Speaking of side and rear view mirrors...about 99% of US drivers set them incorrectly. I read the following advice in one of the half dozen car magazines I get, and my driving has not been the same since. (I have given this advice out many times, and not many people take it. After about 10 minutes, they revert back to the old incorrect way, just because they are used to it. Even I was tempted...it took me 2 solid weeks to get used to it, but I have been a much safer driver since then.)
Basically, everyone keeps their side view mirrors canted too closely to the side of the vehicle. In essence, they use them as "additional" rear view mirrors.
According to the publication I read, when adjusting your "LEFT" side view mirror, place the side of your head against the left side window, and adjust the mirror out until you can just barely see the side sheet metal of your vehicle.
For the "RIGHT" side view mirror, place your head directly in the center of the vehicle, and then adjust the mirror out until you can barely see the side sheet metal of your vehicle.
This may require some minute adjustments depending on the vehicle length, but the purpose of this exercise is to prevent the age old very dangerous head turn when changing lanes. (It never made sense to me to actually take my eyes off the road for any reason.)
Instead, for left-hand changes, just check your rear-view mirror then your left-side-view mirror. If there are any vehicles in the left lane next to you, then they should be in one or both of your mirrors, or else they are literally right next to you, and plainly visible without turning your head.
The same should be true for right-hand lane changes.
This advice literally changed my driving life. Once I got used to my mirrors being in the "correct" position, I have not had the "accidental" cutting off of someone and close calls that I had before. Or the near misses where I almost rear-ended someone because they slammed on their brakes while I had my head cranked around in order to change lanes.
No matter what vehicle you drive, or how small or large the mirrors, you should be able to set it like this.
Test it out...set the mirrors like I have instructed, then let someone pass you on a multi-lane highway. You should see the car in your rear-view mirror, and then it should pass from rear-view mirror into your side-view mirror and then you should be able to look out of the corner of your eye and see the vehicle beside you.
PLEASE try this...and stick with it. Even if I make a single safer driver I will be happy. It is hard though, like I said only 1 out of 3 people I tell this too actually stick with it. But the ones that do have reported that their driving safety has improved too...
Maybe all you Edmunds subscribers already knew this...if so, sorry.
Well I have to disagree with you on this one. I would never consider changing lanes without looking behind me, no matter how well my mirrors are adjusted (and they are adjusted properly). In my experience, all cars have blind spots, unless you have some huge monster mirrors on it. A very quick look has saved me from more collisions than I can count. And, you do have to take your eyes off the road to look at a mirror anyway, so a quick look behind you doesn't take that much longer, unless you have a neck problem and can't turn your head that fast.
"Speaking of side and rear view mirrors...about 99% of US drivers set them incorrectly."
I could not agree more - but don't restrict it to US drivers.
Your advice was taught to me 45 years ago, when I was being instructed to pick up my commercial truck license. There, most times you cannot see what is beside you or directly behind you and you must rely on your mirrors - and there cannot be a dead spot.
I cheat a bit now - and use a fish-eye paste-on on the very inside of the right side view mirror - you will see them on most trucks.
It does take some practice, though. I understand the inclination to always glance over the shoulder. To me, taking my eyes off the road in front in traffic (otherwise why would you be passing) even for a split second is dangerous.
I have tested it hundreds of times...even on my minivan, there is no blind spot. I have tested it with many vehicles that are passing me, from the Mini Cooper, to Semis...still no blind spot.
If you have a blind spot, then in my opinion, your side view mirrors are still not adjusted far enough out...
I am just giving out advice...obviously, everyone is responsible for their own driving, and feeling comfortable about how they drive.
This is an internet "chat" board...my advice would be that anything you read here is thoroughly tested by yourself to determine if it is for you. (Even advice from yours truly.)
Please...even I still cranked my neck around for many months until I got used to the fact that there was no blind spot. I am not suggesting blindly trying a different driving style...that is not wise.
About turning your head...even 2 seconds could make a difference.
Like I said, don't trust your mirrors until you have tested it for yourself. I still turn and look every now and then when I am unsure (such as multiple lanes). I have yet to find that my mirrors lied to me.
Is one reason why I use those circular blind spot mirrors on my driver's side mirror. They virtually eliminate any blind spots and I don't have to snap my neck back and take my attention off the road in front of me to change lanes. It always freaks me out when I see someone in front of me turn their head ALL the way back and disregard what's happening ahead of them. Very scary, IMHO.
"About turning your head...even 2 seconds could make a difference."
Exactly, remember that BMW commercial on the radio about the pollen filter that prevents you from sneezing which causes your eyes to shut for a split second -- long enough for your cars to travel so many ft?
I already repeatly heard people looking over the shoulder to the right then rear ended the car in front that suddenly stopped.
W/o the need to look over my shoulder, I can change lane safely while tailgating at the same time! & hence increasing the opportunity to change lane(to escape death). ;-)
"I have tested it hundreds of times...even on my minivan, there is no blind spot. I have tested it with many vehicles, from the Mini Cooper, to Semis...still no blind spot."
Yes, besides aiming the outside mirrors more outward, also slightly downward to cover ALL the blind spots. But, there is the but -- Convex mirrors show the objects' distance/speed/acceleration/deceleration poorly especially when farther away. So as far as taking care of the blind spots, they're wonderful. But there's still no substitute for the wide rear glass view found in p/u trucks & most notchback cars. Only these vehicles can display the complete range of lane-change/passing opportunity in the non-distorted view better than wagons, etc.
My advice:
When merging to the right, use a GOOD-ENOUGH right-side convex mirror to cover the blind spot & your non-convex inside mirror to cover the rest. Therefore, replacing the inside mirror w/ a wide-viewing-range convex-only unit that can't judge the distance/speed is foolish! But in case your rear-glass view is blocked by a tall SUV, you will still need to depend on the right-side convex mirror to view DIRECTLY BEHIND to see if there's any vehicle coming in the right lane, although only its presence & not the accurate speed.
Since some right-side mirrors are either too small or not convexed enough to cover both the blind spot & the view directly behind, you need to modify the lens w/ a wider-angle convex. Other wise, you still need to look over your right shoulder.
Glancing over to see the right-side mirror does not take your eye sight of the road in front for a split second. Looking over the shoulder does.
When merging to the left, you're mainly depending on the left-side mirror, as the inside mirror doesn't provide you that much viewing area on the left side. Again, replacing the left-side mirror w/ convex-only is extremely foolish, as a car coming from behind on the left lane at 120 mph starts out like a tiny little ant & then (Wham!) suddenly here in the full-size form. The full convex is the traditional foreign-spec left-side mirror. Ever wondered why some foreign-driver lane-changers expect the right of way over you & cut you off eventhough you are going at a much higher velocity? No wonder convex left-side mirrors are illegal on N.A.-spec cars. But some recent foreign-spec left-side mirror has a clever solution -- It's a flat mirror to aim directly behind accurately while the outer 1/5 is convexly curved to cover the blind spot!
Unfortunately our government still only allows the full-flat mirror as the OEM driver-side mirror. So our solution is to get the made-in-Taiwan rectangular convex(it has just the right amount of convex angle to cover one lane change) stick-on from AutoZone to substitute this kind of design. & you too, can enjoy merging to the left safely w/o looking over your left shoulder so you can also cut down the amount of fatigue as well.
But if it took me 2 seconds to turn my head and look I'd be dead a long time ago. I check the mirror first then confirm with a very quick look. It's always worked for me, and won't fail me if I'm driving my own car, a friend's car, or a rental car with crappy mirrors. Yeah, I have driven school buses and trucks where looking back isn't possible (or at all desired), but they always have much better mirrors.
cdnp5 Apr 5, 2004 3:11pm "Yes avoiding the accidents is the best method...But I guess if I stayed, my car would now be shorter."
I remember when I was a teenager, I turned off the firm-shock setting from the dashboard on this '83 626 hatch & tested its "abrupt-lane-change capability" around 50 mph. Boy, the car immediately used up the rear suspension's limited travel & bounced airborne briefly that made the car fishtailed. So as I tried to correct, it went zig-zag & got off the road on the hill then flipped several times & landed back on the road upside down. My 1st reaction was, "Why is this car not as roomy as before?"
I grew up in NJ and I was taught to look forward, using the mirrors is a sign of weakness. keep one hand on the wheel with the thumb planted on the horn, the other hand out the window properly displaying a single finger and drive like your the only guy on the road. So far it has worked for me.
all this avoidance stuff is for the other drivers.
"I grew up in NJ and I was taught to look forward, using the mirrors is a sign of weakness"
I used to live in Westfield and well recall the State tradition. Not only is my son carrying on the tradition out in CA, it has served me well up here in Canada. Unfortunately here they are slow learners and still signal occasionally.
Last year when I was in LA, I went to check out the Craig Kilborn show (latenight CBS show). There were a lot of out of towners in the audience and Craig was giving pointers on driving in LA. He said if you want to get into the left lane, turn you right turn signal on, look back to the right, and get into the left lane.....otherwise nobody will let you in.
Here's where the "mirror only" method will fail unless you have really, really big mirrors. It mostly just happens on the left because you have a convex the mirror on the right. There's a car slightly behind you (about 1/2 car length), two lanes to the left. He's far enough to the left that he's out of the field of view of your left mirror, even though it's adjusted correctly. He's slightly behind you so you don't pick him up in your peripheral vision. You decide to go for the lane on your left, at the same time he decides to go for the lane on his right, which just happens to be the same lane you are going for (oops). Technically you probably have the right away because you're going to get there first, but he might just go for it anyway. Maybe he's not paying attention, or maybe he figures you will yield. I always check take a quick look left (no more than the time it takes to look at the speedo or to look in the mirror) for this problem and back off if this is about to happen. While I may have the right away, it's not worth risking a collision to prove it.
The auto insurance industry is very profitable with their high rates and fender benders an all time high proves that many drivers do impact each other regardless of what foolproof system is used.
A quick glance back is fine by my book but it's the drivers that turn their head completely back and stare while their changing lanes. Disappointedly I've seen this too many times... :-(
Going from a SUV with a bit higher perspective and larger rear view, the 3 was a change. Being back in a smaller vehicle has forced me to be more aware of others driving around me.
"keep one hand on the wheel with the thumb planted on the horn, the other hand out the window properly displaying a single finger and drive like your the only guy on the road. So far it has worked for me."
If we all depend on our "neighbors" to tell us if it's clear to change lane, then we won't have to check the blind spots. Just ease over in slow motion & wait for the hunk. If no one hunks, then go ahead, either no one's there or he's yielding. I find it enjoyable when I traveled to Taiwan. The drivers were doing trial-&-error lane changes, so as I tapped the horn early enough, they'll back off & go back to their own lanes on time. My horn buttons felt like a machine gun shooting out invisible bullets!
Maybe you have heard of the California stop. It's just a rolling stop. Let me tell you what a Taiwan stop is. If you see a stop sign, don't bother to slow down & just hunk in advance. If someone else objected by hunking back at you, then slow down or stop & let the guy w/ the right-of-way go first. Otherwise, just run through w/o slowing down. Pure & simple, & saves time, too.
If you would simply make your turn or lane-change signal sooner that would give other drivers more time to see the blinking light and slow to let you make it. It works where I live all the time. Don't wait until you are only 50 feet from a turn, or worse, hit the turn signal lever as you make the turn. That's too late. In other words PLAN AHEAD!
On Mirrors: How many drivers have you seen with their inside mirror cocked almost vertically? Doesn't that drive you nuts knowing they can't possibly see you? Another pointer, when passing a car look at its leftside mirror -- if you can't see the driver's face he or she can't see you. The mirror is set wrong and allow for it.
What happened to the old practice of honking before passing? Or flashing your headlights (brights) before passing? They do that in Europe. They also have a good rule: All drivers who prefer cruising at no more than 55mph (or the posted speed limit) have to stay in the right lane. If they drive in the center or passing lane and impede traffic they get hauled over by cops.
As a following car leaves your inside mirror it should be appearing in one of the outside mirrors so you can keep track of it. Set your mirrors accordingly. That's what mazda6s was saying. And because the Mazda3 has great brakes ALLOW more stopping distance behind your 3 for cars to slow down. If they tailgate tap your brakes to let the driver know. They may be on the phone and braindead.
"If you would simply make your turn or lane-change signal sooner that would give other drivers more time to see the blinking light and slow to let you make it. It works where I live all the time."
And exactly what planet is THIS, hmm? Here's how it works in NY, just to let you know.
Step 1: Look behind you for maniacs doing 90 Step 2: Turn on blinker Step 3: IMMEDIATELY move into other lane before the guy behind you sees your blinker and decides to move up and block your way.
You actually DROVE in Taiwan?? God bless you, man! Glad you made it back in one piece.
Says the Taiwanese taxi driver, turned towards us (in the back seat) while weaving through cars, pedestrians, scooters, gimpy dogs, all sorts of other stuff on the make-your-own-lane road: "We have the best drivers in the world!" (and beaming from ear to ear).
I learned "how to drive in Taiwan" when I was 19, both in the traffic & the 1&1/2-lane-wide twisties in the Taroko Gorge. Either riding in the TAXIs or driving among them was an amusement-park ride. They've been slowing down lately since they started w/ so many blind speed traps.
Anyway, I started posing on the TAXIs' driver seat & took some photos. One looks like a Infiniti I30. The other one is actually a Lexus GS300. Lately I bought their std yellow lighted TAXI signs at only $6 a piece & mounted on top of my car while doing autocross at the Buttonwillow race way! That was hilarious.
My 1st attempt to bring back several of those TAXI signs failed as my flight coming back to the U.S. actually crashed, & yes I made it back in 1 piece, but those luggage of mine including these "TAXI" signs... My 2nd attempt was to wait till I recover from that airplane crash while staying in Taiwan & brought back even more of those TAXI signs.
FYI, Taiwan has been supplying the Mazda 323 5-dr hatch to Canada in the late '80's badged as Tracer. Eventhough it topped the quality rating in the whole Ford empire, the program was seized due to excessive cost.
Holy crap! You survived an airplane crash? Do you still fly? I'm already nervous whenever I fly, I know for sure if I was in an airplane crash, and I survived, I would not fly again, ever. I'd probably still be in Taiwan if I were you.
There's a definite trend in the Northeast US (I'm from MA, I see it a lot in CT as well, and PA) to drive not just aggressively but actively in a way to inconvenience others. If someone signals to change lanes, people will speed up to stop them, for no good reason other than that they can. Sometimes they'll even flip you a bird for your trouble, though most people will avoid eye contact.
When I did a cross country road trip 18 months or so ago, I noticed this was not a nationwide phenomena, although it was definitely a factor in Houston TX as well (but not in some of the other larger cities).
This is similar to the mentality where someone will tailgate you while you're in the fast lane at 80, but when you pull over to let them pass they slow down to 75. It's not that they want to drive faster than 80, it's that they don't want you in front of them. It offends them to think you are going to get somewhere ahead of them.
Uhm, right. And all this has nothing to do with the 3. Sorry .
Todd, ya gotta figure, if the chances of being in a plane crash (or getting struck by lightning) JUST ONCE are minuscule, then just imagine how small the chances are of having it happen again!
snowdog---It's like that in a lot of places. Some drivers here in Mpls are harmless, but there are also some that are very aggressive. I know when I'm driving home from work and not using the car-pool lanes, I HAVE to tailgate, otherwise EVERYBODY will cut in front of you in the left lane and you'll never get home.
meade--Yeah, I know, but if I was ever in a plane crash, I'd be too terrified to get on another plane. I'm already scared as it is every time I fly. Yeah, yeah, I know, the odds of me getting into a car crash are much greater, but at least in a car you have some control, and are not thousands of feet in the air, and have some chance of surviving. In a plane, you have NO control over anything, and a very slim chance of survival if something (even a little something) were to happen. No 5 star safety ratings, no airbags, just you, the seatbelt and floatation device, and the ground. Creakid is super lucky.
And exactly what planet is THIS, hmm? Here's how it works in NY, just to let you know.
Here's how it works in North Carolina:
Step 1: Turn on signal light well ahead of turn. Step 2: Watch mirrors for driver behind slowing down or signaling you with hand to change lane. Step 3: Speed up a little and make lane change. Step 4: Signal courteous drive with hand wave -- Thank you!
Road rage is by drivers from Northeast-USA passing through, or God forbid, they moved here!
Often, I get waved through four-way stops by drivers who were first to stop.
On a trip to MA I noticed all MA cars have crumpled left rear fenders -- then I saw why -- those traffic go-rounds where drivers do not allow inside cars to exit. Sheesh.
In 1954, I was bumped from a trans-Atlantic flight that crashed in NY on arrival. All killed.
In 1955, I was on a military flight to Lybia when one engine failed, the plane was carrying a Catapiller bulldozer. We made it, just barely, on one engine.
In 1958, I was on a trip in a company plane that was overloaded with cast iron yard furniture. On the return trip the pilot had to fly with the nose pointed UP to stay in the air.
In 1959, I was on a charter flight from Miami to Richmond VA. The plane was so overloaded (golfclub bags) it fell back to the ground on take-off. After burning off fuel for two hours it finally made it into the air.
In 1963, a buddy and I made an emergency landing in a rocky field to repair a broken cable and took off again. Rocks tore holds in the bottom of the plane. Great fun!
I have made 10 trans-Atlantic flights since then. One of which was in 1972 at the Olympics in Munich, when we first learned about terrorists, and who were threatening to shoot down airliners leaving Munich.
You pay your money and take your chances. I like ABS on cars but seriously doubt the value of side air bags in a Mazda3. Had to say something here about cars.
Don't forget the "left lane" hogs who sit there next to a slow car in the right lane, and never move ahead. In the mean time, traffic is backed up forever, or it causes a traffic jam.
While we are ranting...if you are sitting beside a car for longer than 15 seconds, and there is no impediment in front of you...please, rev that engine up and move along.
Of course, I'm sure I am preaching to the choir! (-:
Hitler, Stalin, Sadaam Hussein, left lane hogs, don't get me started.
In a perfect world, I'd be able to get a late 70's, early 80's, gigantic American hooptie, and run those left lane bandits off the road, or into a guardrail. Grrrrrr..
When I was 17, my brother-in-law tutored me on commercial driving (truck). He was a fast good driver, and surprised me when he gave me some good advice I never forgot - what do you do when another driver does something stupid/ignorant/etc that really ticks you off?
He said pull over first chance you get and cool off! Never drive when you are angry. And you can't reward yourself with thoughts of his eventual fate on the highway, because it will almost always involve an innocent party.
What I like, is those doofuses who see you coming up in the fast lane at a good clip and then swerve into the the left lane from the right "to teach you a lesson". I remember driving with a friend many years ago in a '72 Ranchero going way too fast and having some idiot try that. Well, let's just say that bringing a BIG car quickly down to legal speeds from the vicinity of 100mph takes a little more distance than that guy figured. I think we ended up something less than 6 inches from his bumper. Even more stupid was the fact that he was driving a Chevette, so we probably out-massed him by more than 2 to 1. I bet he didn't try that again.....
how about the people who see a sign that says "merge left, right lane ends" and they wait until the absolute last minute to merge left because they don't want to wait in line?
How about the scumbags at 4-way stops that just go along with the car ahead of them somehow figuring that since the car ahead of them stopped, they don't have to?......and then when you just keep going and don't yield to them, they look at you like YOU did something wrong and then they flick you off? I tell ya...
It's a good thing that Mazda3 fans and owners aren't like that.
"how about the people who see a sign that says "merge left, right lane ends" and they wait until the absolute last minute to merge left because they don't want to wait in line?"
Interesting observation - because when I lived in NJ/NYC area, noticed that USUALLY cars formed two lines up to the merge point, then merged left/right evenly quickly with no arguments.
Whereas when I came back to Canada, it seemed like all these timid folk tried to merge the minute they saw the sign, and a few others like me sail along up to the merge point. Yeah, I get a lot of dirty looks, but I just don't get it. Color me confused.
"Whereas when I came back to Canada, it seemed like all these timid folk tried to merge the minute they saw the sign, and a few others like me sail along up to the merge point. Yeah, I get a lot of dirty looks, but I just don't get it. Color me confused."
You are THAT guy/girl, huh? The frustrated guy/girl sitting there with his/her turn signal on not going anywhere because nobody will let you in. Lol.
They had a traffic engineer on one of our local news stations and they asked him about this very situation. He said that traffic flows better if people get in the lane they need to be in as soon as possible. Maybe it's not timidness, it's intelligence.
"They had a traffic engineer on one of our local news stations and they asked him about this very situation. He said that traffic flows better if people get in the lane they need to be in as soon as possible. Maybe it's not timidness, it's intelligence."
It's a guy - 70 and counting. But as to intelligence, my significant other would agree with you - but then again she learned to drive in Chicago! Still snowing?
"how about the people who see a sign that says "merge left, right lane ends" and they wait until the absolute last minute to merge."
Because they are trying to figure out which is left and which is right.
In NC that is totally possible. Reminds me of when I went into a KFC to buy biscuits. I asked the guy at the register if he had a dozen? He looked at a pan fresh from the oven and said, "I don't think we have that many." I told him I probably couldn't eat a dozen anyhow, did he have 12? He looked again and said, "Oh, yes sir, we have 12!" The pan held 36.
Considering all the universities in NC I am constabtly amazed how little some people know. Left and right is probably a brain twister.
If I can drive to Taiwan, I would. But Taiwan is an island... I no longer find the turbulence a joy ride anymore, to say the least.
"Yeah, yeah, I know, the odds of me getting into a car crash are much greater..."
No wonder I ended up w/ way more nightmares about auto accidents than airplane accidents.
"In a plane, you have NO control over anything, and a very slim chance of survival if something (even a little something) were to happen. No 5 star safety ratings, no airbags, just you, the seatbelt and floatation device, and the ground."
I'm sure a side curtain airbag would make a difference in my case. I was bangged unconscious & didn't even know. Anyway, I still woke up right afterwards & eventually jumped off the wreck after we found a broken opening in the middle of the night.
A plane is not a bus. It really catches on fire very easily. So eventually, only about 1/2 of us survived.
Fortunately most of it went to ground via the tent poles, but I watched it come down the tent and hit my hands. It exited my feet through my tennis shoes, causing a great deal of aching in my legs and feet.
I think what saved me was the fact that I was soaking wet from the rain. Lightning, like all electrical energy, flows on the surface of conductors -- in this case, the water on the surface of my body provided an easier path to ground than taking the alternate route through my body.
Now, back to the Mazda3 discussion, already in progress ...
so you didn't really soak up the lightning into you & gain any kind of supernatural power? ;-)
Neither did I soak up that brief fire due to the fact that I was too busy to take a shower before boarding & my face was coated w/ a thick layer of oil. So when the fire was through, I believe the oil was fried away, but my face was still there. Then my cousin told me that while resting on the plane seat before hand, I should have popped a couple raw eggs on my face for skin conditioning so the fire would have cooked them free of charge. Believe me, I had no food for many hours afterwards.
While we are on the subject of cars, I flew twice weekly for more for thirty years - never crashed - couple of close ones - particularly a prop jet flight from Colorado Springs thru the mountains to Sacramento in a storm, Two on the plane excepting the crew - me and the stew.
There is truth to the story that the possibility of imminent death does catalyze sexual drive. But, all the same, I'll pass on the experience if I have the choice. Nice memory, though.
Why is all the wear on the rear brakes, still, after 3000km? Normally it's on the front. And no, my parking brake is not on!
There is a Meet the Members discussion in your Owners Club where you can have all the free-wheeling conversations you'd like.
But this discussion is about the Mazda3.
And no, making an off-topic post and including a line at the end about how the MZ3 rules or something like that doesn't count.
:-)
Seriously - I've let this go long enough. We need to get back on topic here. You are more than welcome to take the non 3 related conversation to the Meet the Members discussion in your Owners Club. That's exactly what it's there for.
Thanks for the advice on how to adjust the mirrors!
I've adjusted the mirrors and can't believe how accurate they were, I always thought I had to see the sheetmetal from my neutral driving position.
the right (passenger) mirror is excellent, but i'm still not used to the left (driver) mirror so i've reverted back to my old ways with that one. So i guess you can say i'm 50% changed!
Besides, we don't need the left mirror since we Mz3 drivers are always in the left, passing lane anyways right???
I can't adjust the side mirrors out any more than I currently have them (just past seeing sheetmetal from my driving position). They "pop" when I try. Oh well, guess I'll have to stick with turning my head.
Comments
Basically, everyone keeps their side view mirrors canted too closely to the side of the vehicle. In essence, they use them as "additional" rear view mirrors.
According to the publication I read, when adjusting your "LEFT" side view mirror, place the side of your head against the left side window, and adjust the mirror out until you can just barely see the side sheet metal of your vehicle.
For the "RIGHT" side view mirror, place your head directly in the center of the vehicle, and then adjust the mirror out until you can barely see the side sheet metal of your vehicle.
This may require some minute adjustments depending on the vehicle length, but the purpose of this exercise is to prevent the age old very dangerous head turn when changing lanes. (It never made sense to me to actually take my eyes off the road for any reason.)
Instead, for left-hand changes, just check your rear-view mirror then your left-side-view mirror. If there are any vehicles in the left lane next to you, then they should be in one or both of your mirrors, or else they are literally right next to you, and plainly visible without turning your head.
The same should be true for right-hand lane changes.
This advice literally changed my driving life. Once I got used to my mirrors being in the "correct" position, I have not had the "accidental" cutting off of someone and close calls that I had before. Or the near misses where I almost rear-ended someone because they slammed on their brakes while I had my head cranked around in order to change lanes.
No matter what vehicle you drive, or how small or large the mirrors, you should be able to set it like this.
Test it out...set the mirrors like I have instructed, then let someone pass you on a multi-lane highway. You should see the car in your rear-view mirror, and then it should pass from rear-view mirror into your side-view mirror and then you should be able to look out of the corner of your eye and see the vehicle beside you.
PLEASE try this...and stick with it. Even if I make a single safer driver I will be happy. It is hard though, like I said only 1 out of 3 people I tell this too actually stick with it. But the ones that do have reported that their driving safety has improved too...
Maybe all you Edmunds subscribers already knew this...if so, sorry.
I could not agree more - but don't restrict it to US drivers.
Your advice was taught to me 45 years ago, when I was being instructed to pick up my commercial truck license. There, most times you cannot see what is beside you or directly behind you and you must rely on your mirrors - and there cannot be a dead spot.
I cheat a bit now - and use a fish-eye paste-on on the very inside of the right side view mirror - you will see them on most trucks.
It does take some practice, though. I understand the inclination to always glance over the shoulder. To me, taking my eyes off the road in front in traffic (otherwise why would you be passing) even for a split second is dangerous.
If you have a blind spot, then in my opinion, your side view mirrors are still not adjusted far enough out...
I am just giving out advice...obviously, everyone is responsible for their own driving, and feeling comfortable about how they drive.
This is an internet "chat" board...my advice would be that anything you read here is thoroughly tested by yourself to determine if it is for you. (Even advice from yours truly.)
Please...even I still cranked my neck around for many months until I got used to the fact that there was no blind spot. I am not suggesting blindly trying a different driving style...that is not wise.
About turning your head...even 2 seconds could make a difference.
Like I said, don't trust your mirrors until you have tested it for yourself. I still turn and look every now and then when I am unsure (such as multiple lanes). I have yet to find that my mirrors lied to me.
Sorry about that - should have said driver side view mirror. Freudian slip - my wife when passenger drives from the right side.
Exactly, remember that BMW commercial on the radio about the pollen filter that prevents you from sneezing which causes your eyes to shut for a split second -- long enough for your cars to travel so many ft?
I already repeatly heard people looking over the shoulder to the right then rear ended the car in front that suddenly stopped.
W/o the need to look over my shoulder, I can change lane safely while tailgating at the same time! & hence increasing the opportunity to change lane(to escape death). ;-)
"I have tested it hundreds of times...even on my minivan, there is no blind spot. I have tested it with many vehicles, from the Mini Cooper, to Semis...still no blind spot."
Yes, besides aiming the outside mirrors more outward, also slightly downward to cover ALL the blind spots. But, there is the but -- Convex mirrors show the objects' distance/speed/acceleration/deceleration poorly especially when farther away. So as far as taking care of the blind spots, they're wonderful. But there's still no substitute for the wide rear glass view found in p/u trucks & most notchback cars. Only these vehicles can display the complete range of lane-change/passing opportunity in the non-distorted view better than wagons, etc.
My advice:
When merging to the right, use a GOOD-ENOUGH right-side convex mirror to cover the blind spot & your non-convex inside mirror to cover the rest. Therefore, replacing the inside mirror w/ a wide-viewing-range convex-only unit that can't judge the distance/speed is foolish! But in case your rear-glass view is blocked by a tall SUV, you will still need to depend on the right-side convex mirror to view DIRECTLY BEHIND to see if there's any vehicle coming in the right lane, although only its presence & not the accurate speed.
Since some right-side mirrors are either too small or not convexed enough to cover both the blind spot & the view directly behind, you need to modify the lens w/ a wider-angle convex. Other wise, you still need to look over your right shoulder.
Glancing over to see the right-side mirror does not take your eye sight of the road in front for a split second. Looking over the shoulder does.
When merging to the left, you're mainly depending on the left-side mirror, as the inside mirror doesn't provide you that much viewing area on the left side. Again, replacing the left-side mirror w/ convex-only is extremely foolish, as a car coming from behind on the left lane at 120 mph starts out like a tiny little ant & then (Wham!) suddenly here in the full-size form. The full convex is the traditional foreign-spec left-side mirror. Ever wondered why some foreign-driver lane-changers expect the right of way over you & cut you off eventhough you are going at a much higher velocity? No wonder convex left-side mirrors are illegal on N.A.-spec cars. But some recent foreign-spec left-side mirror has a clever solution -- It's a flat mirror to aim directly behind accurately while the outer 1/5 is convexly curved to cover the blind spot!
Unfortunately our government still only allows the full-flat mirror as the OEM driver-side mirror. So our solution is to get the made-in-Taiwan rectangular convex(it has just the right amount of convex angle to cover one lane change) stick-on from AutoZone to substitute this kind of design. & you too, can enjoy merging to the left safely w/o looking over your left shoulder so you can also cut down the amount of fatigue as well.
"Yes avoiding the accidents is the best method...But I guess if I stayed, my car would now be shorter."
I remember when I was a teenager, I turned off the firm-shock setting from the dashboard on this '83 626 hatch & tested its "abrupt-lane-change capability" around 50 mph. Boy, the car immediately used up the rear suspension's limited travel & bounced airborne briefly that made the car fishtailed. So as I tried to correct, it went zig-zag & got off the road on the hill then flipped several times & landed back on the road upside down. My 1st reaction was, "Why is this car not as roomy as before?"
all this avoidance stuff is for the other drivers.
I used to live in Westfield and well recall the State tradition. Not only is my son carrying on the tradition out in CA, it has served me well up here in Canada. Unfortunately here they are slow learners and still signal occasionally.
Like I said...do what feels best to you...just don't get too comfortable...it's much more important to pay attention than where your mirrors are set.
1davao
Going from a SUV with a bit higher perspective and larger rear view, the 3 was a change. Being back in a smaller vehicle has forced me to be more aware of others driving around me.
If we all depend on our "neighbors" to tell us if it's clear to change lane, then we won't have to check the blind spots. Just ease over in slow motion & wait for the hunk. If no one hunks, then go ahead, either no one's there or he's yielding. I find it enjoyable when I traveled to Taiwan. The drivers were doing trial-&-error lane changes, so as I tapped the horn early enough, they'll back off & go back to their own lanes on time. My horn buttons felt like a machine gun shooting out invisible bullets!
Maybe you have heard of the California stop. It's just a rolling stop. Let me tell you what a Taiwan stop is. If you see a stop sign, don't bother to slow down & just hunk in advance. If someone else objected by hunking back at you, then slow down or stop & let the guy w/ the right-of-way go first. Otherwise, just run through w/o slowing down. Pure & simple, & saves time, too.
If you would simply make your turn or lane-change signal sooner that would give other drivers more time to see the blinking light and slow to let you make it. It works where I live all the time. Don't wait until you are only 50 feet from a turn, or worse, hit the turn signal lever as you make the turn. That's too late. In other words PLAN AHEAD!
On Mirrors: How many drivers have you seen with their inside mirror cocked almost vertically? Doesn't that drive you nuts knowing they can't possibly see you? Another pointer, when passing a car look at its leftside mirror -- if you can't see the driver's face he or she can't see you. The mirror is set wrong and allow for it.
What happened to the old practice of honking before passing? Or flashing your headlights (brights) before passing? They do that in Europe. They also have a good rule: All drivers who prefer cruising at no more than 55mph (or the posted speed limit) have to stay in the right lane. If they drive in the center or passing lane and impede traffic they get hauled over by cops.
As a following car leaves your inside mirror it should be appearing in one of the outside mirrors so you can keep track of it. Set your mirrors accordingly. That's what mazda6s was saying. And because the Mazda3 has great brakes ALLOW more stopping distance behind your 3 for cars to slow down. If they tailgate tap your brakes to let the driver know. They may be on the phone and braindead.
fowler3
And exactly what planet is THIS, hmm?
Step 1: Look behind you for maniacs doing 90
Step 2: Turn on blinker
Step 3: IMMEDIATELY move into other lane before the guy behind you sees your blinker and decides to move up and block your way.
Welcome to NY.
You actually DROVE in Taiwan?? God bless you, man! Glad you made it back in one piece.
Says the Taiwanese taxi driver, turned towards us (in the back seat) while weaving through cars, pedestrians, scooters, gimpy dogs, all sorts of other stuff on the make-your-own-lane road: "We have the best drivers in the world!" (and beaming from ear to ear).
Anyway, I started posing on the TAXIs' driver seat & took some photos. One looks like a Infiniti I30. The other one is actually a Lexus GS300. Lately I bought their std yellow lighted TAXI signs at only $6 a piece & mounted on top of my car while doing autocross at the Buttonwillow race way! That was hilarious.
My 1st attempt to bring back several of those TAXI signs failed as my flight coming back to the U.S. actually crashed, & yes I made it back in 1 piece, but those luggage of mine including these "TAXI" signs... My 2nd attempt was to wait till I recover from that airplane crash while staying in Taiwan & brought back even more of those TAXI signs.
FYI, Taiwan has been supplying the Mazda 323 5-dr hatch to Canada in the late '80's badged as Tracer. Eventhough it topped the quality rating in the whole Ford empire, the program was seized due to excessive cost.
When I did a cross country road trip 18 months or so ago, I noticed this was not a nationwide phenomena, although it was definitely a factor in Houston TX as well (but not in some of the other larger cities).
This is similar to the mentality where someone will tailgate you while you're in the fast lane at 80, but when you pull over to let them pass they slow down to 75. It's not that they want to drive faster than 80, it's that they don't want you in front of them. It offends them to think you are going to get somewhere ahead of them.
Uhm, right. And all this has nothing to do with the 3. Sorry
I say, fly on!
Meade
meade--Yeah, I know, but if I was ever in a plane crash, I'd be too terrified to get on another plane. I'm already scared as it is every time I fly. Yeah, yeah, I know, the odds of me getting into a car crash are much greater, but at least in a car you have some control, and are not thousands of feet in the air, and have some chance of surviving. In a plane, you have NO control over anything, and a very slim chance of survival if something (even a little something) were to happen. No 5 star safety ratings, no airbags, just you, the seatbelt and floatation device, and the ground. Creakid is super lucky.
Here's how it works in North Carolina:
Step 1: Turn on signal light well ahead of turn.
Step 2: Watch mirrors for driver behind slowing down or signaling you with hand to change lane.
Step 3: Speed up a little and make lane change.
Step 4: Signal courteous drive with hand wave -- Thank you!
Road rage is by drivers from Northeast-USA passing through, or God forbid, they moved here!
Often, I get waved through four-way stops by drivers who were first to stop.
On a trip to MA I noticed all MA cars have crumpled left rear fenders -- then I saw why -- those traffic go-rounds where drivers do not allow inside cars to exit. Sheesh.
fowler3
Meade - I assume that it wasn't a direct hit?
Plane crashes - At least it's a relatively fast way to go.
Creakid1 - Is there anything you HAVE NOT done?
Getting waved through - Don't do it! If they have the right-of-way and change their mind and you crash, guess who gets the ticket?
In 1954, I was bumped from a trans-Atlantic flight that crashed in NY on arrival. All killed.
In 1955, I was on a military flight to Lybia when one engine failed, the plane was carrying a Catapiller bulldozer. We made it, just barely, on one engine.
In 1958, I was on a trip in a company plane that was overloaded with cast iron yard furniture. On the return trip the pilot had to fly with the nose pointed UP to stay in the air.
In 1959, I was on a charter flight from Miami to Richmond VA. The plane was so overloaded (golfclub bags) it fell back to the ground on take-off. After burning off fuel for two hours it finally made it into the air.
In 1963, a buddy and I made an emergency landing in a rocky field to repair a broken cable and took off again. Rocks tore holds in the bottom of the plane. Great fun!
I have made 10 trans-Atlantic flights since then. One of which was in 1972 at the Olympics in Munich, when we first learned about terrorists, and who were threatening to shoot down airliners leaving Munich.
You pay your money and take your chances. I like ABS on cars but seriously doubt the value of side air bags in a Mazda3. Had to say something here about cars.
fowler3
aka Nine Lives,
While we are ranting...if you are sitting beside a car for longer than 15 seconds, and there is no impediment in front of you...please, rev that engine up and move along.
Of course, I'm sure I am preaching to the choir! (-:
In a perfect world, I'd be able to get a late 70's, early 80's, gigantic American hooptie, and run those left lane bandits off the road, or into a guardrail. Grrrrrr..
Uh, oh yeah. Mazda3.
He said pull over first chance you get and cool off! Never drive when you are angry. And you can't reward yourself with thoughts of his eventual fate on the highway, because it will almost always involve an innocent party.
Road rage takes two to party.
I remember driving with a friend many years ago in a '72 Ranchero going way too fast and having some idiot try that. Well, let's just say that bringing a BIG car quickly down to legal speeds from the vicinity of 100mph takes a little more distance than that guy figured. I think we ended up something less than 6 inches from his bumper. Even more stupid was the fact that he was driving a Chevette, so we probably out-massed him by more than 2 to 1.
I bet he didn't try that again.....
Oh.. and, Mazda3! Woohoo!
How about the scumbags at 4-way stops that just go along with the car ahead of them somehow figuring that since the car ahead of them stopped, they don't have to?......and then when you just keep going and don't yield to them, they look at you like YOU did something wrong and then they flick you off? I tell ya...
It's a good thing that Mazda3 fans and owners aren't like that.
Interesting observation - because when I lived in NJ/NYC area, noticed that USUALLY cars formed two lines up to the merge point, then merged left/right evenly quickly with no arguments.
Whereas when I came back to Canada, it seemed like all these timid folk tried to merge the minute they saw the sign, and a few others like me sail along up to the merge point. Yeah, I get a lot of dirty looks, but I just don't get it. Color me confused.
Great car, though.
You are THAT guy/girl, huh? The frustrated guy/girl sitting there with his/her turn signal on not going anywhere because nobody will let you in. Lol.
They had a traffic engineer on one of our local news stations and they asked him about this very situation. He said that traffic flows better if people get in the lane they need to be in as soon as possible. Maybe it's not timidness, it's intelligence.
It's a guy - 70 and counting. But as to intelligence, my significant other would agree with you - but then again she learned to drive in Chicago! Still snowing?
Don't know if this link will work:
ruking1 "Inconsiderate Drivers (share your stories, etc.)" Apr 5, 2004 1:34pm
There's always plenty of room for ranting and raving there.
Because they are trying to figure out which is left and which is right.
In NC that is totally possible. Reminds me of when I went into a KFC to buy biscuits. I asked the guy at the register if he had a dozen? He looked at a pan fresh from the oven and said, "I don't think we have that many." I told him I probably couldn't eat a dozen anyhow, did he have 12? He looked again and said, "Oh, yes sir, we have 12!" The pan held 36.
Considering all the universities in NC I am constabtly amazed how little some people know. Left and right is probably a brain twister.
fowler3
If I can drive to Taiwan, I would. But Taiwan is an island... I no longer find the turbulence a joy ride anymore, to say the least.
"Yeah, yeah, I know, the odds of me getting into a car crash are much greater..."
No wonder I ended up w/ way more nightmares about auto accidents than airplane accidents.
"In a plane, you have NO control over anything, and a very slim chance of survival if something (even a little something) were to happen. No 5 star safety ratings, no airbags, just you, the seatbelt and floatation device, and the ground."
I'm sure a side curtain airbag would make a difference in my case. I was bangged unconscious & didn't even know. Anyway, I still woke up right afterwards & eventually jumped off the wreck after we found a broken opening in the middle of the night.
A plane is not a bus. It really catches on fire very easily. So eventually, only about 1/2 of us survived.
I think what saved me was the fact that I was soaking wet from the rain. Lightning, like all electrical energy, flows on the surface of conductors -- in this case, the water on the surface of my body provided an easier path to ground than taking the alternate route through my body.
Now, back to the Mazda3 discussion, already in progress ...
Meade
Neither did I soak up that brief fire due to the fact that I was too busy to take a shower before boarding & my face was coated w/ a thick layer of oil. So when the fire was through, I believe the oil was fried away, but my face was still there. Then my cousin told me that while resting on the plane seat before hand, I should have popped a couple raw eggs on my face for skin conditioning so the fire would have cooked them free of charge. Believe me, I had no food for many hours afterwards.
There is truth to the story that the possibility of imminent death does catalyze sexual drive. But, all the same, I'll pass on the experience if I have the choice. Nice memory, though.
Why is all the wear on the rear brakes, still, after 3000km? Normally it's on the front. And no, my parking brake is not on!
There is a Meet the Members discussion in your Owners Club where you can have all the free-wheeling conversations you'd like.
But this discussion is about the Mazda3.
And no, making an off-topic post and including a line at the end about how the MZ3 rules or something like that doesn't count.
:-)
Seriously - I've let this go long enough. We need to get back on topic here. You are more than welcome to take the non 3 related conversation to the Meet the Members discussion in your Owners Club. That's exactly what it's there for.
Have fun!
I've adjusted the mirrors and can't believe how accurate they were, I always thought I had to see the sheetmetal from my neutral driving position.
the right (passenger) mirror is excellent, but i'm still not used to the left (driver) mirror so i've reverted back to my old ways with that one. So i guess you can say i'm 50% changed!
Besides, we don't need the left mirror since we Mz3 drivers are always in the left, passing lane anyways right???
Ray