The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) published a paper in 1995 suggesting how outside mirrors could be adjusted to eliminate blind spots. This article expands on that paper.
I switched a few months ago. It took a while to get used to it, but I feel like I have a better picture of what’s happening around me.
Have you tried this? Did you switch back?
That’s incorrect.
If you are parked in a typical parking spot with the mirrors arranged like this, pedestrians standing on the end of the lines marking that space are not visible in either the rear view or the side mirrors. This is the most dangerous place to miss a pedestrian, as they will be hit as soon as you start moving.
This is the case in every vehicle I have tested this in, with the exception of a convertible that didn’t have C-pillars obstructing the rear view.
This arrangement is not suitable for city driving, specifically because it creates a different blind spot: A blind spot that is much more dangerous for pedestrians, and cannot be overcome by simply leaning forward slightly. A blind spot up close to the rear of the vehicle, where neither the driver nor the pedestrian has time to react to the other’s presence.
This arrangement is only suitable for highway driving, and then only in vehicles with unobstructed rear views. (Trucks, vans, vehicles with 3+ rows of seating should never use this)