Motorway changing lane protocol (lemm.ee)

submitted 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) by SyntaxSage@lemm.ee to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world

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This has probably come up before but do you think it is taught or necessary to look over your shoulder to check blindspot when changing lanes on the motorway?

I just need to add an edit. I'm specifically referring to looking over your shoulder on a motorway. Checking mirrors and blindspot is not under question

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[-] JWBananas@lemmy.world -1 points 4 days ago

Depending on your mirror configuration, you can often check those blind spots in the mirrors themselves by just leaning your body forward.

[-] AA5B@lemmy.world 6 points 4 days ago

I was also taught not to do that. Sure, you should adjust your mirrors to minimize blind spots, but you should still always look over your shoulder before changing lanes to make sure you didn’t miss anything

[-] JWBananas@lemmy.world -2 points 4 days ago

You were taught not to physically lean forward? I was literally taught that in a state driver's education course. It takes your eyes off the road for less time than turning around. You can see your blind spots just fine like that.

[-] AA5B@lemmy.world 5 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

I was taught to always use all means for checking, to never assume the mirrors are correct and especially never assume you can see everywhere that way.

Of course now that I have 360° cameras, that seems silly. At this point my car has a lot of features but my kids are new drivers so I feel like I Have to act as if some features are not there to set an example for them. Chances are very good they’ll have starter cars without 360° cameras and their habits need to be safe with that

[-] Grimm665@lemm.ee 2 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

Can confirm. For the curious: wing mirrors should be set wider than you might think. You shouldn't see any part of your car in each one, you should only see what's in the lanes next to you. Someone walking behind your car should appear in one wing mirror, then your rear view, then the other wing mirror, and not in any two of them at the same time.

Still, I glance over my shoulder when changing lanes :)

[-] JWBananas@lemmy.world 3 points 4 days ago

It sounds like you are describing the Car Talk method.

https://www.cartalk.com/sites/default/files/features/mirrors/CarTalkMirrors.pdf

I used to do that too. Then I started parking by backing in, frequently (a dozen or more times per day), and found that being able to see the rear corners of my vehicle in the mirrors was infinitely more useful.

[-] mlaga97@lemmy.mlaga97.space 2 points 4 days ago

I use a pair of small (2"x2" maybe) cheap adjustable adhesive parabolic mirrors, one at the outer bottom corner of each side view mirror and angled down towards the rear wheels for this purpose.

That way they are there for backing in or lining up the back of the vehicle pulling in, but the main mirrors can be aimed better for general use.

[-] JWBananas@lemmy.world 1 points 4 days ago

Thanks! That is a great reminder to go hunt for the still new-in-package ones I bought for exactly that purpose a few years ago.

this post was submitted on 02 Jan 2025

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