At fault for accident?

facade

zagfles wrote: »

If you've got a blind spot big enough to hide a car then your mirrors are seriously badly adjusted!

Oh oh, accident ready to happen :eek:


Believe me, if you never look over your shoulder before changing lanes one day you will find out that you have one.



https://www.drivingtesttips.biz/car-blind-spot.html


I can just see both back corners of my car in the side mirrors, and behind with the interior mirror, and I still look first.

zagfles

facade wrote: »

Oh oh, accident ready to happen :eek:


Believe me, if you never look over your shoulder before changing lanes one day you will find out that you have one.



https://www.drivingtesttips.biz/car-blind-spot.html


I can just see both back corners of my car in the side mirrors, and behind with the interior mirror, and I still look first.

Well, I've driven maybe 500k miles over 35 years, probably most of it on motorways, and never shoulder check. Paste of a post I did a few years ago:

Checking over your shoulder can be dangerous and unnecessary if you've adjusted your wing mirrors correctly. If you can see the side of your car, they are far too far in and you'll have a massive blind spot. It's pointless having a big overlap between the rear view mirror and the side mirrors just because you want to check the side of your car is still there.

If your mirrors are adjusted properly then an overtaking motorbike or car should always be in view, first in your rear view mirror, then your side mirror, then in your peripheral vision while looking at the side mirror. Check this next time a motorbike overtakes you. Or start by checking with an overtaking car - if you've got a car-sized blind spot your mirrors are ridiculously badly adjusted!

See http://www.caranddriver.com/features...id-blind-spots

http://www.cartalk.com/content/avoiding-blind-spot-5

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBj89kyTvWo

(US sites so swap right and left!)

facade

My apologies to you, you must be one of the few drivers in the country who have them adjusted "properly" to avoid a blind spot.


I, like most people, adjust mine to see the corners of my car so I don't smash them into things when trying to reverse. Your linked article says how disorienting and "difficult" the SAE "proper" adjustment is to get used to.




Sticking to the thread, I find it easier to assume that the OP moved across the front of a vehicle that was in a blind spot, than to assume the other vehicle shot out of the exit as the OP passed and rammed the rear quarter, which is probably what the insurer thinks too.

Geodark

facade wrote: »

Oh oh, accident ready to happen :eek:


Believe me, if you never look over your shoulder before changing lanes one day you will find out that you have one.



https://www.drivingtesttips.biz/car-blind-spot.html


I can just see both back corners of my car in the side mirrors, and behind with the interior mirror, and I still look first.

A few years ago I did my CBT and bought a motorbike and that totally changed the way I drive - looking over the shoulder instead of relying only on the mirrors - the lifesavers they call it in motorcycling terms.

Packed the bike in though as after a couple of years it seemed like everyone was out to get me haha. nearly got knocked off a good dozen times.

NBLondon

zagfles wrote: »

Well, I've driven maybe 500k miles over 35 years, probably most of it on motorways, and never shoulder check.

Me neither - only the last minute over the right shoulder check when joining from a slip road

If your mirrors are adjusted properly then an overtaking motorbike or car should always be in view, first in your rear view mirror, then your side mirror, then in your peripheral vision while looking at the side mirror.

Agree - that's how I have my door mirrors - to watch for vehicles in the adjacent lanes. Maybe it's because I'm old enough to have been taught to reverse by turning round and looking backwards if necessary.

Sea_Shell

On a motorway, the over the shoulder check is even more crucial if moving into middle lane, to check that another car isn't coming back from 3 into 2. You'd not see that coming in your mirrors.

Car_54

NBLondon wrote: »

Agree - that's how I have my door mirrors - to watch for vehicles in the adjacent lanes. Maybe it's because I'm old enough to have been taught to reverse by turning round and looking backwards if necessary.

1. You don't need to be old, it's still taught that way.

2. When is it not necessary?

zagfles

NBLondon wrote: »

Me neither - only the last minute over the right shoulder check when joining from a slip road

Depends on the angle, some slip roads are pretty similar to changing lane so I just use mirrors, I only need to shoulder check (or look right) on slip roads that come in at a bit of an angle.

Agree - that's how I have my door mirrors - to watch for vehicles in the adjacent lanes. Maybe it's because I'm old enough to have been taught to reverse by turning round and looking backwards if necessary.

In my Mondeo reversing is a right PITA whether using mirrors or looking back. If there's a passenger I send them out to guide me :rotfl:Next car I'm having those rear view cameras.

zagfles

Sea_Shell wrote: »

On a motorway, the over the shoulder check is even more crucial if moving into middle lane, to check that another car isn't coming back from 3 into 2. You'd not see that coming in your mirrors.

I'd be indicating well before pulling out, so a car behind me in lane 3 wouldn't be pulling into lane 2 when a car in lane 1 is indicating right. If they were level I'd see them in my peripheral vision.

zagfles

Geodark wrote: »

A few years ago I did my CBT and bought a motorbike and that totally changed the way I drive - looking over the shoulder instead of relying only on the mirrors - the lifesavers they call it in motorcycling terms.

Packed the bike in though as after a couple of years it seemed like everyone was out to get me haha. nearly got knocked off a good dozen times.

I've made a point (and do with any new car I'm driving) to check I can see overtaking motorbikes, and motorbikes I'm overtaking, in the mirrors at all stages of the overtake.

I did once get my wife to walk around the car and check I could see her everywhere, there was a small blind spot just behind the rear offside corner where it's just about possible a motorbike could hide, but on a motorway I don't expect any motorbike would be stupid enough to be a few inches from my rear on white lines rather than in a lane! In any case, that's a blind spot looking over my shoulder, so wouldn't help. I can see that spot in the mirror if I just move my head a little to the right, which I'll do on an ordinary road if I'm pulling out etc in case there's a bike there.