Wide-Angle Side Mirrors: Useful or Annoying?
Each year, more and more gadgets are added to the equipment lists of new cars. But it's not just gadgets. Simple features, such as extendable sun visors and wide-angle side mirrors, are also popping up. I’m all about the former, but the verdict is still out on the latter.
I started noticing the wide-angle side mirror trend last fall when I drove the redesigned-for-2012 Honda CR-V. These mirrors seem to be everywhere, including many Ford vehicles and my last test car, the Ford Fiesta.
On the Fiesta (above), the side mirrors house a separate, smaller mirror in an upper corner. It's a slightly domed square that provides a wide-angle view, like a fisheye lens. They’re similar to ones you can buy at the local car-care store that stick onto regular mirrors.
The CR-V's wide-angle mirror (below) is limited to the driver's side. It's more convex — an entire quarter of the mirror is angled for a wider view. And it's actually part of the mirror itself; it doesn’t look stuck-on.
In both cars, I found the standard added mirrors distracting and disorienting.
Every time you glance at the side mirrors, it takes an extra beat to figure out the view. Also, the wide-angle mirrors use up valuable space on an already small surface, especially with the Fiesta's tiny mirrors.
Sure, these mirrors help eliminate blind spots, but wouldn't setting your mirrors correctly do the same thing? The Cars.com editorial staff recently took a defensive driving class at the Autobahn Country Club in Joliet, Ill., and learned some tips:
- Most people adjust the side mirrors so they can see the side of the car, not realizing this creates big blind spots.
- Instead, adjust the mirrors so that the side of the car is just out of view, decreasing the size of your blind spots.
- For the driver's side, lean toward the window, and the side of the car should come into view. Lean a little toward the center of the car to adjust the passenger-side mirror accordingly.
- If the side mirrors are set correctly, a car that passes you should move from the rearview mirror to the side mirrors, without disappearing in a blind spot.
Related
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Different Methods Can Conquer Blind Spot
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+1 to this article. Convex side mirrors would be unnecessary if people set their mirrors correctly.
I agree that most people don't set their mirrors up correctly, but I'd love a convex mirror anyway. It's impossible in my car to set my mirrors so all three give complete coverage of cars that have not yet drawn even with me, so a convex mirror that covers even 60 degrees would be very useful to me.
I'd prefer a thin horizontal strip of convex at the top of the mirror, because that would allow the least amount of image distortion, and I also don't tend to need much vertical space on my mirror.
I learned in driver's training how to adjust mirrors as described and can see all cars approaching from rear and then on either side with just a glance right or left. Absolutely no blind spots in any car/or truck I've owned.
My concern is how do these new convex additions affect people that did have their mirrors adjusted correctly? Personally, I'd rather have a choice but if no choice I'd rather stick with my old flat mirrors and just adjust them correctly in the first place.
I have one of them (like the CRV) on my 2003 Saab. I have my side mirrors set correctly and still find it quite useful. It took a little getting used to, but I find it useful.
I have them on my truck. Once I got used to them I started to use them all the time, especially when my rear view mirror view is blocked by what ever I might be hauling.
For myself, I preferred seeing a little bit of my vehicle's body so that I can more accurately assess the distance between the objects in the mirror in relation to my vehicle's position.
In order to compensate the blind spot issue, I have a mirror extender to mount on the rearview mirror.
Who is to say that is a wrong thing to do?
I was taught to look over my Shoulders in the Blind Spots. I drive a Van and sometimes those small economy cars like to hide there. I have my Mirrors adjusted to take advantage of as much of the Road behind me as possible, but I do still rely on (Aftermarket) Convex Mirrors to an extent. I Believe it to be a great addition, but unnecessary. Though I have seen others Crouching to look into their Review Mirrors to see in their Blind Spots.
I have these mirrors on my Fiesta, and I don't like them. Maybe I need to be trained how to adjust them correctly, but I'm all about the perfectly functional yet traditional mirrors. I think the reaction time is slowed trying to comprehend the wide angle mirror, or having two mirrors to read.
I've been driving buses for 28 years and have instructed new drivers for 12 years. Having both flat and convex mirrors is second nature to me and I've installed convex mirrors on all my cars for 25 years, no matter the size. One of the mistakes I see most people make is also being made by the automakers - the convex mirror should be close to the body to show a wide-angle next to the vehicle, not mounted on the outer edge of the mirror. I'm in agreement with J - you should be able to see a small slice of the body in the mirror to provide a reference to what you're seeing in the mirror. Between the flat and the convex, a driver should only have to rock slightly forward or to one side to clear the blind spots. Properly adjusted, a driver should be able to get a sense of what's around them at a glance. Using convex mirrors will take some getting used to, but in the long run will cut down on accidents and near misses.
My husband & I share one car and my sister travels frequently. This summer she loaned me her Fiat 500 convertible for a few weeks. I found the mirrors annoying at first - but once I got used to them I loved them. The Fiat is a great little car, but with the top down the blind spots are huge - the extra mirrors completely compensated for this.
Proper convex mirrors should be standard equipment on all cars. However, the factory mirror in some new cars not very practical, as they don't show you complete view, with convex mirrors you don't have to turn your head over your shoulder to confirm objects next to you. Lots of accidents happen because drives make illegal lane change because they thinks it's clear.
The CR-V's wide-angle mirror — an entire quarter of the mirror is angled for a wider view.
This has been a standard on all cars in Europe for many years. Most useful.