[wildsdi5530]

ORVMs are useful only if you keep switching lanes, scare 2-wheelers by driving too close to them, or have people riding your slipstream. I still feel the usefulness of the ORVM is in judging whether you're going to be hit or missed. If used for normal driving, then you're driving too packed for comfort.
Remember that convex ORVMs cannot be used to judge distance or speed accurately. The progression of both is exponential.
A small illustration.

[RajaTaurus]

^^ I beg to disagree. Convex mirrors can be used to judge speed better than plain mirrors. In convex mirror the image enlarges slowly as the car behind approaches you, enabling you to judge the speed. Plain mirror enlarges the image very fast (Exponentially) the image becomes from too small to too large within fraction of a second, you fail to judge the speed. "Better seen through the window"?? Well, then we don't need ORVMs on the right side at all!

[gavinimurthy]

Plain/plane mirrors won't enlarge the image. They show you the actuals, in terms of distance as well as size.

Murthy

[manjith_pm]

I always set my mirror in such away that the tail of the car is seen at the inner edge of the ORVM and my settings do change from City to Highways and also depends on the terrain.
In case of Proper roads Its normal where as in not so good roads and slow speed roads thru villages where there is no heavy vehicle movement i slightly also position my mirror a little bit tilting down so that my underchasis doesn't get hit and i can maneuver so that the car isn't damaged.Sometimes even When i'm going over large speed breakers i try to this and have found it useful so that i can make the rubbing at the bottom as less as possible.

But I really think I at times get a little distracted by seeing what's happening at the back.I do understand this could be alarming and I really wanna stop myself from making this mistake.Have any of you experienced a similar situation and have come out of the habit.

[suhaas307]

Originally Posted by wildsdi5530

ORVMs are useful only if you keep switching lanes, scare 2-wheelers by driving too close to them, or have people riding your slipstream. I still feel the usefulness of the ORVM is in judging whether you're going to be hit or missed. If used for normal driving, then you're driving too packed for comfort.
Remember that convex ORVMs cannot be used to judge distance or speed accurately. The progression of both is exponential.
A small illustration.

You must be joking!

In a country like India where people constantly switch lanes and don't follow traffic rules, ORVMs are a safety-feature of sorts. ORVMs, you say, are useful only in judging whether you'll be hit or missed? I don't understand that logic.

ORVMs give you an idea as to what's around you whereas the regular internal-mirror just gives you a view of your slipstream and nothing else! You need to know what's around you constantly, especially when people can catch you by surprise by suddenly speeding up when you want to switch to the other lane or take a turn.

Don't go so much into detail about the concavity or convexity! All that doesn't matter in the real world when you need to just give your ORVMs a glance so as to negotiate and prepare yourself for a rash-driver who's probably approaching you at uncomfortable speeds.

And what do you mean normal-driving doesn't require you to use your ORVMs and in that case, you're driving too packed for comfort? Have you never driven in India?

[mykal shoemaker]

I'm really surprised to see that still some TBHPians drive without OVRMS or don't care about it. Its basically due to our "chalta hai" attitude.
Similar way,most of our drivers never care to look for the traffic, when entering into a highway/main road from side lines.

In foreign countires, you won't get a license, if you turn your head over shoulder to see the road or traffic.

You have to practice driving using the 3 mirrors.

Unless you do that,you are poising danger to the fellow drivers.

[samish_g]

Originally Posted by wildsdi5530

Considering that I drive on highways most of the time, the ORVMs are not very useful. They produce a smaller image (Objects in the mirror are closer than they are). The blind spots you talk about, left fender, doors, rear fender and right rear fender. I do not drive without atleast a 2 feet gap on the sides. Maybe in city traffic, where you spend more time traveling sideways than forwards, and where clearences are in micrometers, the ORVMs can tell you whether you're going to knock the two-wheeler off or get dented by the bus.
My principle is that if you can see a vehicle clearly in the ORVM, he is too close for comfort.
And no I never fold my ORVMs, they are useful in surreptiously checking out the scenery when parked.;-)

I drive daily for about 60 Kms on highways and 10 Kms on city roads. Even on highways, the ORVMs are indispensable. Before changing lanes, we cannot depend only on the IRVMs to take a judgement. It is indeed dangerous to depend only on the IRVM on the highways
Of course in parked condition, it doubles up for a scenery check

[taranonline]

driven on kangaroo roads for less than two years, and also recommended by state transport authority.

Good position for mirrors is that you should see your rear door handle.. if you drive a 4 door car . pic attached.

[gavinimurthy]

Originally Posted by manjith_pm

But I really think I at times get a little distracted by seeing what's happening at the back.I do understand this could be alarming and I really wanna stop myself from making this mistake.Have any of you experienced a similar situation and have come out of the habit.

You need to see the ORVMs only when you intend to swerve to right or left. As long as you intend to drive straight, look ahead, with an occassional glance towards the inner rare view mirror.

I understand what you mean and you can master the correct technique by a little practice.

Murthy

[joybhowmik]

ORVMs are a necessity not only for offering a good look of either side of the car - but also for protection for the paintwork . Errant bikes, cycles etc which try to squeeze past at a red light usually give a wider berth to the car if its ORVMs are extended.

[taranonline]

Originally Posted by gavinimurthy

You need to see the ORVMs only when you intend to swerve to right or left. As long as you intend to drive straight, look ahead, with an occassional glance towards the inner rare view mirror.

I understand what you mean and you can master the correct technique by a little practice.

Murthy

thats incorrect.. we can say that you are a unsafe driver... you dont need the irvm but the orvm's at most of the time.

[gavinimurthy]

I never said that you don't need ORVMs. If you keep looking at OVRMs all the time, you will not be observing attentively what is happening in front of you. You must strike a balance between these two.

Did you read the thread in full? I was replying to the specific query rised by Manjith.

Murthy

[vivekz]

Interesting thread. Nice to know that various nuances associated with the often mundane considered aspect of driving.

I grew up in a Tier-2 city and thats where I learnt my driving. In such cities, it is a rare practice for anyone to use the ORVM, reason being that the traffic is slow, lane is non-existent( u get a single lane or at max double lane for each direction without a cemented divider). Add to that the two-wheelers, autos and cycle-rickshaw driving within inches of you. It is impossible to predict their direction of movement as they just try to fit into whatever space is available.

In such a situation, ORVM serves no other purpose other than getting scratched. However, I completely agree with their usability in the larger metros where traffic is must faster and lane switching happens very often.

I had a problem adjusting to the use of ORVM initially, especially the left one ( as my father's M800 on which I learnt driving had only right ORVM, which I used on highways). But once you adjust to its use, it not only helps you have a better control while driving, it also hastens your progress in the traffic by helping you switch lanes without looking over your shoulders everytime (its the case with using only IRVM).

I feel that the nature of traffic where one learnt driving highly affects the use of ORVMs and my guess is this is why there is a difference of opinions between people on this thread.

[wildsdi5530]

Originally Posted by taranonline

Good position for mirrors is that you should see your rear door handle.. if you drive a 4 door car . pic attached.

I would think that the bus and ?van seen in the pic are better seen in the IRVM. and the SUV that you've just overtaken, any particular reason to see him?

[taranonline]

Originally Posted by wildsdi5530

I would think that the bus and ?van seen in the pic are better seen in the IRVM. and the SUV that you've just overtaken, any particular reason to see him?

This is the correct position.. you too try it on the highway. you guys will feel much safer.. also head check is necessary when changing lanes... because there is a blind spot, when the approaching vehicle is near the b pillar.