Tow Mirrors (THE LACK THERE OF)

[mikerezny]

Hi,
I only found out I needed towing mirrors when we picked up our van.
The dealer handed us a check list when we signed the contract but it didn't say anything about towing mirrors.
That's not a criticism,just a statement of fact.

The dealer won't hand the van over until they have done a test run with our vehicle and van.
And the handover person will not drive the car unless it has towing mirrors.
So, we had to buy them on the spot from their accessory shop, $52.

We have a Falcon and it is already quite wide, and after towing for three months, I had come to the conclusion that I didn't really use them that much.

UNTIL, I picked up the van after its three-month service last week. I headed off down the road and I felt a little strange towing it. In the rush, I had forgotten to put on the towing mirrors!

On the 20 minute drive home, I quickly came to a new conclusion that I rely on them way more then I had thought. Amongst other things, I think that having two views from each side of the vehicle gives me a much better feel for what is behind me.

I found the towing mirror on the left way more useful for giving vehicle position when changing lanes then the distorted view from the vehicle mirror.

So for us, the towing mirrors are a must have and I won't be considering driving without them.

Yeah, I know, I should have stopped and put them on. But I decided to not do this and use the short opportunity to try driving without them. Mainly due to following along on this thread over the past weeks.

cheers
Mike

 

[bigcol]

towing mirrors will not help you see whats exactly behind you
but
you can see what is on either side of you at the back

the Law in most states (I am lead to believe) state you must be able to see the rear corners of the trailer with the mirrors - adequately

the funny thing is, most Mr Plod's will not sit in the drivers seat and view, to see if you can or you cannot

they will see if you have fitted them or not - thats all

the cost of the fine (and other associated costs, points, time off work for court ect) could be far more expensive than the cost of a cheap set of mirrors fitted

I would rather know that I can see the most I can with the mirrors I have fitted - than adequately.............

 

[1DayIll]

I went away for the weekend last week and jumped in the car, checked my mirrors and realised that my towing mirrors were not there. I had to get them out and put them on as I would not travel without them.

I often compare the view of my standard mirror and how much extra I can see with the towing mirror

 

[mikerezny]

I went away for the weekend last week and jumped in the car, checked my mirrors and realised that my towing mirrors were not there. I had to get them out and put them on as I would not travel without them.

I often compare the view of my standard mirror and how much extra I can see with the towing mirror

Hi,
since we have a set routine for packing up to go camping it is difficult to forget to put them on. And once we get going, we have not yet driven the car without towing the van, so they stay on until we get home.

Driving out to pick up the van after it was serviced was out of the ordinary, and even though the mirrors were plainly visible in the back seat, I still forgot to put them on!

I guess it is only going to get worse as I get older. It won't be long before I need Post-It notes all around me saying "breath in, breath out"! I already walk down the road 100m and have to go back to the car because I can't remember if I locked it or not. Hopefully, I am not the only one who does this.

cheers
Mike

 

[1DayIll]

No you are not. I also go back to the house to make sure I locked the door when I left!

 

[mikerezny]

No you are not. I also go back to the house to make sure I locked the door when I left!

Pheww! There are at least two of us honest enough to admit it.

We were lent a campervan to wander around Brittany for 5 weeks a couple of years ago. Left to go on a full day walk along the coast.
Over an hour out and we couldn't remember locking all the doors. Had to turn around and walk all the way back to check. After that, we implemented a system where one person locked (me), handed the keys to my partner, who checked all the doors again before putting the keys into our backpack. Sounds over the top, but at least we never had to think about it anymore after we left the van.

cheers
Mike

 

[1DayIll]

And of course the more you wonder if you did it, the more you think you did not!

 

[Drover]

When you live in a dead end street at the top of a hill and can't turn the van around in the street you only forget once, I can assure you........or at least only drive a little way down so you can walk back, only once though as the damn driveway is bluddy steep to walk.
But thats in the past now I can drive around the block..
Nice to see the side of the van and my ute's mirrors give a bit extra vision as I can see the road next to the van as well, easy to spot the DH who like to sit alongside .

 

[Dobbie]

They're more than two who forget / doubt or need lists to remind them.

Our van is about 150m away from the house and we're doing a final pack at the moment. I had a post it list but it wasn't big enough so now use an A4 sheet!

As its a new van and we haven't been camping for 12 months we'll need to be super careful with our departure procedure ...maybe triple check this time.

and I also forgot the mirrors when we picked up the van but luckily we have Clearviews so I did have good vision...better when properly extended.

and the Clearviews are even better when they're cleaned...

 

[mikerezny]

Hi,
I set the towing mirrors down just far enough so I can see the wheels on the van. Good for when travelling on narrow roads, narrow lanes around roadworks, and for parking.

cheers
Mike

 

[Bellbirdweb]

I have forgotten ours a few times, but one of them caused me to wipe out the side of the van, taking out a gate post.

$4000 damage to the van (insurance) and construction of a wider gate.

I no longer forget to put them on !!

 

[bigcol]

I've hooked up, driven out of the back yard, loaded everyone into the car and headed off

1st round about near my place (300m) is usually where I notice I have not extended the clearviews out..........
pull over, extend the mirrors
get back in and start off again......

its beginning to be our ritual

 

[dagree]

1st round about near my place (300m) is usually where I notice I have not extended the clearviews out..........
pull over, extend the mirrors

I'm the opposite. I extend the clearviews before hooking the van up but......... I usually leave them extended for a day or two after unhooking the van (Usually after I walk into one of them )

 

[bigcol]

I spoke to several couples at the Camping & Caravanning Show in Perth on Friday about the clearview mirrors

several points that not a lot of people obviously realise............. seriously...................

1) they can swing in closer to the body of your car when parking if you want
2) they do extend further than as they as they sit when on the car (200mm I think, without measuring them)
3) you can push them in when not in use, not leave them extended all the way, when not towing
4) they do plug into your existing wiring for your mirrors


sorry if it sounds obvious to most,
but I do believe there are some who honestly did not know this........ (well, the 1/2 Doz. I spoke to anyway)

 

[Drover]

Had a good check of them on mates new Ranger last week, other the Dumbo ears i liked them a lot, push them out of the way but I think i could get used to them, better than hooking up the truck mirrors even though when travelling I just slide the mirror section out I always manage to knock them and am afraid of loosing the bolts. Ranger was nice but lacking the cup holders that cool your drink like my Colorado.

 

[bigcol]

I was also amazed at the price they are now................

wholelysnappingduckfish Batman

 

[Drover]

Not much change from $900 for the Colorado but usually around the $550 for secondhand ones.

 

[DRW]

seeing behind is over rated

 

[dagree]

seeing behind is over rated

Similar to what my old motor racing mentor used to tell us..... "You don't need to see where you've been.... You need to look where you're going!"

But in the real world I like to see what's behind me just in case my navigator gives me a last minute left or right turn instruction :scared:

 

[Drover]

Especially when the road train winds it up and starts to overtake.....