Wing mirrors on cars

[tim...]

because no-ones tried that in court yet

tim

[Bob Eager]

A UK Ford. Never mind, the USA will catch up one day.

[tim...]

because they used to be on the wings, but when they moved the old name stuck

there are dozens of similar examples in UK English I could give you, surely there are some in US English too?

tim

[Roger Hayter]

I must admit I stopped calling them wing mirrors when they moved to doors about 50 years ago. In fact, during the transition period I used both terms for disambiguation. I haven't heard anyone under 70 call them wing mirrors for many years. Languages do change.

[Ash Burton]

Because manufacturers of cars made in LHD countries can't be bothered to change them over for the UK market perhaps?

[Tim Streater]

No, it's etched on the mirror to which it applies. Thinking more about it I suspect it actually said more like "things seen in this mirror look further way than they really are". The US drivers' side door mirror is *flat*, not *convex* so you wouldn't etch that on that one. The US passengers' side door mirror is *convex*, not *flat*, so that is where you *would* etch it.

Getting a clue, now, some of you?

We don't have this problem in the UK, since we tend not to put statements of the bleeding obvious on things [*]. Neither do we insist that the drivers' side door mirror be flat - that's the job of the inside rear-view mirror.

[*] although sadly the country is tending that way ever since no-win-no-fee lawyers came into existence.

[Davey]

I replied to uk.d-i-y, which is where I read it.

[Davey]

My memory of driving mostly GM cars in the US is that the curvy passenger mirror usually had two different curvatures, separated by a dotted line. This was to provide coverage of both the area along the side of the car, and also a broader view for a vehicles in adjacent lanes, seen in the outside section of the mirror. The idiot message was indeed etched into that mirror.

I found the whole idea useless and confusing.

[soup]

Shhh! Don't give them ideas.

[Bob Eager]

Strangely, that describes my driver's side mirror in the UK.

[Ed Pawlowski]

Cameras. Gotta have a camera. My new car has four of them so you can see all around. Split screen shows either the front or back depending on the gear, but it also give what looks like an overhead view using all the cameras. Parking anywhere is a breeze like that.

[Ed Pawlowski]

No, you replied to all the groups it was cross posted to. Pay attention to what you are doing before you hit "send"

[Ed Pawlowski]

You need a better car. Mine dip very well. At times I wish they came up a bit faster though on a curvy, hilly road.

[Davey]

That is indeed strange!

[Davey]

I replied to the group I read it on. Wherever else it goes is not my concern, that is due to the stupid OP.

[Nick Finnigan]

A 'wing' is a 'side' rather then a 'centre', as all football teams know.

[Clare Snyder]

Never seen that on a factory GM mirror - - -

[Clare Snyder]

Then you should "post to this news group only" and restrict your posting to the UK

[Clare Snyder]

Because they used to be mounted up on the front wing, and Britts have a hard time changing tradition in their speach. (and some Brit and JDM vehicles still DO have "wing" mirrors.)

[James Wilkinson Sword]

Because there aren't many groups it is related to.