctly. Most people adjust their mirrors such that they can barely see their own car in the mirror, and leave it there. Essentially, this causes a huge overlap between the side and center rear view mirrors, which is unnecessary. By spreading your side mirrors you lose no information about what’s behind you, but pretty much eliminate your blind spot to your sides. This new method is recommended at most driving schools, including the BMW Performance Center in South Carolina.

Steps to readjust:

  1. Place the center mirror to show the whole rear-view window or at least as much of it as possible. Make sure you seat properly and aim the rear-view mirror without moving your head from the straight forward position.
  2. Lean your head to the left until your face is almost touching the glass, and adjust the left mirror. While still leaning, your mirror should be far enough such that you can barely see the side of your own car. Almost at 90 degrees from your car.
  3. Lean your head to the right until your head is over the center divider, and adjust the right mirror. Similarly, your mirror should be adjusted far enough such that you can barely see the side of your own car.
  4. Re-evaluate. The idea is that there should be a small overlap between your side mirrors and the center rear-view mirror. If there is no overlap at all, then bring the mirrors slightly closer in. When sitting straight up, you should not be able to see your own car.

Now, you should have basically no blind spots. It takes a little getting used to, but you basically rely on your center rear-view much more than before. When a car leaves your center rear-view mirror, it should be immediately visible in your side mirror.

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