If you can't see my mirrors - I can't see you

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  • Steve Scott
    Steve Scott Forum Participant Posts: 197
    100 Comments
    edited July 2016 #32

    my vehicle has van style mirrors and milenco ones wont fit, the caravan is quite narrow at 2.2 ish so the extra rear visibility afforded by extensions is Imo negligible

    Write your comments here...Hi spk the law is that if your towed vehicle is wider than the towing vehicle you need extention mirrors, and i don't know any cars that are over seven foot wide.Unless it's a van.

    Steve

  • dave the rave
    dave the rave Forum Participant Posts: 806
    500 Comments
    edited July 2016 #33

    I really do not understand why caravanners (and others) tow without being able to see what is going on behind them, especially on motorways.

    We have always (since 1971) used extended mirrors that hook onto the wing (beside the bonnet) and the wheel arch, this gives me an excellent view.

    On our recent trip some other tower even comented on how good this type of set up was and that more people should use it.

    Some of the other arrangements just do not give a good view of what is going on behind you.

    We are towing a T/A Sterling Searcher with a Volvo XC90.

    Write your comments here...I think that you will find that the offside mirror must be adjustable from the drivers seat and that is why "wing" mounted mirrors have become unavailable!

  • dave the rave
    dave the rave Forum Participant Posts: 806
    500 Comments
    edited July 2016 #34

    I sometimes wonder how so many people towing caravans come into contact with the police!I regularily see contraventions of driving laws and there is never a policeman about!!!!HGV drivers (continental) using lane 3 on a 3 lane motorway,people driving whilst
    using hand held telephones,red light jumping,aggresive driving,furious driving,illegally spaced number plates,offences against construction and use regulations (car so low it has to crawl over speed humps and excesively noisy) I could go on and on!There is
    never a policeman about!!!!!!

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
    1000 Comments
    edited July 2016 #35

    I really do not understand why caravanners (and others) tow without being able to see what is going on behind them, especially on motorways.

    We have always (since 1971) used extended mirrors that hook onto the wing (beside the bonnet) and the wheel arch, this gives me an excellent view.

    On our recent trip some other tower even comented on how good this type of set up was and that more people should use it.

    Some of the other arrangements just do not give a good view of what is going on behind you.

    We are towing a T/A Sterling Searcher with a Volvo XC90.

    Write your comments here...I think that you will find that the offside mirror must be adjustable from the drivers seat and that is why "wing" mounted mirrors have become unavailable!

    Very few towing mirrors are adjustable from drivers seat when place on nearside. I have seen only one that has a remote control

  • dave the rave
    dave the rave Forum Participant Posts: 806
    500 Comments
    edited July 2016 #36

    I will underline OFFSIDE!

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited July 2016 #37

    No need to shout. I may be stupid but I am not deaf!! Cry

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,647 ✭✭✭
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    edited July 2016 #38

    I have a bit of a habit of forgetting the mirrors on leaving a site, I think its going through all the have I's and did I's regarding the caravan and forgetting the car.

    Always realise it within a few yards on a straight road when I check their alignment and find they're not there
    Embarassed mind you I never get a reminder from my wife neither
    Sealed

    One of my check-list jobs to do the night before we leave a site is to put the wing mirrors on and check that I can see the back end of our car. That way I don't have to worry about having to do it on the day of departure.

  • dave the rave
    dave the rave Forum Participant Posts: 806
    500 Comments
    edited July 2016 #39

    No need to shout. I may be stupid but I am not deaf!! Cry

    Write your comments here...pardon !

  • Boff
    Boff Forum Participant Posts: 1,742
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    edited July 2016 #40

    I will underline OFFSIDE!

    But who really understands the offside rule?

  • Pippah45
    Pippah45 Forum Participant Posts: 2,452
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    edited July 2016 #41

    I can just about adjust mine by half climbing into the passenger seat!  The magnetic ones can be adjusted a bit with the existing car mirror adjuster but I didn't like those as the magnet seemed to block a lot of the car mirror.  Now I can leave the new
    mirrors in their bag and they seem to come out right next time I fit them on the car - I am thinking of a tiny mark somewhere to help this - a sliver of masking tape perhaps or indelible pen somehow. 

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
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    edited July 2016 #42

    When this topic has appeared in the past, I have raised the question of the availability of technology to provide a rear view with fibre optics. Mirrors in the 21st century are a bit agricultural.

  • Steve Scott
    Steve Scott Forum Participant Posts: 197
    100 Comments
    edited July 2016 #43

    I can just about adjust mine by half climbing into the passenger seat!  The magnetic ones can be adjusted a bit with the existing car mirror adjuster but I didn't like those as the magnet seemed to block a lot of the car mirror.  Now I can leave the new
    mirrors in their bag and they seem to come out right next time I fit them on the car - I am thinking of a tiny mark somewhere to help this - a sliver of masking tape perhaps or indelible pen somehow. 

    Write your comments here...Hi Pippah thats just the thing i did with the milencos that we have.I put them on lined them up and marked the lines using tipex, very good the only thing is every time i come to refit them they are out of line again and need resetting
    even though the marks are still there.

    Steve

  • jeffcc
    jeffcc Forum Participant Posts: 430
    edited July 2016 #44

    I have fully automatic mirrors the OH adjusts them before we set offLaughing. Use left and right arrows to navigate.

  • Navigateur
    Navigateur Club Member Posts: 3,880 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited July 2016 #45

    This is what to do to get the mirrors right first time with a minimum of fuss:-

    First, get the mirrors positioned correctly. Then stand at the end of the rear bumper and look into the mirror. Remember what you see of the interior of the vehicle, and in future fittings reposition the mirror to give the same view looking in.

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,311 ✭✭✭
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    edited July 2016 #46

    I can just about adjust mine by half climbing into the passenger seat!  The magnetic ones can be adjusted a bit with the existing car mirror adjuster but I didn't like those as the magnet seemed to block a lot of the car mirror.  Now I can leave the new
    mirrors in their bag and they seem to come out right next time I fit them on the car - I am thinking of a tiny mark somewhere to help this - a sliver of masking tape perhaps or indelible pen somehow. 

    Write your comments here...Hi Pippah thats just the thing i did with the milencos that we have.I put them on lined them up and marked the lines using tipex, very good the only thing is every time i come to refit them they are out of line again and need resetting
    even though the marks are still there.

    Steve

    I find it works most of the time. As long as we put the bag with the mirrors, in a locker where it is not going to get moved about.

  • Steve Scott
    Steve Scott Forum Participant Posts: 197
    100 Comments
    edited July 2016 #47

    When this topic has appeared in the past, I have raised the question of the availability of technology to provide a rear view with fibre optics. Mirrors in the 21st century are a bit agricultural.

    Write your comments here...Hi Cyber just been looking at a forum from Austrailia goes under the heading of Grey Nomads that were discussing this subject back in 2014.       Thing i noticed was how many have mirrors plus rearview cameras. I suppose to counter
    the fact you cant see through a van with a rear bathroom.

    Steve

  • jeffcc
    jeffcc Forum Participant Posts: 430
    edited July 2016 #48

    Even though i have the legaly required towing mirrors fitted i still have two rearview  cameras fitted to the caravan with a split screen monitor. Find it much safer for home and abroad when overtaking and also simplifies the reversing onto pitchLaughing. Use left and right arrows to navigate.

  • CBRBlackbird
    CBRBlackbird Forum Participant Posts: 184
    100 Comments
    edited July 2016 #49

    Even though i have the legaly required towing mirrors fitted i still have two rearview  cameras fitted to the caravan with a split screen monitor. Find it much safer for home and abroad when overtaking and also simplifies the reversing onto pitchLaughing. Use left and right arrows to navigate.

    But is a monitor that is ithin the eye-sight of the driver legal???

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,647 ✭✭✭
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    edited July 2016 #50

    I can just about adjust mine by half climbing into the passenger seat!  The magnetic ones can be adjusted a bit with the existing car mirror adjuster but I didn't like those as the magnet seemed to block a lot of the car mirror.  Now I can leave the new
    mirrors in their bag and they seem to come out right next time I fit them on the car - I am thinking of a tiny mark somewhere to help this - a sliver of masking tape perhaps or indelible pen somehow. 

    Write your comments here...Hi Pippah thats just the thing i did with the milencos that we have.I put them on lined them up and marked the lines using tipex, very good the only thing is every time i come to refit them they are out of line again and need resetting
    even though the marks are still there.

    Steve

    Snap. I wonder if it's the way the OH takes them off while setting up the van on site.