Careful when you backup use your mirrors

[FishHawk]

Well it happend to me. When I was backing up at my car auction job my foot slipped off the brake and I hit the gas peddle instead. Smashed into another parked car. The safety officer at the company knew excatly what had happen. Use your mirrors and don't turn around while backing up. Your foot has a tendency to turn to right an off the brake!!!! FishHawk

[Charles Suitt]

I've had the same "slipping off the pedal" problem like FishHawk... in my case, the accellerator pedal. Seems like this makes a case for adding the pedal overlays which I've seen on eBay and other after market vendors. This happens to me when I'm wearing leather-soled shoes.

[SomervillePrius]

Nothing like the back-up camera I guess :-D

[Tech_Guy]

The problem with using just the rear view mirror, or back-up camera is that it does not allow for a wide field of view or good depth perception.

This is going to sound really cold hearted, but if you no longer have the ability to turn your head around and keep your foot on the proper pedal, you should probably give up driving...

Keith

[Beryl Octet]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(FishHawk @ Jan 9 2007, 06:50 AM) [snapback]372963[/snapback]</div>

Well it happend to me. When I was backing up at my car auction job my foot slipped off the brake and I hit the gas peddle instead. Smashed into another parked car. The safety officer at the company knew excatly what had happen. Use your mirrors and don't turn around while backing up. Your foot has a tendency to turn to right an off the brake!!!! FishHawk
[/b]

Sorry to hear that. I still think you are safer turning your head and looking over your right shoulder, especially when you are close to other objects, I seem to get a better sense of just how close the obstacles are than from just the mirror. I gues you could keep one foot on the brake and one on the gas, too, maybe.

[Charles Suitt]

<_< In light aircraft training, I was taught to be a real "RUBBER NECK" - twisting my head to see all I could possibly see. I do the same in my Prius, mirrors and backup camera notwithstanding. the mirrors have limited viewing area and the backup camera's fisheye lens distorts the view and distances. I do find that I need to clean the backup camera lens after driving in rain - even a little gunk on that lens reduces the view a lot.

Several years back, I did reset my outside mirrors to provide a more panoramic view of the adjacent lanes on my right and left sides - per "Defensive Driving" recommendations. I set the driver's side mirror by leaning my head against the left window glass and adjusting the mirror so I can barely see the left back corner of the car. I set the passenger side mirror by leaning my head just over the center console and setting the right mirror in a similar position. This provides a little overlap with the interior mirror and reduces, nearly avoids, blind spots.

[jayman]

I must have the same neck as a duck or a goose, I can twist it around pretty good. I had my foot slip off the brake once, many years ago.

I had just purchased my 1984 Ford F-150 and was in the bush, working for a forestry management company for one year. I had a few chainsaws and a large diesel tank in the back, and put down the tailgate. I had to move my truck so left the tailgate down and hopped in.

Plenty wet and a lot of mud on my boots. I had just started backing up and my foot slipped onto the gas pedal. In a panic I floored the pedal and hit a tree with the tailgate at about 15 MPH. Oh boy was that a mess, tailgate trashed, body shop had to work on the box hinge point, etc. Fortunately the tailgate bent and absorbed a lot of impact.

I just write it up in my "s*** happens" ledger, learn from it, and move on.

[allargon]

The Prius has *nasty* blind spots. (In its defense, all hatchbacks do!) IMHO, one is definitely better using the mirrors, the backup camera and turning his or her head when backing up. From experience with all of my cars, I definitely trust turning around more than I do any mirrors. In any case, why would your foot be on the accelerator when backing up? You said that your body has a tendency to move your legs when you turn. I've never found that to be the case. Your right foot should be just above the brake, and your left foot should be on the left foot rest. (The car doesn't have a clutch!) Your safety officer is tripping! His advice only makes sense for LARGE trucks and semis, not mid-sized hatchbacks.

[PA]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(allargon @ Jan 11 2007, 08:26 PM) [snapback]374480[/snapback]</div>

The Prius has *nasty* blind spots. (In its defense, all hatchbacks do!) IMHO, one is definitely better using the mirrors, the backup camera and turning his or her head when backing up. From experience with all of my cars, I definitely trust turning around more than I do any mirrors. In any case, why would your foot be on the accelerator when backing up? You said that your body has a tendency to move your legs when you turn. I've never found that to be the case. Your right foot should be just above the brake, and your left foot should be on the left foot rest. (The car doesn't have a clutch!) Your safety officer is tripping! His advice only makes sense for LARGE trucks and semis, not mid-sized hatchbacks.
[/b]

I agree, use all three. I also was wondering why one needed to accelerate out of the parking space, since it is an automatic.

In any case, sorry to hear about the incident.

[priusenvy]

Turning your head and looking backwards over your right shoulder while backing up is something that is specifically checked during a CA driving test. The examiner can fail you if you only use your mirrors.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tech_Guy @ Jan 9 2007, 09:43 AM) [snapback]373097[/snapback]</div>

The problem with using just the rear view mirror, or back-up camera is that it does not allow for a wide field of view or good depth perception.

This is going to sound really cold hearted, but if you no longer have the ability to turn your head around and keep your foot on the proper pedal, you should probably give up driving...
[/b]

I agree, and I'd also question the person's judgement who failed to realize he was posting bad advice on driving (in direct conflict with what's in the CA driver's handbook, and probably many other states as well). I guess it just demonstrates how easy it is to get a driver's license in the USA.