visibility over your left shoulder???

I just happened to rent a Prius a couple of days ago, and, because I am hoping to own one soon, I naturally drove it as much as I reasonable could, to look for anything I didn't like or would have to get used to (it was fortuitous that I had errands to run that day, so I wasn't polluting *completely* needlessly).

I have always adjusted my mirrors to eliminate any blind spots, and, while it took a minute or so longer to do so in the Prius because of the different ranges of vision of the mirrors, I wound up with an arrangement I was happy with.

I, too, noticed a relatively blind left-side head-check, so the first time I got on to the interstate, I let a few cars pass me so that I could confirm the mirrors' usability.

Cars passing me literally passed off the center mirror, onto the side mirror, and into my direct line-of-sight, with no gaps or blind spots.

It didn't affect my highway driving at all, as that is how I am set up with my current car.

To be honest, I did find the 'tunnel vision'-seeming view from the center mirror a touch distracting at first, but I quickly got used to checking the side mirrors just a bit more often.

Hope this helps!

 

I've got a Canadian package A. And yes, I've noticed the problem you describe. I thought it was just me, so it's a bit of a relief to understand that others are noticeing the same thing.

Actually, the problem doesn't impact my highway driving all that much. I just take extra care to shoulder check before changing lanes. I know that relying on mirrors would be suicide.

I wonder if height has an impact on the problem. I'm 5'3" and I haven't found a mirror setting that makes me happy. My husband, who is 6'4" has found a setting that suits him. In fact, he's never noticed the problem you and I describe.

Anyways, good luck and enjoy your Prius.

 

If you're having trouble with blind spots, try leaning forward while checking your side rear-view mirrors. By leaning forward, you change the angle you're looking into the mirror, and can see more to the side. I still usually check with a turn of the head too, but in 25 years of driving, I've never been surprised by anything with the head turn since I already knew it was there by leaning forward and looking in the mirrors.

 

I agree, but solved the problem with a pair of USD $2 rectangular convex mirrors that attach to the side view mirrors and give a wider view angle. They're about 1"H X 2"W and fasten with sticky tape to the lower inside mirror corners. Available from most auto parts stores, they take the worry out of blind spots. I've used them on all of my cars, trucks and SUV's for years. The best investment you'll make, and a reasonable alternative to looking over your shoulder.

 

Speaking of blind spots....

Marg-

I am in the research stage of looking into the Prius (and thereby constantly reading msg boards), and couldn't help but notice that you are nearly as short as I am. I am 5'0" and so cannot drive anything in which the seats don't sit very high up or do not have a sufficiant amount of hight-adjustment. So I must ask you: how well do you see over the dash? Can you see the hood? Do the seats have much (if any) hight-adjustment? I really hope they do... because my being able to see over the dash will make or break my final decision to get one (currently, my gadget-lust and uber-geekness clamours for me to buy one :mrgreen: ...while the need to be shelling out $2.50+ for gas MUCH less often than I do now w/my '86 Blazer SUV also strongly motivates me). Is the Prius comfortable for short people to sit in and drive in? *crosses fingers in hopes that the Prius is short-people friendly*

Thanks so much!

--------------------
Dyslexics Untie!
--------------------

 

I just picked up my Prius this last week. Those big thick rear posts bugged me for a day or two, but I have adapted to using the side view mirrors more (they seem to offer a better view than my old Saturn). I'm quite happy with the car, even though I bought it without even having a chance to sit in one much less drive it!

 

You will get used to this. I developed a long time ago the habit of looking over the shoulders when changing lanes and have had no problem with my Prius.

 

the heated side mirrors only work when the rear window defroster is on and they don't get hot enough to soften the glue. My wife said the same thing when she sat in the first Prius she looked at, a Classic, and when we went back to her car (Chrysler Sebring) she realized that she couldn't see the hood in it either. She bough a Classic and has traded it in on a 2k4 Prius and say's you'll never ever see the hood in one, unless you get out and look at it.

 

I don't remember who it was, but someone posted that it bothered them to not see the hood, so they went and affixed a fake antenna to the front center so he (or she?) would know where the front bumper was.

I do feel that now, after driving it a bit, I just know where the front end ends ... but I probably leave a larger margin for error than I did with my old car.

As for rear visibility, I think the view did take some getting used to, but I was more taken aback by the rear view mirror seeming to show me less that I was used to ... haven't felt problems with the side mirrors and/or looking over my shoulder. (Of course that's an expression, I don't really look *over* my shoulder - I check the rear and side mirrors when preparing to change lanes and then do a last quick glance to the left to be sure I didn't miss seeing a car right next to me in the space I'm about to move into).

I've tried adjusting my mirrors as described elsewhere to eliminate the blind spot, with my past 2 cars as well as this one. It works great, but not if you let other people drive your car without reeducating them!

 

Adding a mirror like this makes a world of difference...

[Broken External Image]:http://home.att.net/~priusowner/Prius_Blindspot-Mirror.jpg

...without interfering with the side-mirror itself, since that particular area is a zone where traffic doesn't normally appear in anyway.

And it is a very inexpensive improvement. This high-quality, tinted add-on was only $6 for two, a pair of left & right.

 

I currently own a New Beetle, and it is the same- you cannot see the hood of the car whilst in the driver's seat, nor can you see the rear end of the car.

Despite having the car since 1999, I still find myself over- (not under) estimating the length of the car, especially when parallel-parking- when pulling up to the car (or wall, or what-have-you) in front of or behind me, I stop when I think I have only a couple inches of space, and yet when I get out to check, I have over a foot.

I had the same experience with the Prius- which in my opinion is a Good Thing- I tend to instinctively give my self a little 'buffer zone', and therefore have never nudged a bumper when parking.

One thing you can do, if you want to get a good idea of where the nose of the car is, is to have a friend stand directly in front of the car, standing so that the bumper is nudging their leg (never do this with the car's transmission engaged, of course!).

 

Mirrors / Where's does my car end?

Since box-shaped cars went out of style in the early 80's, you can't see the hood on any car anymore. My '78 Dodge Aspen was great - you saw the end of the hood and new where your bumper was. Same thing for the fenders - you knew how close you could get to walls, other cars etc., and the end of the trunk when backing visible, so you could know where the back bumper was.

With the new sloping aerodynamic shapes, you can't see any of the edges of your car, and have to guess at where your bumpers are. I got my '85 Dodge Omni Charger with a spoiler on the back end, for the only reason so I could see where my back end was. My other car, an '03 Dodge Ram pickup is the same way - without a bug deflector, I can't tell where the front ends.

With any new car, you have to learn where it ends. I take mine to a parking lot, pull up to a light post as close as I think I can get, then get out and look. Then pull closer untill the bumper is a few inches away. Then sit in it for a bit and memorize the view, picturing another car, a wall, a fence, whatever you might have to pull up to. Do the same thing for backing up and on the passenger side.

Seems goofy to others in the lot watching, but I have never bumped anything in my life because I didn't know where my car ended. And it helps when driving through tight spaces to have that "feel" without having to think about it.

As far as the view in the mirrors, no car is perfect, but the Prius isn't bad. I don't have any real blind spot - it's all in how yoiu set the mirror. Again, go to a friendly parking lot and place your car in several driving positions relative to other objects or paked cars. Adjust your mirrors and get a feel for what you can and can't see.

 

reply to Starbug's height related questions

Hi Starbug,

Sorry, I've been away from my computer for a couple of days.
I can see over the dash just fine, as the seats are pretty high.

But no, I can't see much of the hood. Then again, my rather tall husband can't see much of it either. There's something about its aerodynamic shape that makes the front of the car difficult for both of us to see. It has taken us a while to get a good feeling for parking and manoeuvring in tight corners. But we're both getting there. Luckily, the car has an awesome turning radius.

I find the seat backs a bit high so I take extra care when shoulder checking over the right shoulder. But it's not a huge problem for me. It might be a bigger issue for you, since you're three inches shorter.

I love our Prius more than our old car (a Mazda Protege). I have no major concerns with it. Given your height, however, I strongly recommend that you try to find a way to test drive it.

 

First, thanks for all the good advice on this thread. Very practical and useful -- it is appreciated!

Two things:

• Question for those of you using the rectangular convex mirrors: can these also be used (specifically on the passenger side mirror) as an aid for parking near the curb?
  
  A number of folks have recommended a circular convex (fish-bowl) mirror attachment for the passenger side mirror, to help in parking your Prius close to the curb without bumping it, when parallel parking. Didn't know if the rectangular convex mirror would work as well.
  
  (I could always affix a rectangular convex mirror to the driver side mirror, and the fishbowl mirror to the passenger side...)
  
• I wonder if a lot of the perception about "blind spots" comes from what you were driving before your Prius. I have a Honda Civic Hatchback -- lot of visibility. (Not as good as an AMC Pacer, though. :mrgreen: ). The first time I got into an '04 Prius, I was slightly dismayed by the "tunnel vision" feel, and the lack of rear visibility.
  
  However, been renting a number of cars on trips lately, and I get the impression that the Civic's visibility is not the norm. Drove around in a Dodge Neon (I think) for a few days, and believe me, that makes the Prius rear view look like Cinerama.
  
  I would wonder if people driving "sports cars" who move to a Prius would either notice the rear visibility less, or would actually notice an improvement.

 

I first tried the circular mirrors, but found the field of view more useful with the rectangulars. The circulars displayed too much useless sky, while the rectangulars give a more practical wide angle view.

I didn't find either convex type especially useful for judging passenger side curb clearance. The distortion is too great. Instead, I keep the outside mirror adjusting switch toggled to the passenger side control and momentarily tilt it down while approaching the curb and use the flatter (but still slightly distorted) portion for help.

The Prius blind spot that bugs me most is the A-pillar. It's so thick that I have to consciously look around it when driving through my neighborhood to watch for kids in the street.

Oh, a quick reminder that the inside rearview mirror is double jointed with a ball and socket at each end of the "arm". Swivel the entire assembly up at the windshield base and then tilt the mirror down to suit. It'll help both forward and rearward visibility.

True about experience in other cars. Prius isn't bad, I've had better and worse. Most mid-sized seem better with thinner A and B pillars, but nothing the convex mirrors and slight head movement can't overcome.

 

Amped -- thanks for the tip re: swiveling the side mirror for parking. I'll try that first before making modifications.

 

In California you will lose points during the Driver's Exam if you fail to turn your head and rely solely on your mirrors.