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Integrated Blind Spot Mirrors


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Great thread - 7 pages, WOW! and the new mirror is a badly needed improvement so I plan to get one.

 

But as a Brit who only lives in US part-time I am amused that all this discussion about looking over shoulders and such is necessary. In the rest of the world cars have convex mirrors on both sides and there isn't an issue. Quite why US legislation has insisted on a flat mirror on the driver's side is a mystery, given the blind spot problem that it creates.

 

It is obvious that cars are closer than they appear, but at least they do appear!! Better to pull out in front of another car than pull into the side of it.

 

Enough of the rant! It's not the fault of the EDGE fraternity, and congratulations to Ford on coming up with an elegant (and legal) solution.

 

I drive a Diesel VW Touareg in England but I love my Edge here and reckon it's an under-rated car - every bit as good as the VW and much less expensive.

 

thanks to all site contributors for many useful tips - happy holidays

 

Cheers, Andy

 

PS I fitted simple D-rings from Ace Hardware to the trunk floor and used the cargo net from my Escape - works great.

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looks like the MKX's are coming out next model year. Likely more bugs to work out with the autodimming glass that goes on MKX. Agree if convex were legal in US, probably wouldn't have these. Like the mirrors, but probably wouldn't spend $80 for them..maybe $50...most of it for the driver side since not sure how much more I'm seeing on passsenger side

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Kirby

With the use of a blind spot mirror you can get a "bigger picture" at just one glance. As a professional driver for 30+ years I would say every vehicle has some degree of blind spots. Yes moving and turning your head may reduce those blind spots but using a blind spot mirror enables you to see the possible "danger" quicker then having to change your driving position by turning and or moving your head. My tractor trailer has less blind spots then my personal vehicle because of the amount of blind spot mirrors I have installed on it (5) not counting the large west coast mirrors on either door. My only true blind spot on my truck is directly behind the trailer which could be lessened by putting a backup camera there

To each their own

 

tpm, you may have been driving for more than 30+ years but let me tell you that he is right, and you have been using your mirrors setup wrong (the same way I was for 15+ years)

Nothing wrong on that, as we all have been told to try to see the back door handle, blah, blah, blah...but that is not the right way to set up the mirrors, and he is not talking of turning your head, which is indeed dangerous, he is talking of turning the mirrors out, setting them properly.

 

Now, is it easy to adjust yourself to watch the mirrors that way? No, it is not.

Now, is it achievable? Yes, it is...I did.

 

Even while I would like to have these nice ones installed from factory, unfortunately this never happen, I do not see myself spending $80.00+ on a couple of mirrors that I could not even install properly as my vehicle do not support heated mirrors, so I got a couple of cheap round ones that do the job nicely, placed them on the corners, later on set them mirrors the right way, and period. And right now I use them mainly just to see the curbs while parking. I also found that to adjusting the right way the mirrors, will give you no blind spot at all.

Here are some tips on how to do it properly, not saying that to get used to that setup is easy, after being driving for years using the method we were told to use to set them, but eventually you will get used to it, and do not need the blind spots ones (I'm just trying to get an excuse on not to get them, OK?...LOL... :shades:)

 

Here are a couple of more links that will show you the same, and will take you to get similar results:

 

http://www.linquist.net/motorsports/tech/mirrors/

 

http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive...to/4234574.html

 

http://www.motorists.org/blog/how-to-adjus...e-view-mirrors/

Edited by Kanatronic
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Kanatronic

 

I tried the new "proper" mirror adjustments some time ago. As with everything there is some give and take. On highway driving they do indeed eliminate the blind spots but you lose checking your lane markings and when backing they are not practical. As I mentioned earlier I do have a neck injury so I do need my side mirrors for backing. I find using the additional convex mirrors gives me the tools I need. So in most respects you are correct but for me, I prefer convex mirrors. I have a lease and I'm hoping by 2010 they will have a backup camera as an option for the Edge

 

Happy Holidays

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Kanatronic

 

I tried the new "proper" mirror adjustments some time ago. As with everything there is some give and take. On highway driving they do indeed eliminate the blind spots but you lose checking your lane markings and when backing they are not practical. As I mentioned earlier I do have a neck injury so I do need my side mirrors for backing. I find using the additional convex mirrors gives me the tools I need. So in most respects you are correct but for me, I prefer convex mirrors. I have a lease and I'm hoping by 2010 they will have a backup camera as an option for the Edge

 

Happy Holidays

 

I understand your point, and trust me that even with no injury, is not easy to get used to them, I would say that is a real PITA, that is why on top, I use a convex small ones as well. Mainly for the same purpose you mentioned, to see the lines and also for parking purposes, I need to see the curbs to avoid damaging the rims.

As a side note, let em tell you that you can still use the mirror even set that way for backing, what I did was that I got an intermediate position between what they told me to do, and what we were used to, some kind of an hybrid solution, you do not get the optimal blind spot removal, let's say that you will get 90% of it, but you do not loose all the visibility you have with the side mirrors while you adjust them the "wrong" way...Just try them and see if this can be of any help in your case...

 

Happy Holidays guys!!!!

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tpm, you may have been driving for more than 30+ years but let me tell you that he is right, and you have been using your mirrors setup wrong (the same way I was for 15+ years)

Nothing wrong on that, as we all have been told to try to see the back door handle, blah, blah, blah...but that is not the right way to set up the mirrors, and he is not talking of turning your head, which is indeed dangerous, he is talking of turning the mirrors out, setting them properly.

 

Now, is it easy to adjust yourself to watch the mirrors that way? No, it is not.

Now, is it achievable? Yes, it is...I did.

 

Even while I would like to have these nice ones installed from factory, unfortunately this never happen, I do not see myself spending $80.00+ on a couple of mirrors that I could not even install properly as my vehicle do not support heated mirrors, so I got a couple of cheap round ones that do the job nicely, placed them on the corners, later on set them mirrors the right way, and period. And right now I use them mainly just to see the curbs while parking. I also found that to adjusting the right way the mirrors, will give you no blind spot at all.

Here are some tips on how to do it properly, not saying that to get used to that setup is easy, after being driving for years using the method we were told to use to set them, but eventually you will get used to it, and do not need the blind spots ones (I'm just trying to get an excuse on not to get them, OK?...LOL... :shades:)

 

Here are a couple of more links that will show you the same, and will take you to get similar results:

 

http://www.linquist.net/motorsports/tech/mirrors/

 

http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive...to/4234574.html

 

http://www.motorists.org/blog/how-to-adjus...e-view-mirrors/

 

this 'proper setup' conversation was all covered about 3-4-5 pages ago...

 

clearly, people here want to do this mod.

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  • 1 month later...
I've had a few near misses. It seems as though I can see way behind me & I start to change lanes & someone is almost beside me. I've tried moving the mirror out some. This helps but still could be better. I'd love to get a pair of those mirrors.

 

Read this carefully. It has saved my ass many times. Do NOT adjust your mirrors so you can see the side of your vehicle from driving position!!!

 

Read the article. Look at the diagrams.

 

http://www.hanselman.com/blog/HowToAdjustY...d3Monitors.aspx

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Read this carefully. It has saved my ass many times. Do NOT adjust your mirrors so you can see the side of your vehicle from driving position!!!

 

Read the article. Look at the diagrams.

 

http://www.hanselman.com/blog/HowToAdjustY...d3Monitors.aspx

 

I agree. You need not worry about seeing your door handles in the mirror....the lanes are more important

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Read this carefully. It has saved my ass many times. Do NOT adjust your mirrors so you can see the side of your vehicle from driving position!!!

 

Read the article. Look at the diagrams.

 

http://www.hanselman.com/blog/HowToAdjustY...d3Monitors.aspx

 

Already tried that, but most here don't want to hear it. The only people who have blind spots are the ones who don't adjust their mirrors properly and who don't glance over their shoulder.

 

I like the mirrors and the concept, I just don't agree that they're necessary to prevent accidents.

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 3 months later...
Hello,

 

im having same troubles here.. any inputs would be great!

 

Thanks!

The mirror glass with a blindspot mirror is relatively cheap, easy to retrofit (if youread the posts fully)and works well. Saves a lot of aggravation and close calls! If not sure, start with the driver's side first. That's the worst blind spot IMO.

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this 'proper setup' conversation was all covered about 3-4-5 pages ago...

 

clearly, people here want to do this mod.

 

Clearly there are toher people here that are entilted to a different opinion, and what I do see is that clearly people want to waste money, and clearly there is here, enough people with a bunch of spare money to waste, as IIRC the price is around $89.00 per mirror. They are nice, I would like to have had them installed as stock, but unfortunatelly they came out one year after, and of course I will not pay $180.00 for two mirrors unless they broke on an accident...not even untlaexpensive antique mirrors, hand made and imported from Italy cost that much...

 

There is no doubt that "Money and time are the heaviest burdens of life, and the unhappiest ones, are those who have more of either than they know how to use"... :redcard:

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Clearly there are toher people here that are entilted to a different opinion, and what I do see is that clearly people want to waste money, and clearly there is here, enough people with a bunch of spare money to waste, as IIRC the price is around $89.00 per mirror. They are nice, I would like to have had them installed as stock, but unfortunatelly they came out one year after, and of course I will not pay $180.00 for two mirrors unless they broke on an accident...not even untlaexpensive antique mirrors, hand made and imported from Italy cost that much...

 

There is no doubt that "Money and time are the heaviest burdens of life, and the unhappiest ones, are those who have more of either than they know how to use"... :redcard:

 

 

Everyone is entitled to their opinions..... even stupid ones

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  • 3 months later...

I just wanted to thank everyone who contributed to this thread. The same procedure works for replacing 2009 Lincoln MKS mirrors that have been revised for 2010 to include a blind spot view.

 

The only thing I found to be more amazing than its simplicity was how fixated it someone seemed to be on making sure everyone knew how silly and unnecessary an idea he thought it was. I got the general idea after the the first 20-or-so times it was mentioned.

 

Wouldn't it have been easier to stick a header post on each page reading "akirby thinks this is unnecessary and anyone who prefers the new mirror just doesn't know how to position their mirror or want to look over his shoulder" so all the others who prefer the new design could think to themselves "Fine. I want/like it anyway" without it getting in the way of the useful how-to information?

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Wouldn't it have been easier to stick a header post on each page reading "akirby thinks this is unnecessary and anyone who prefers the new mirror just doesn't know how to position their mirror or want to look over his shoulder" so all the others who prefer the new design could think to themselves "Fine. I want/like it anyway" without it getting in the way of the useful how-to information?

 

Great idea!

 

Seriously - the only thing I object to is implying that you can't see what's in your "blind spot" without these mirrors which is totally untrue.

 

I will try to stay out of future mod discussions since you modders obviously don't want to hear anything that disparages a potential mod.

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I will try to stay out of future mod discussions

cool, works for me

 

since you modders obviously don't want to hear anything that disparages a potential mod.

 

not true.. it is just that across the board you dog on "mods" people do. You always find a way to criticize them or clown them later in some manor, no matter what the mod or potential mod idea, you poo poo it - you never saw a mod you liked, or if so, never mentioned it here. And, when you do disagree, which is nearly every time frankly, it comes across as a condemnation more than just a friendly alternate opinion or useful perspective of an issue the mod needs to consider.

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Great idea!

 

Seriously - the only thing I object to is implying that you can't see what's in your "blind spot" without these mirrors which is totally untrue.

 

I will try to stay out of future mod discussions since you modders obviously don't want to hear anything that disparages a potential mod.

It's good to have a devil's advocate. Mods are sometimes difficult and not always worth the cost. Nevertheless, just last Friday that little mirror disclosed a car I missed in spite of taking great care. It's standard on '09's and up for good reason.

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It's good to have a devil's advocate. Mods are sometimes difficult and not always worth the cost. Nevertheless, just last Friday that little mirror disclosed a car I missed in spite of taking great care. It's standard on '09's and up for good reason.

 

I never said they were bad or shouldn't be installed. It's not bad to have a backup in case you forget to glance over your shoulder or your mirrors are not aimed to cover more of the blind spot.

 

My point was that you don't NEED these mirrors to see what's in your blind spot. Some people imply that as justification for adding them and that's the part I don't like. I was just pointing out that there is an option to re-aim your mirrors to almost eliminate the blind spot that most people don't know about. I also understand that it comes across as criticism so I'll try to refrain from commenting.

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It is if you add "and glance over your shoulder". But I digress.......

 

Dude, get the OCD checked, no need to badger, you made a valid point now check the meds...Your right but try not to respond compulsively.

I want these cause they are easier and don't have to worry about someone moving your mirror a bit, still should catch something out of the corner of your eye.

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Dude, get the OCD checked, no need to badger, you made a valid point now check the meds...Your right but try not to respond compulsively.

I want these cause they are easier and don't have to worry about someone moving your mirror a bit, still should catch something out of the corner of your eye.

 

Stop being so sensitive. If you want the mirrors then install them. I have nothing against them or against anyone who wants to install them. I'll probably get them on my next vehicle if they're available.

 

It is also a fact that you can adjust your mirrors to totally eliminate or almost eliminate the blind spot and you should always glance over your shoulder before changing lanes whether you have blind spot detection or not.

 

Now can we all move forward?

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