Quote:
Originally Posted by MandarMax ...I find some of the replies rather shocking...
I don't want to offend anyone, but I think it is not a question of habit or not being used to the side view mirrors...
there are blind spots even when using the rear and both the side view mirrors....It is really important for everyone's safety. |
I am in complete agreement.
There is a common misconception, being blithely propagated here in this thread, that in the 'good old days' wing mirrors were not needed and the inside RVM was enough.
I am in my mid '50's driving on public roads since 1972/73, and I can assure all people of these modern days that this is a
False notion!
True, cars in those days were not equipped with wing mirrors, not even as an option, but that does not mean that the inside RVM was always enough. There were certainly times when it wasn't enough, and the only way out was, as you have very correctly said,
the head check. Or, a solution just as common: the driver would ask the passengers to take a "dekko" behind and give the driver the 'all clear'.
Another excuse for not using ORVM's, which was posted somewhere on this thread, is that the person did not use the ORVM's because of likelihood of damage! Really, no intention to offend, but I consider this weird coming from senior members of T-BHp.
I have had left and right ORVM's since 1995 with my first new gen car, the M800; followed by Esteem, Accent, Ikon, and Fiesta, in that order.
All my cars post 1995 have had both ORVM's always open while driving. Not because I'm a great driver, but simply because it is required.
In these 16 years, I have lost 3 ORVM's.
First, my Esteem which was valet parked at Hotel Gateway on Residency Road, was returned to me in a badly damaged condition. Not only the mirror, but the front fender too was badly side swiped. The valet said the car was hit by another while it was parked.
Second was my Accent, which was parked on a quiet street. A few young boys were playing on the road, and they had pulled out the mirror from the housing. I couldn't judge if it was just vandalism or an accident, so I didn't say anything. But Hyundai guys fixed the mirror back in the housing with Araldite, at no cost! (But, that was not the official fix, this was a favour from the SA.)
Third, in Coimbatore in 2005, my Ikon was hit by an idiot motorcycle rider while I was turning right at a junction with my right indicator flashing. The guy's excuse, "Sorry Sir, I didn't see your indicator". At 9.30 pm!
16 years and three lost mirrors. Even at 800 bucks a pop, that's worth keeping them open.
In case you didn't see this, I am linking my earlier post on RVM's and helmets in the 1970's, hope I'm not being immodest:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Damu ...Capitalson, here is my own take, from the 1970's...
I am nearly 56 years old... |
Quote:
Originally Posted by vina It may not be doing of a bad driver anyway - for example a bike might have been parked on the curb |
I agree to this too. I can give my own example.
In my club, I frequently see some cars parked in a cock-eyed manner, usually the big or fancy ones. Such times I search for another slot where I can park correctly. But, when the parking is full, I have no choice but to slide my car in the available slot, also in the same cock-eyed manner as the car next to me, because that's all the space I have. Now, when the car next to me has moved out, it would appear that I have parked stupidly. Some passing guy might think, "Sheesh! A Fiesta 'S', and the guy can't park for nuts!'.
And if a TBHP shutterbug happens to take a pic of that I would look like a complete idiot, wouldn't I? See my point?
Some discretion is advisable here.
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