Driver-side mirrors on non-US/CDN car

[Kar98]

I'm pretty sure that the law in the US and Canada doesn't allow driver side mirrors with optical effects like on the passenger side, as evidenced by the fact that passenger side mirrors are required to bear the warning about objects in mirror being closer than they appear.

I'm also pretty sure that I've had cars in Europe with driver side mirrors that had less of a dead spot than North American models, at the cost of the contents of the mirror being reduced in size.

The dead spot in the driver side mirror of my Yaris is deader and larger than any other I've had so far, including a full-sized Chevy van. Does anybody know if the mirror on mainland EU models is curved, or flat like in the US? Has anybody tried getting some for use in the US?

[SilverSquash!]

sup dude, i have the same problem with my mirror. over here we refer to it as the blindspot where you are unable to see a car coming up alongside you. All i can advise is to do what i did. Get some small blindspot mirrors preferably onez that adjust like mine (check my build) and before changing lanes,always look over your shoulder to check for approaching vehicles

[Kar98]

I meant blind spot ;) got my languages mixed up: toter Winkel (dead angle) in German = blind spot in English.

And yeah, I always check.

[bairjo]

Originally Posted by SilverSquash!

sup dude, i have the same problem with my mirror. over here we refer to it as the blindspot where you are unable to see a car coming up alongside you. All i can advise is to do what i did. Get some small blindspot mirrors preferably onez that adjust like mine (check my build) and before changing lanes,always look over your shoulder to check for approaching vehicles

Please provide the link to your "build". I'm one of those dumb fat Americans that require more info...but interested in what you have to say.

[SilverSquash!]

When i mean adjustable, i mean that they can rotate because the mirror is also angled.


http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/sho...691#post682691

[bairjo]

I had one of those..they are junk. Lost all of its ability to reflect in 6 months.

[CTScott]

I have a set of aftermarket mirror glass with LED turn signals under them. Both have the optical effect, providing the larger field of view. When I first installed them I thought it might be an issue, but it turns out to help significantly with the blind spot issue.

[SilverSquash!]

Okay i dont know about losing it's reflectiveness but its keeping me from sideswiping anyone and that's all that matters.

@CTScott: where did you get them and can you please post a pic of them.

[CTScott]

Originally Posted by SilverSquash!

Okay i dont know about losing it's reflectiveness but its keeping me from sideswiping anyone and that's all that matters.

@CTScott: where did you get them and can you please post a pic of them.

They were a test set that Micro Image imported. The plastic backing part did not fit, so I just transferred the glass over.

[SilverSquash!]

Ahhaaaaaa...The led turn signals look pretty wicked i must say

[Kar98]

Originally Posted by CTScott

I have a set of aftermarket mirror glass with LED turn signals under them. Both have the optical effect, providing the larger field of view. When I first installed them I thought it might be an issue, but it turns out to help significantly with the blind spot issue.

Now the question is, where would we go to obtain such non flat driver side mirror glass? Order left hand mirror glass from the UK or South Africa (driver sits on the right)? Or, get left hand mirror glass from countries where they convex, less blind-spotty mirrors are legal?

[CTScott]

Originally Posted by Kar98

Now the question is, where would we go to obtain such non flat driver side mirror glass? Order left hand mirror glass from the UK or South Africa (driver sits on the right)? Or, get left hand mirror glass from countries where they convex, less blind-spotty mirrors are legal?

Perhaps Micro Image can import more sets of them. This is what the box looks like that they came in:

[jpmck03]

Originally Posted by Kar98

... The dead spot in the driver side mirror of my Yaris is deader and larger than any other I've had so far, including a full-sized Chevy van. Does anybody know if the mirror on mainland EU models is curved, or flat like in the US? Has anybody tried getting some for use in the US?

If your blind spot is that large, you also might want to reconsider how you have your side mirrors aligned. Probably easier and cheaper than sourcing convex driver's side mirrors.

Mine are set up like so:

(Closest overheadcar pic I could find that looks like a Yaris...)

My current set up leaves me with a small blind spot that no car can fit into. About the only thing that could be in my blind spot is an anorexic fashion model on a skateboard hanging off one of my tail lights.

[Kar98]

The LED mirrors seem excessive ;) I'd totally settle for getting just the replacement glass from a country where convex driver side mirrors are legal and paste it over the existing glass with double sided 3M tape.

And my mirrors are set up like that. There's still the fact that I'm staring at my door post when I'm turning my head to the left ;)
Nice picture though, if slightly incorrect. The right green range needs to be wider and the left one narrower, with the area blocked by the pillars blacked out.

[MadMax]

Lean forward...

[Kar98]

Well, what fun would THAT be?

[jpmck03]

Originally Posted by Kar98

... And my mirrors are set up like that. There's still the fact that I'm staring at my door post when I'm turning my head to the left ;) ...

Well, we can't have the whole side of the car as glass, now can we? The way I have things set up, I can definitely see a car that is in the little blind spot created by the B-pillar that's right over my shoulder.

Originally Posted by Kar98

... The right green range needs to be wider and the left one narrower, with the area blocked by the pillars blacked out.

I wasn't going to get that detailed with the width of each side mirror's viewing angle, because well, I don't know exactly how many degrees the viewing angle is for each.

The area blocked out by the C-pillars in the back? That's the red slivers right behind the tail lights...

[Kar98]

Originally Posted by jpmck03

Well, we can't have the whole side of the car as glass, now can we?

Ha! See, that's my first modern car, made in the same decade as I bought it, and still on sale in the same generation when I bought it.
And yeah, the Scirocco, the MkI and II VW Golfs, the 1990 Trooper, the E21 BMW, the '82 Renault (just the ones I've own that I can think of right now) ... it _was_ like sitting in cars made out of glass all the way around, with match-thick pillars.