About Us

Mirrors - What are they for? 01-09-2008

How many mirrors have you got in your car? I don't know your car but my guess is at least 3. That's the legal requirement: One rear view mirror and 2 side mirrors. They are for your protection. Supplementary mirrors, magnifying or wide angle ones protect you too.

You might also have vanity mirrors. They are there for looking at yourself when you are either stationary or not driving. So, do you know how your mirrors protect you? Well, it is not just by being there. It happens when you use them, so use them often (6 seconds): Check the centre, flat mirror for what is behind you. Knowing that there is a vehicle behind you helps you determine how safe you are in an emergency. How far away the following vehicle is helps you determine how big a gap you must leave to the car infront of you. If the following car is close, leave a longer gap to the car infront so you have more time to decide what to do. Check the side mirrors when you are changing course, the right mirror when moving to the right, the left mirror when moving to the left. If you see Bob (boy on bike) on the left then you need to be careful not to knock him over. Or Tom (trouble on a motorbike - sorry bikers!) and you certainly don't want to cut across their path. If you don’t see them, you’re in trouble and they might be hurt. For the side mirrors, remember that they are convex mirrors and objects look further away than they are so overtaking vehicles may pass you sooner than you expect. Using the side mirror to judge the distance to a vehicle you plan to pull infront of is not enough on its own as it will look further away than it is, so check over your shoulder too. Check your mirrors at every hazard that will make you change speed, up or down, or direction; Mirror-Signal-Manoeuvre. When you are stationary and vulnerable, waiting to cross a junction, sat at traffic lights or bringing up the back of a queue, check your mirrors. They warn you of coming dangers. Emergency vehicles sometimes pop up in them so move over to let them pass. Use your mirror in pairs and use them often. What else do they tell you? Before you set off, they will help you see the doors are shut properly. Check the line of the car. They can help guide your position in the road. A quick glance in the left or right mirrors will help you line up properly. Don’t spend too long looking in them though because most important is what is in front and deer appear out of no-where. They help you park, again protecting your valuable alloy wheels. Don’t just use your mirrors though. Remember the blind spot? Well if there is a car or pedestrian in the blind spot your mirrors will miss them and you might run them down too! For the ultra observant you can also use the mirrors in other cars. If you see a quick flash of the eyes of the driver infront in his mirror, it tells you he has seen you. And as you pass parked cars, if you see an occupant about to throw open the door you can take defensive action. So there you are, 10 reasons for using your mirrors. Use them in pairs and use them often.