My side mirrors are a combo of flat on the bottom and a convex about 5 inch square on top. The flat mirrors seem less than useful. I am still adjusting so still to early to make a rationale judgment yet. I did a search on the topics line to see what others were saying about convex mirrors, and Tom C it sounded like that is all you used. As I was driving today, I made a point to see which mirrors I used the most, and the convex won by a landslide. My question to Tom and others what brand are you using, and how much do you use your flat mirrors?
Thanks in advance as always.
Chuckd
I use my flat mirrors just as often as the convex ones. The convex ones are mostly used when changing lanes to make sure there isn't a vehicle alongside I can't see in the flat mirror.
found the flat give a more definite detail when needed..use convex for general glance..when checking traffic
I use flat for behind the bus, convex (which I think should be on the bottom, not the top) for beside the bus. On a highway I use the flat's 90%, in city about 50-50.
Brian
Chuck -
Are your mirrors adjusted properly? Can't tell you how many times I'd jump in a bus to find the mirrors so far out of whack - it was amazing that the regular operator could see anything! And this was at the transit property - where the ONLY mirror they had on the RH side was a convex!
The flat glass is to be able to see as far behind you as possible, the convex is to see what's up close. Proper adjustment gives you the best of both worlds.
Proper adjustment of the flat mirror is such that you can just barely see the side of the coach in the glass closest to the side of the vehicle from the driver's seat w/o moving your body, just your head. To adjust, take a dry erase marker pen and draw a vertical line 1/4" from the edge of the glass on the body side. Using this line as a guide, adjust the glass so you can only see the chassis on the body side of the line. This gives you a wider field of vision from this mirror. As for it's up/down position, adjust to what's comfortable for you, setting it up to see as far behind you as possible. On the RH side, some folk like to look at the tire, but that takes away the ability to spot traffic coming up behind you on that side. If you must "see" the tire for RH turns, adjust it so that you can just see the top of the wheel well fender rubber in the bottom of the glass - it will give you the same results, since that's basically the pivot point.
A tip for the RH mirror: Swing the mirror arm out in such a way that the RH edge of the mirror housing lines up with the RH windshield rubber retaining gasket when viewed from the driver's seat. Then readjust the flat glass as describe above, and you'll be amazed at how much more you can see on that side.
If your LH mirror is not tucked up against the body like it is on some coach models (MCI), use the same tip - adjust the arm so that the mirror housing lines up with the windshield or driver's window rubber gasket, then readjust the flat glass as above.
Adjusting the convex is more to taste, but it should be set up in such a way that it covers the blind spots you cannot see in the flat glass. Again, the less of the side of the bus chassis you see in the convex, the better. Oh, and when you get used to it, you can often actually see the RR outer dual in the convex, to help avoid those nasty curbs from jumping out and biting the coach's rear tire, thereby upsetting your Pepsi sitting on the dashboard.
FWIW & HTH. . .
;)
Thanks guys for the feedback, RJ I am going to set up my flat mirrors as you suggested.
Thanks again
Chuck
A driver should train their eyes to glance in the convex as the priority, then use the flat mirror to look at anything that draws attention, or requires an unbent view. Letting your eyes stick to the flat mirror, due to it's comforting view, is a habit that sets you up for a clearance accident, where you will act on what you see and move over onto, or clip something, riding in the blind spots.
Same as your vision, the convex is used like your peripheral vision, it catches a glimpse, then your focal vision zones in.
The goal in mirror placement on the coach is a bunch of competing compromises.
You don't want the mirror head to block your view of what is behind it. Left turning over the top of what is hidden behind the mirror head is a common problem with MCI E and J models, where it appears stylists dictated mirror placement... They are quite high up in relation to historical placement.
You don't want the mirror placed so that your eyes are turned so far that your peripheral vision will be blind to a part of what's out front, remembering that peripheral is more than sideways, there is an up and down component.
Depending on how low below the flat mirror a convex is placed, you may be blind to the front while looking down into a low slung convex. Changes out front, like the auto in front balking, as you looked away into your mirror, while trying to merge with uncooperative traffic...
MCI set the mirrors on the MC8/9/102A/B/C/D with convex on top to keep the driver's eyes up.
Not counting those later coaches with those optional electric mirrors with the convex taking half the head.
Re: RJ's tips, new drivers usually make the mistake of aiming their mirrors too high, and too close, looking at too much sky, instead of ground alongside, and too much coach, instead of what's in the lane one over.
The coach is barely seen in the edge, the horizon is barely seen at the top, so that alongside the coach, you can see as much down and out as the mirror will allow.
Good topic.
happy coaching!
buswarrior