Mine Host, when overseas a few years ago, was amused by many quirks of the country he was in. These quirks didn't worry him much, as he didn't have to live with these aberrations, there were merely another difference to enjoy.Amonst these quirks were the passenger side mirrors on motor vehicles. Instead of regular mirrors these were convex, and actually had the phrase "Objects in Mirror are Closer than they Appear"
Convex mirrors certainly give a wider field of view in the passenger side mirror, however they also make reversing using the passenger mirror rather difficult. Nigh on impossible to reliably reverse in a straight line.
What does it matter some greenhorn will ask? Plenty if reversing into a tight spot, or even into a parking bay between shed trusses.
Body tippers, twin steer bogey drives, were Mine Host's charge at one point in his life, and as anyone who has reversed trucks knows very well, using the passenger side mirror allows for far more accuracy in reversing, especially with larger machines.
One can image Mine Host's distress when upon returning to Australia he discovered that in his abscence passenger side mirrors had been "improved" from flat to convex!
Instead of hamstringing those who can drive, the law should instead penalise those who are unable to reverse properly.
Mine Host could (with a flat mirror) reverse for as far as you like, to within 2 inches laterally of a line, using the passenger side mirror, or within 6 inches using the driver's side mirror.
Not important the greenhorn may say.
Stick to your field of expertise Mine Host will say.
1 comment:
I, too, use my mirrors to reverse (you can't see behind for crap outta these new "European styled" cars).
I sometimes have trouble if I want to pass someone being sure how far the car behind and in the next lane is!
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