Doubts regarding vacuum-adhesive mirrors

[Astraist]

Some of the Israeli advanced driving instructors use little vacuum-adhesive mirrors for the instructor, much like some English instructors I have seen. Personally, I never needed anything more than my eyes, neck (to look over the shoulder) and maybe glance at the passenger's side mirror and even the little glass in the visor.

The question refers to the safety of such mirrors, if any of you use them and know their qualities. I understand that they are made of tempered glass, are they not? Likewise, are they not suspect to be projected in a collision, particularly if they meet the passenger's airbag?

[martine]

I use them sometimes...I would have thought they are normally positioned too high be a safety risk from airbags. I use the passenger door mirror for a sneaky look but it gives a poor view at best.

[Astraist]

I believe that, if they are placed above the height of the interior mirror they should not interfere with the passenger's airbag. I also understand that some quality mirrors are also made of tempered glass, to avoid projecting shards in a crash. However, can the mirror itself not dislodge and hit the passenger? Or does it fall down like the car's interior mirror? Likewise, does it screen out night dazzle like the original mirror? Does it not interfere with the deployment of the visors? I haven't had sufficient answers to these questions in the past.

[martine]

Personally I think the risks you mention are very small and outweighed by the benefits of using a secondary mirror when instructing someone new. Once you are happy with the driver's mirror use and awareness then the secondary mirror becomes less important.

Have you not tried using one Astraist?

[Astraist]

Don't get me wrong, I'm not questioning the benefits of such mirrors. I experienced using them but I don't really need them for my students. It's just that the instructors that use them, do so as a replacement for placing a large convex mirror over the driver's interior mirror -- a choice which we, advanced driving trainers, deem as dangerous for many reasons. I just wonder whether the vacuum-adhesive mirrors really remove the shortcomings of a convex mirror. I believe that it also depends on where the other mirror is placed. If placed high enough -- it should not cause problems.

[IVORTHE DRIVER]

Hi,

Too good a thread to ignore.

Suction mirrors if fitted "above" the line of the interior mirror will be useless, why do you think the interior mirror is placed where it is? all you will see is the rear seat!

If in the event of an accident all the driver has to worry about is being hit by a bit of plastic and glass dropping from the screen can I replace his accident for mine please (I worried about where the truck was going to hit me next).

Stuck on securely they supply a good rear image for the passenger?instructor, the cars mirrors are after all set up for the driver not passenger and because of this unless they have a wide angle section offer at best, a restricted rear view.

Likewise most vanity mirrors in the visor are just that, for looking at yourself!

I guess they could obstruct the visors use in which case you replace the visor with a sunstrip, simples

Ivor

[Astraist]

I'm not sure they are useless when above the interior mirror height. Most instructors I've seen placed it as high as possible, right below the upper frame of the front windshield. The interior mirror is placed in the middle of the glass, thus it is not obstructed by the front seat and does not interfere with the passenger's airbag. However, place an additional mirror just besides it, or use an extended convex mirror, and you will find the mirror to be obstructed by the head of the passenger, and also in the range of operation of the passenger's airbag (which in part compresses against the windscreen).

Injuries regarding hitting mirrors are a thing to keep in mind. Even in a slow-speed collision, a convex mirror (for an example) can cause significant head trauma, or break into shards the bruise the face, hands, chest, and little shards that go into the eyes. You will find modern car mirrors placed at least partially on the windshield rather than the roof. This allows the manufacturers to engineer a small crumple zone into the mirror's fitting spot, allowing it to fall off vertically instead of hitting the passenger's head or flying towards it. The glass itself is also tempered, so the risk of shards is likewise removed.

I've found that the more expensive kind of mirrors are made of tempered glass (heated to a higher temperature to increase the tear necessary to break it), much like the original mirror. Also, if placed high enough, they will not interfere with forward vision, and will not be in a dangerous position relative to the head or the airbag.

[fungus]

I have mine positioned high, and there's sufficient adjustment to give good vision through the rear screen. Yes that does mean that you can't use the sun visor, and yes, they fall off from time to time. If you smear the suction cup very lightly with olive oil, it helps to hold them on the screen.

[Slink_Pink]

I would be surprised if either my head struck the rear view mirror (as a driver) unless the windscreen was crumpled completely inwards. Perhaps particular combinations of smaller cars with taller drivers makes this more likely.

My only experience of mirror glass shards was one warm evening when I was driving a fairly narrow stretch of road and an oncoming vehicle crossed the centre line and the wing mirrors hit (doing ~30 mph each gives a 60 mph collision). The warmth is relevant as I had my window wound right down and therefore recieved a facefull of glass from the smashed wing mirror. Fortunately, I suffered only very slight cuts but am now somewhat more wary about driving with the window fully lowered!

[Astraist]

Actually, driving with a window half-open is hazardous because the top of the glass can hit the head, especially in a side swipe collision. Bashing against the interior mirror was in fact quite common once upon a time, and (as I mentioned) modern interior mirrors are made to crumple and fall DOWN upon impact.

I think that if the vacuum mirror is placed high enough, it should not pose any problem, not to mention that, if placed lower, the passenger's head would obstruct the view through it. I talked with a few instructors and they told me that the mirrors they use are more expensive because they are made of tempered glass, which should not break like your wing mirror.

[Mr Cholmondeley-Warner]

I use one. I attach it slightly above the line of the normal rear view mirror. It's quite small, and there are much larger and harder objects in the car that are more likely to injure me in the event of a crash. It's very useful.

[IVORTHE DRIVER]

Hi.

I wonder if walking in Israel is any safer?, driving sounds far too dangerous

Ivor

[Kevin]

However, can the mirror itself not dislodge and hit the passenger?

Probably could, but hardly a significant risk I would have thought.

Or does it fall down like the car's interior mirror?

Most things fall down, not up or in any other direction, so my guess is it would behave the same way as the car's interior mirror.

Likewise, does it screen out night dazzle like the original mirror?

The ones I've seen don't, but then they're usually only used by the passenger, not the driver, so is a bit of dazzle for the passenger really a serious concern to road safety?

Does it not interfere with the deployment of the visors?

This would depend on the size and shape of the visor in the particular car and the position of the mirror.

I haven't had sufficient answers to these questions in the past

[crr003]

However, can the mirror itself not dislodge and hit the passenger?

Probably could, but hardly a significant risk I would have thought.

Cheshire RPU had them removed from V70s. Another mirror was added on top of the nearside door mirror, which helpfully made the unmarked quite easy to spot.
I heard the reason was elfinsafety - in case the spare interior mirror started flying around and taking someone's eye out.

[crr003]

Actually, driving with a window half-open is hazardous because the top of the glass can hit the head, especially in a side swipe collision.

I'm surprised you risk driving at all if things like that concern you.

Funnily enough, I read somewhere long ago that you should drive with the window fully up or fully down for this very reason.
While we're in doom and disaster mode, think about the side of your head hitting that glass edge. Ouch.
Would a side impact airbag prevent this?