Why are rear view mirrors so small?
Every car I have driven has a mirror that does not cover the rear window.
On the cars that I own, I am forced to buy a clip-on mirror, fixed to the standard one, so that I can have a good view to the rear.
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Maybe you sit further back than most people?
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Actually, if anything, I tend to sit quite close to the steering wheel.
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Actually, if anything, I tend to sit quite close to the steering wheel.
Maybe you drive cars with really large rear windows ;)
Of the cars I've driven I don't remember any having a mirror which didn't cover the whole window.
My current car, an Alfa 145, I can tell you for certain covers the whole window, as I adjusted it to do so today after smacking my head on it this morning :D
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I'm with the others. Never had this problem meself. Can't offer an explanation or a solution.
A related question, though: How do you people set your door mirrors?
I've seen/heard it recommended that you set them so that you can see the side of the vehicle. In my experience, that's daft: you get a huge blind spot outside the interior mirror and the door mirror which just invites you to move into an overtaking vehicle's path.
Advice might work for a truck/van where a) you're sitting higher and b) the mirrors are more convex/wider view...
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>A related question, though: How do you people set your door mirrors?
>I've seen/heard it recommended that you set them so that you can see the side of the vehicle
Yup. That is the standard DSA recommendation.
If you can't (just) see the side of your car, how do you know how much of that "gap" you can't see?
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Depends on what I'm driving - as to door mirrors.
If something without windows in the sides, then I'm inclined to angle the mirrors out further until I cannot see the vehicle sides, as this reduces the blind spot. (Remember, you cannot just look over your shoulder to eliminate this spot.)
With practice you soon come to know where the side of the vehicle is (you can always lean over a bit so that you can confirm this if you need to), and you have a smaller blind spot. Definitely better than seeing paintwork.
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The r/v mirror on my 306 does 'cover' the full width of the rear window. If it were much bigger it would cover a good deal of the front window, a distinct disadvantage.
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Whilst we are on the subject of rear view mirrors, does anyone have any idea of how to permanently stick one back onto a windscreen?
The rear view mirror on my sister's Daewoo Lanos fell off about three months ago. Since then I have tried every preparation, glue and mirror sticker in Halfords and other car spares shops without any luck. Some of the remedies last about a month, most only a couple of days.
Can anyone recommend a product that actually works? How do the manaufacturers stick rear view mirrors on?
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I don't know, but maybe Autoglass or someone like that might, as they must have to deal with fixing mirrors to replacement screens all the time. Perhaps you could ask them what they use or even to do it for you?
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My rear view mirror covers all the back window - I think that's because I drive a relatively long car. And my door mirrors are adjusted so I can just see a sliver of my car (they're also a little curved to reduce the blind spot, good idea IMO)
How many people adjust the passneger mirror down to look at the kerb though? I don't like that personally, I use the passenger mirror to check down my left hand side on the motorway.
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>How many people adjust the passneger mirror down to look at the kerb though?
Yup - for reversing into side roads
(back to "normal" asap, of course)
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How many people adjust the passenger mirror down to look at the kerb though?
One of the few electric articles in cars that is truly useful - wing mirrors. Adjust it down for parallel parking, straight back up for driving.
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I really don't really wish to look at the kerb when reversing - you might not notice another vehicle or even a pedestrian using this method...:-)
As for door mirrors, I prefer to set them so that they continue where the rear view mirror finishes in order to get the maximum coverage; if you have a driver's side mirror with the blind spot addition that's even better.
Others, obviously, have other preferences - it's each to our own.
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I really don't really wish to look at the kerb when reversing - you might not notice another vehicle or even a pedestrian using this method...:-)
The trick is to not stare constantly at the wing mirror, but to observe all around yourself.
I find this also works well in general driving.
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Precisely the point I was making...:-)
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From the BR archive of useful nuggets of information:
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?v=e&t=29...1
HTH
Charles
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Of course being of Italian descent menas I don't usually bother with rear view mirrors....
;-) If it's behind me, it doesn't count...
JaB :-)
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CarPlan sell something called PowerBond universal Mirror-fix, which successfully re-attached a mirror on a 205. Loctite also do something similar.
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