1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Rear right visibility?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by fgmg, Jun 10, 2010.

  1. fgmg

    fgmg New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 10, 2009
    7
    1
    0
    Location:
    San Jose, CA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Has anyone noticed poor visibility in the rear right corner? For my rear left, usually I can look out from the rear passenger window. However, the other day I was scared to change lanes as I couldn't see a car next to me.

    I was driving along the freeway and I wanted to change lanes. Being a responsible driver, I checked my mirrors and windows. I saw the car first in the mirror and then I looked through the rear right window and rear window to see the car, but I couldn't see it. Rechecking the side mirror I could see the car.

    After awhile (a whole few seconds!), I gave up and sped up to insure that changing lanes wouldn't endanger the car I could see in my side view mirror and not through the windows. Kind of like a reverse blindspot.

    Thinking back, the car was small, not like Smart Car small, but if I recall, it was probably a Corolla or something similar.

    I've never had a problem with the rear window. When buying the car, I was aware of the rear window/spoiler issue and I adapted quite easily after the first day. This is the first time I had an issue with the car in-regards to visibility to the cars around me.
     
  2. Kimoy

    Kimoy Member

    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2010
    168
    24
    0
    Location:
    Chicagoland
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Buy one of those blind spot mirrors that you stick on your sidevurw mirror. It helps me a lot. I have it on all the cars i've owned. Eliminates your blind spot if you position it correctly.
     
  3. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2010
    6,035
    3,854
    0
    Location:
    Rocky Mountains
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    Well the side mirror did its job. I don't understand the problem?

    The reason you check mirrors and look is because it could be in a mirror blind spot but not visually, or in a visual blind spot but caught on the mirrors. You shouldn't be changing lanes so close to someone where this is even a remotely possible issue.
     
  4. Rokeby

    Rokeby Member

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2008
    3,033
    708
    75
    Location:
    Ballamer, Merlin
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Rearward visibility in the Prius is certainly not the best in the world.

    However, it is no worse, maybe even better than the rental Ford Focus
    I drove for two weeks recently-- the rear window is quite small and the
    parcel shelf is really high.

    The blind spot may be a result of how the right and left rearview mirrors
    are adjusted. The Tappet Brothers at Car Talk describe a way to get
    maximum rearward visibilty.

    Hope this helps.
     
    kc5dlo, Codyroo and AkustaVirtaa like this.
  5. AkustaVirtaa

    AkustaVirtaa Sähköistäjä

    Joined:
    May 24, 2010
    198
    11
    1
    Location:
    Finland EU
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
  6. Rokeby

    Rokeby Member

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2008
    3,033
    708
    75
    Location:
    Ballamer, Merlin
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Near Washtun, DC, in the US of A, hon. :rolleyes:
     
  7. AkustaVirtaa

    AkustaVirtaa Sähköistäjä

    Joined:
    May 24, 2010
    198
    11
    1
    Location:
    Finland EU
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    If you say so... ;)
     
  8. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2010
    6,035
    3,854
    0
    Location:
    Rocky Mountains
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    I don't really see how much better it can get for its shape. It has better visibility than my Honda Civic. In the Prius I can see out the little bottom window on the hatch and not just out the back window. I would think that makes it better than most everything on the road but maybe the Aztec.

    It has better visibility than our RXs and our Rav4 too. Something I never understand are the complaints of visibility in the Prius. It's a window on wheels. Well, the AMC Pacer was a window on wheels, the Prius is a bigger variant.

    [​IMG]
     
  9. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

    Joined:
    May 22, 2009
    9,083
    5,795
    0
    Location:
    Undisclosed Location
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Read the OP's post. We're not talking about a mirror blind spot, the OP is talking about a physical turn your head to look blind spot. It's more common that everyone, with every vehicle, has a mirror blind spot, that IS why they sell the before mentioned convex mirrors.

    I think what the OP is saying is that they checked their mirror, saw the vehicle and turned to physically double check...which is the recommended procedure, and couldn't see it physically through the right rear area. Usually it's just the opposite, you won't see a vehicle in your mirror blind spot, BUT you will see it when you turn your head. The OP refered to it as a "Reverse Blind Spot"...I think that is the OP's concern.

    I would second the recomendation to get one of those convex mirrors...however, if it's the rear right that the OP is having a blind spot issue then those mirrors can be very small and thus the reflected image, looking across to the far mirror can be tiny.

    Yes, all vehicles have blind spots. I've never owned a vehicle that did NOT have a blind spot with the mirrors..that's why it's recommended you turn and physically look. However, physical rearward visibility varies based on design. Sometimes varies from relationship between Driver and Design. Height of driver can make a difference.

    In anycase, we are dealing with a statement saying the OP COULD see the vehicle in the mirror...but not when turning to look back. Well unless the OP had put some object or obstruction physically in the way, this is not something that is going to change by simply saying "I think visibility in the Prius is good", or even by saying, buy a convex mirror.

    The OP has a physical right rear blind spot and was asking if anyone else had noticed it....

    To the OP I would say...evidently not...or most aren't admitting it.
    A well postioned (carefully positioned) wide angle convex mirror can at least offer an image of a vehicle at almost any angle.

    But the best thing is to recognize that almost all vehicles have some blind spots. For the OP it's the slightly more rare situation where the blind spot seems to be a physical manifestation between line of sight and the actual design of the vehicle as opposed to the more common mirror blind spot that I think exists with all vehicles.
     
    BluetoothEdsel likes this.
  10. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2010
    6,035
    3,854
    0
    Location:
    Rocky Mountains
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    Read my post.

    Option A is not in the mirror and visible with checking physically.
    Option B is in the mirror and not visible when checking physically.

    There are plenty of times where one or the other is true in any vehicle. However there should never be an issue where both are true. That would be dangerous and be a problem. But since the OP had Option B, again I fail to see this as an issue.

    The convention is to look physically not because it will only validate what you see in the mirrors, but because it may supplement it. Same is true the other way. You check your mirrors to supplement physically checking not to validate it.
     
  11. Jolly Paul

    Jolly Paul Member

    Joined:
    Jan 13, 2010
    162
    28
    0
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    To drive that properly, you must wear an orange polyester suit with bell bottoms and wide lapels. :shocked:
     
  12. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

    Joined:
    May 22, 2009
    9,083
    5,795
    0
    Location:
    Undisclosed Location
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Where I disagree is that I've never owned a vehicle where with the mirrors (unless you add a convex mirror) there wasn't a blind spot. Usually a mirror blind spot of some degree is unavoidable.

    The OP is concerned because they are dealing with the opposite. The mirrors are showing the vehicle BUT turning the OP can't see the vehicle.

    So the OP is nervous that a vehicle could end up in a physical location that is BOTH in the mirror blind spot and in the physical blind spot they recognize.

    People have been avoiding answering the OP's original question, which was " I have a physical rear right visibility blind spot, has anyone else noticed this?"

    Simply saying...hey nothing happened and you can see the vehicle either in your mirror or physically so what's the problem? Isn't an answer....it's defensive..defense of The Prius...

    So have you noticed a right rear visibility problem with The Prius or not?

    Sometimes this "Can't say nothin' bad about The Prius" defensiveness is ridiculous...All the OP was asking is, I have a blind spot...do you?

    Coming back with, I've think the visibility meets industry standards, or Hey...you could see it in the mirror so quit your complaining...isn't answering the OP's question or concerns.
     
  13. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

    Joined:
    May 22, 2009
    9,083
    5,795
    0
    Location:
    Undisclosed Location
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Off topic, I had a friend that owned an AMC Pacer. He drove it almost like a moving personal joke.

    But I thought it was one of the most comfortable vehicles I have ever been in. It was like a huge living room sofa on wheels.

    Outwardly? Ugly as sin...but sitting in it was like taking your living room for a spin...
     
  14. dtuite

    dtuite Silverback

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2010
    182
    31
    0
    Location:
    Redwood City, CA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    +1 for the Click and Clack link.

    One interesting (to me) point is that the curvature of the Prius right side-view mirror is greater than in any other car I've ever driven. That results in "Objects in mirror" being MUCH CLOSER "than they appear."

    Which takes me back 50 years to high-school drivers-ed in a day when few cards had a starboard side-view mirror. Coach said: NEVER complete a pass until you can see the passed car's headlights in your CENTER rear-view mirror.
     
    BluetoothEdsel likes this.
  15. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2010
    6,035
    3,854
    0
    Location:
    Rocky Mountains
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    Since I obviously have to put it bluntly, no. I have no blind spot. A blind spot would be as you describe where it is not in the mirror and you cannot see, also as I described it mutliple times. That would be a problem. However, the Prius, our civic, our Lexus RX, and our Rav4 all have physical blind spots (where you cant see the cars by looking over your shoulder) and mirrored blind spots. However, there have never been any blindness issues on any car, the Prius included, where both happen at the same time. This is what I have tried to say for the third time. Which answers the OP's question the third time, that it isnt a blind spot because you can see it using one or more of your devices/senses.

    This all assumes the routine safety check of adjusting mirrors correctly is done when you get in the car, but that should be a given.
     
  16. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

    Joined:
    May 22, 2009
    9,083
    5,795
    0
    Location:
    Undisclosed Location
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Since you want to be blunt...

    This is the first sentence of the OP's post: "Has anyone noticed poor visibility in the rear right corner?"

    Then the OP goes on to explain it's poor visibility when physically turning your head and looking back.

    The OP further explains that they can see the car in the mirror.

    Just because you've personally deemed it not a problem because the "spot" is visible in the mirror, doesn't mean it's not a problem. It's STILL a physical blind spot that exists when physically looking back toward the right rear corner.

    You do realize mirrors can be bumped in parking lots and get out of adjustment? You do realize a physical blind spot is a physical blind spot whether you have mirrors that can, under most circumstance reveal the hidden area?

    It's real nice that you've decided that nobody should care about the right rear visibility because the mirrors will reflect that area...but maybe it bothers other people? Maybe Toyota could improve it. Of course that would mean being realistic about it's existence and being semi-critical. A tough stretch for some.
     
  17. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2010
    6,035
    3,854
    0
    Location:
    Rocky Mountains
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    Every vehicle has a physical blind spot as I already stated. Its the whole point of the mirrors. And the first thing you do when you get in a car before you even turn the engine on is adjust mirrors. So if someone stole your side mirror you would notice before you even turned on the car if you are driving the way you should be.

    I have never owned or driven in a vehicle where there are no blind spots. Yes I mean ones where you look over your shoulder and see nothing there.
     
  18. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

    Joined:
    May 22, 2009
    9,083
    5,795
    0
    Location:
    Undisclosed Location
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    I think we can agree on a few things. I think every vehicle (save maybe for the beautiful 1970's Pacer) has a physical blind spot. But they can vary from vehicle to vehicle, some are better, some are worse.

    I've also have never owned a vehicle where the mirrors did not have a blind spot. Hence my usual and recomended to the OP, purchase of a convex wide angle blind spot mirror.

    I do agree, in so much as when driving visibility should include use of mirrors as well as turning your head and looking.
     
  19. Eoin

    Eoin Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 6, 2009
    593
    116
    0
    Location:
    Long Island
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    Every new car sold should have a blind spot warning system, incorporating radar near the car's corners and some kind of warning buzzer. This would save far more lives than the legally required tire pressure warning.
     
  20. Smirv

    Smirv AkA: Ryan

    Joined:
    Apr 6, 2010
    212
    18
    0
    Location:
    Illinois
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    +1. Driving 101. If you have trouble doing this process in a Prius, Im not sure it matters what type of car your driving.