Is it just me or are support posts in cars these days really wide?

[grampster]

2018 Chev Colorado 4d here.  The B pillars are twice as wide as the ones on our Murano's. Backing out of the driveway is a little more difficult as the pillar blocks the street just about the time I reach the end of the driveway at the street.  It and our Murano's have back up cameras and they tend to be wide angle lenses so you can see a fair distance either side when backing out of a slot in a parking lot.  Still need to be alert though.

[Doggy Daddy]

2018 Chev Colorado 4d here.  The B pillars are twice as wide as the ones on our Murano's. Backing out of the driveway is a little more difficult as the pillar blocks the street just about the time I reach the end of the driveway at the street.

Can you back into your driveway so you don't have to back into traffic when you leave?

[grampster]

I'm in a quiet neighborhood.  The only speeders are the school bus drivers.

[HeroHog]

My cars have always had those "fish eye" blind spot mirrors on them and that has been a HUGE help. The back-up cam on our Ford Escape is nice too. I highly recommend one! Most big parts houses and Amazon sells them to back-fit older models.

[Jocassee]

The A pillars are a problem.

I have two cars, a 2000 Montero Sport and a 2009 Altima. The Montero isn't nearly as comfortable of course, but is a lot less stressful to drive in traffic.

[dogmush]

That's funny, My BMW has really good visibility.  The only issue I had was the rear headrests, and I figured out how to fold them down.

The 05 F150 I just got is a huge improvement over my 95 too.  Better visibility through windows, and better mirrors.

I also love the blind spot monitoring.  My BMW has little cameras in the front bumper that will show me left and right up and down the street if I need to as well.

[Calumus]

The C pillar is the issue in my Challenger. The thing is over a foot wide. Pretty much anything behind the side windows is invisible from inside the car. Mirror set up was essential. However, hopping out of that into the R32 is like stepping into a fishbowl. That thing has no blind spots that I've noticed.

[just Warren]

We're going to try the mirror thing. Thanks.

Works a lot better than I thought it would. Makes merging onto the freeway less of an adventure than it used to be.

[Doggy Daddy]

Works a lot better than I thought it would. Makes merging onto the freeway less of an adventure than it used to be.

Yep.  Give it time and it'll grow on ya.   

[K Frame]

Reviving this...

I decided to give the mirror adjustments described in the link in the early part of this thread a try.

I wasn't sure if I was going to stick with it. For the first several days it was VERY disorienting to me.

But, after about two weeks I got used to it. Now that I've got a fair amount of time driving with the mirrors like this on both freeways and secondary roads I can honestly say that I'm 100% sold on the concept.

I'm never going to get rid of my blind spot mirror on the driver's side as that's my final gut check before I change lanes but the increased road view is a very nice thing to have.

[Hawkmoon]

I believe most people do not adjust their left and right outside mirrors properly.  If you're old-school and adjust them to see a bit of the sides of your car, you're doing it wrong.

Here is a good description of proper mirror "tuning".  I've been doing it this way for years.  Works great.  Note: I do not use this method on larger (longer) vehicles where a visual of your off-tracking is needed.

https://www.scottsfortcollinsauto.com/tips-for-adjusting-your-car-mirrors-to-maximize-visibility/

I've always done it that way. My parents didn't, however. Of course, when they started driving (and even when I started driving) side mirrors were optional and, even then, usually found only on the driver's side. Both of my parents referred to the side mirror as "the side rear-view mirror," and that's how they used it. Which is, as the article says, redundant.

The problem today is that in SUVs and vans (particularly), the rear corner posts and hatch frames are so fat that the part of the rear window you actually see through is comparatively small. IMHO the article is organized poorly, because it says to adjust the side mirrors to cover the blind spots, but it doesn't tell how to adjust the rear-view mirror until after that. I adjust the rear view mirror first, than I adjust the side mirrors to cover the blind spots.

Then I go up on a highway and I check. I want to be certain that I can continuously track an overtaking vehicle from where it passes out of view in the rear-view mirror through the range of the side mirror until I can see it beside me with my own peripheral vision.

And that's getting more difficult with newer vehicles, mostly because of the shrinking aperture of the rear windows.

Also -- I didn't realize just how much I use and rely on the mirrors until the adhesive hold the rear-view mirror to the windshield failed in my late wife's car. I had to drive it with no (interior) rear-view mirror for a couple of days until I could get an epoxy kit and re-mount the little tab to mirror fastens to. It was VERY disconcerting and uncomfortable. I was constantly aware that I was "flying blind" and that I didn't have a grasp of what was happening around me.

[K Frame]

"If you're old-school and adjust them to see a bit of the sides of your car, you're doing it wrong."

That's the adjustment that was taught in driving class in my high school by both teachers.



"the rear corner posts and hatch frames are so fat..."

HOW DARE you shape shame them, you uncultured Trumpie bastard!