Math profs driver's-side mirror: no blind spot

[HeyBub]

"A side-by-side comparison of a standard flat driver's side mirror with the mirror designed by Dr. R. Andrew Hicks, mathematics professor at Drexel University. With minimal distortion, Hicks's mirror shows a much wider field of view. Hicks's mirror has a field of view of about 45 degrees, compared to

15 to 17 degrees of view in a flat mirror."

Math: Is there anything it can't do?

Of course it is illegal for the mirror to be installed by a car manufacturer.

I blame the mirror lobby.

[dpb]

On 6/8/2012 8:43 AM, HeyBub wrote: ...

Nonsense...it's in the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Admin) regulations owing to the classic distortion problem--at one time the wide-angle mirrors that are now permissible/used on the right-hand side of passenger vehicles (w/ the mandatory annotation as noted in the article) were allowed but it was discovered that the depth compression they caused was causing many to underestimate the distance to a car/object and so they were limited to the non-driver's side and the warning required. I don't recall just when and didn't look it up but it would likely have been in the 60s or so if my memory is roughly chronologically correct--it seems to me it was the '58 Chevy 1/2T I remember that had the wide-angle mirror on both sides.

At some point, NHTSA will evaluate the new technology and likely approve a set of standards for apparent distortion and update the requirements if it seems to really be workable solution.

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[Harry K]

I blame some numb nuts for getting that same system standard on the right side mirror. One CANNOT judge how far back a vehicle is in those abortions of mirrors. The Europeans have had a far better system for years. Standard flat mirror with a "wide view" portion on the outer third.

When I look in a mirror I want to know WHERE a vehicle is, not that one is there somewhere.

Harry K

[Han]

Harry K wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Have to second the compliments of the European mirrors. The outer third of the driver's side mirror is a wide angle mirror, so you have the best of both worlds. Takes minutes to get used to, if you're a slow learner.

[DerbyDad03]

[e-mail]:

Slap one of these on your US based car and you'll feel like you're in Europe. Just stay on the right side of the street. ;-)