blind spot obstruction

[Grantpower]

Does anybody else find when driving and doing a lane change into left lane when checking over shoulder your vision is obstructed by rear head rest, side paneling, limited window height and sports bar. It just feels like im doing a blind change more often than not and could easily miss small vehicles or moto etc. ?

[jim80h]

If you are too worried, there are available, small round adhesive wide angle mirrors you can stick to the bottom outer corner of your wing mirrors. I had these on my previous vehicle and they solved a huge blind spot problem for me.

[WUNSIE]

Those small mirrors jim80h is talking about are worth every cent of the couple dollars each they cost, make reversing a lot easier too

[ag9111]

I never have a problem because of the dumbo sized side mirrors, and I have a canopy so passenger side vis is even worse.

[explorer.dave]

To be honest I don't understand why you would "check over your shoulder" while doing a lane change? You have rear and side vision mirrors for this, and surely this would be more a hazard than a safety precaution. But if that is what you are used to doing, and are comfortable with, one simple solution that could help would be to remove the headrest and sports bar (which is purely for show).

I'm still trying to understand what sequence you make for a lane change, l pre-empt a lane change by checking traffic using the available rear vision mirrors, then, when l am happy that no traffic collision exists l will do a last check then merge.

[bigjobs]

Pretty sure that you'd fail a license test if you didn't do a blind spot check by turning your head... regardless of if you actually need to.

I always do it, just to be sure, although in the Triton I can't see much by doing so.

I was taught to do it and it hasn't failed me yet... I guess you just do what works for you.

[Grantpower]

Cheers lads. Guess i need to get used to using mirrors and having faith in them for blind spot. They are huge wing nuts. Haha

[Naff]

Pretty sure that you'd fail a license test if you didn't do a blind spot check by turning your head... regardless of if you actually need to.

I always do it, just to be sure, although in the Triton I can't see much by doing so.

I was taught to do it and it hasn't failed me yet... I guess you just do what works for you.

X 2

If you're not checking over your shoulder every time you change lanes you'll eventually have an accident. You've just been lucky to date. Even the smarter cars with blind spot monitoring can't be trusted 100%.

[BillMcQuade]

Pretty sure that you'd fail a license test if you didn't do a blind spot check by turning your head... regardless of if you actually need to.

I always do it, just to be sure, although in the Triton I can't see much by doing so.

I was taught to do it and it hasn't failed me yet... I guess you just do what works for you.

X 2

If you're not checking over your shoulder every time you change lanes you'll eventually have an accident. You've just been lucky to date. Even the smarter cars with blind spot monitoring can't be trusted 100%.

I ride motorbikes, so the "shoulder check" comes naturally. In the car it is the only way to double check for bikes in your blind spot.

[Duck]

Dont remove headrest apparently its illegal Even try turning your mirror out further is Australia we seem to have half of our own car in view, turn the mirror out so you can just see the back of your car and the whole view opens up. At least if you have your indicator as an intention to change if there is a car beside you they might give a gentle WTF toot.

[jrs184]

In teaching my wife to drive I introduced the over the shoulder check by standing in the blind spot and waving my arms and she could not see me though any of the 3 rearview mirrors, I repeated the same thing for her with an over the shoulder check and she could see me and was convinced. It is also true in the driving test if you don't move your head periodically to indicate to the tester that you are scanning the rear views intermittently and conduct an over the shoulder before moving out of a parking place or lane change you will fail...It takes a split second to miss a car and especially a bike in the rear view blind spot before it reaches your peripheral vision and by then it may already be too late. Same with approaching a truck from behiond, make sure he can see you in his rearview by pausing to check if you can see his face in his side mirror, then he can also see you...

[viking shippy]

Lol I've never looked over my shoulder ever since I got my licence 35 years ago...haven't missed anyone sitting in the blind spot...mirrors x3 reverse cam...and knowing where other cars are by using your mirrors ..is nuf for me..


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[explorer.dave]

I guess it was a matter of interpretation, in the OP;

Does anybody else find when driving and doing a lane change into left lane when checking over shoulder your vision is obstructed by rear head rest, side paneling, limited window height and sports bar.

That suggested to me that he was looking back nearly 160 degrees, which I was sort of alluding too, and that is way too much, considering your eyes should be out the front. Yes, I look over my shoulder but no more than say 90 - 95 degrees.
Situational awareness is important..if you use it, and your rear vision mirrors, you should know where the other traffic is relative to your vehicle. I have been driving for 35 yrs and the only accidents l have been involved in are the ones l came across and stopped to render assistance.

[BillMcQuade]

I guess it was a matter of interpretation, in the OP;

Does anybody else find when driving and doing a lane change into left lane when checking over shoulder your vision is obstructed by rear head rest, side paneling, limited window height and sports bar.

That suggested to me that he was looking back nearly 160 degrees, which I was sort of alluding too, and that is way too much, considering your eyes should be out the front. Yes, I look over my shoulder but no more than say 90 - 95 degrees.
Situational awareness is important..if you use it, and your rear vision mirrors, you should know where the other traffic is relative to your vehicle. I have been driving for 35 yrs and the only accidents l have been involved in are the ones l came across and stopped to render assistance.

As you have pointed out, a shoulder check is a quick glance to the right and down, which is more than adequate for spotting cyclists, and motorbikes.

For the record, my neck doesn't turn 160 degrees

[aquagen]

The only time iv had an issue is pulling into the middle of a 4 lane road turning right. Have to line the car up just right to see traffic coming over my shoulder. Side mirrors no good in this situation. No idea why Mitsubishi put those massive headrests in the back compared to the tiny one in the middle.

[explorer.dave]

As you have pointed out, a shoulder check is a quick glance to the right and down, which is more than adequate for spotting cyclists, and motorbikes.

For the record, my neck doesn't turn 160 degrees

Then Bill ya just aint trying hard enough You need to go to Byron Bay during summer, visit the main beach and train those neck muscles

[murdochs]

I see the silver from the sports bar in the corner of my eye and think it's a car, gets me everytime.
Coming off Monday and canopy going on

[Logzy]

I never have a problem because of the dumbo sized side mirrors, and I have a canopy so passenger side vis is even worse.

Same for me, no blind spot if mirrors adjusted right.

Agree, same here too.
Big dumbo size mirrors adjusted properly, no problems.

[OzJavelin]

When my wife migrated from FG Falcon ute to Triton she was pleasantly surprised how much better the rear mirrors in the Triton allowed for rear visibility .. much better than the Falcon. Headcheck in either Falcon or Triton is pretty useless, but you still tend to go through the motions regardless.
If I'm in traffic (especially in the Falcon) I tend to also change my field of vision by moving slightly forward in my seat as I look in the mirror to change the angle. Helps give me a wider view around me.

[NowForThe5th]

I never have a problem because of the dumbo sized side mirrors, and I have a canopy so passenger side vis is even worse.

Same for me, no blind spot if mirrors adjusted right.

Agree. Interesting how mirrors have changed, though. In the Gen 2 Pajero they were truck-like with virtually no blind spot (which was a good thing because the folded up seats blocked the windows completely). By Gen 3 they were smaller but still good and the Tritons were progressively smaller again in each model and having a canopy on the back made the head turning thing a waste of time anyway. The Gen 4 Pajero has the worst mirrors of the lot, smaller again, but still better than the average car. I was looking at whether Gen 3 mirrors were interchangeable.

Although it is something that's taught to new drivers now, I'm not sure I agree with the head turning manoeuvre - lots of times I've seen people in front of me do it and veer left as their hands follow their head. Interestingly, some countries don't condone it either. For example, in Japan a new driver must reverse park using mirrors only; turn your head and you fail. As some others have said, it's all about, IMHO, having mirrors correctly set up and being constantly aware of what's happening around you.

[ag9111]

it's all about, IMHO, having mirrors correctly set up and being constantly aware of what's happening around you.

IMHO this is the crux of the issue.
How many times have you seen a driver putting along, blissfully unaware of the emergency vehicle sitting behind them with lights and siren blazing.
Some people have absolutely no idea what is happening around them.

[Calblitzen]

it's all about, IMHO, having mirrors correctly set up and being constantly aware of what's happening around you.

IMHO this is the crux of the issue.
How many times have you seen a driver putting along, blissfully unaware of the emergency vehicle sitting behind them with lights and siren blazing.
Some people have absolutely no idea what is happening around them.

I agree, it's all about spacial awareness when your driving. Having a canopy and 3 layers of tinted glass I rely on the mirrors alot.

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