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Old 01-30-2015, 07:02 PM   #1
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Professional drivers' use of side mirrors

A question to all those with formal truck driving training...

The passenger side, side-mirror.

Is it common practice to adjust the flat glass such that the driver needs to physically move their head and torso to see the best field of view?

Or is it taught that the driver should be able to just turn their head and the flat is adjusted for that viewpoint?

Thanks.
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Old 01-30-2015, 07:20 PM   #2
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Sounds like a loaded question, but as a driver trainer and road test examiner I will answer it. The "West Coast" Mirrors should be adjusted so that they look right down the side of the trailer. I adjust mine so that I barely see the side of the rig in the mirrors with just a slight turn of the head giving me the widest field of view in the lane next to the rig. I can also see my drive tires and trailer tires. The convex mirror I adjust so that I can barely see the rig giving me the widest field of view away from the rig. I also use fender mirrors to help fill in the blind spots which do exist on both sides of the rig. I tell motorcycle riders often to not ride on the fog line because I can't see you. I tell them to ride in the middle of the lane or the left side of the lane. Same thing for cars. If you drift too far to the right a big truck may not see you. Drivers should keep track of other vehicles to anticipate where they are and where they are going to be to avoid losing them in a blind spot and prevent "conflicts." Just my two cents...
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Old 01-30-2015, 07:21 PM   #3
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I'm not a professional driver, and perhaps I'm missing something, but why would you not adjust it for the best view?
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Old 01-30-2015, 07:27 PM   #4
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I'm not a professional driver, and perhaps I'm missing something, but why would you not adjust it for the best view?
Unfortunately many people drive with their high beam lights on and the huge mirrors reflect this light coming from vehicles behind the truck right into truck driver's eyes blinding them. So many drivers find it necessary to slightly adjust their mirrors so that they have to move their torso to use the mirrors thus avoiding being blinded.
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Old 01-30-2015, 07:34 PM   #5
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No loaded question here, just a desire to gain education from those who have the education. Not sure why that remark, but thank you for your thoughts, I appreciate it.
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Old 01-30-2015, 07:38 PM   #6
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No loaded question here, just a desire to gain education from those who have the education. Not sure why that remark, but thank you for your thoughts, I appreciate it.
Simple, you may have an "agenda" because of an incident you may have had. Unfortunately, I have them almost everyday due to "road rage" etc. I tell my wife that when I go to work now it is like going to war... I long for easier times like back in the 60's and 70's. There are just too many cars and not enough road.
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Old 01-30-2015, 07:47 PM   #7
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No incidents for me. I admit I'm like 99% of the so-called "expert RVers" on these inter web forums, I'm just a weekend warrior. I like to think I'm a good pickup truck and trailer driver, but I'm self taught... Like the rest of the weekend warriors on here!

I figured a person who is paid to drive a commercial vehicle has some wisdom to impart on all of us, even though most would never admit they could use some education. I've struggled with setting the flat glass mirrors that are installed as bolt on upgrades, since all the big three manufacturers have taught generations of drivers that "objects are closer than they appear" on OEM convex side mirrors.

Sorry the roads are so tough on drivers. I do my best to leave plenty of room. Without commercial truck traffic, this country would wither away within a week. So thanks again to the drivers.
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Old 01-30-2015, 08:00 PM   #8
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Good info about mirror adjustments.
Personally when towing my FW I prefer to be around big rig drivers. More knowledgeable about stopping distances and momentum. They are not all perfect.
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Old 01-30-2015, 08:28 PM   #9
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Anyone here interested in what was and is happening in the big truck world regarding mirrors, take a look at this site. Important info there for the light truck or car driver to be very aware of. http://www.joc.com/trucking-logistic..._19880307.html
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Old 01-31-2015, 06:51 AM   #10
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Anyone here interested in what was and is happening in the big truck world regarding mirrors, take a look at this site. Important info there for the light truck or car driver to be very aware of. http://www.joc.com/trucking-logistic..._19880307.html
This sounds like they are good articles but I don't need another password and signon just to read articles. Thanks anyway.
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Old 01-31-2015, 09:49 AM   #11
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Here is what I have been doing since the 70's for cars trucks and RV's. I have the mirrors adjusted to just see past the side of the vehicle while driving. I do not want to see the side at all ... I want to see something BEFORE it hits not when it is too late to react to it.. then with just a slight movement of my head I can see the side of the trailer if I feel I need to see it...
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Old 01-31-2015, 01:42 PM   #12
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I went outside and checked, and I do the same as Seann.
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Old 01-31-2015, 02:00 PM   #13
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I do the same as Seann.
I do the same as Seann and Dave.
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Old 01-31-2015, 02:01 PM   #14
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You want to just barely see the side of your rig in the mirror as a point of reference otherwise you have none.
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Old 01-31-2015, 02:19 PM   #15
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Rodger that.
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Old 02-04-2015, 10:05 AM   #16
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My personal preference

I think I prefer to have my passenger side mirror adjusted to get the widest field of view of the area to the side of my rig. I then move my head back and over ever so slightly to see the side of the travel trailer. My head tends to be on a swivel anyway so it feels natural to me.
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Old 02-04-2015, 12:34 PM   #17
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I have a fat neck so it's tough to turn far enough to the left and check for traffic when pulling out into traffic. A motorized mirror is great for that, I just have to remember to return it after pulling out. Probably should mount another mirror.
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Old 02-04-2015, 12:45 PM   #18
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I'm no pro, but I'll throw in my pair of pennies.

I mostly do like Sean and Dave. I adjust the passenger side so I can just barely see the side of the trailer on the edge of the mirror with a slight turn of my head. This gives me a much larger view of the lane to my right. The key here is "much largER" view of that lane, it's not a complete view of that lane. So I often find myself leaning forward or pulling my head back so I can see the WHOLE lane. Between my after market, clip-on towing mirrors and my factory truck mirrors, I have a pretty good view around my rig.

I also practice many of the habits mentioned above; keeping track of vehicles around me, spending as much time in the right-most lane as possible, surrounding myself with as much air as I can find, keeping away from demonstratively erratic or violent drivers...
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Old 02-04-2015, 06:30 PM   #19
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My truck has a large flat mirror for wide angle rear viewing and a lower, smaller convex mirror that I use for seeing what's right next to me [back] and lane changing, per side.
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Old 02-06-2015, 06:04 AM   #20
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One thing about outside mirrors that I refuse to have is the turn signal indicator in the mirror surface. When making a turn at night with your turn signal on, you can't see what is behind you due to the flashing turn signal blinding you. I will never ever have this option on an outside mirror in a tow vehicle. If it has to be there based on manufacturer option packages, I will cut the power wire. My current truck did not have tow mirrors when I bought it and it had the in mirror chevrons. I sold these mirrors and replaced them with towing mirrors without the in mirror indicators. It does have the flashing indication on the far outside of the mirror that is invisible to the driver.
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