Rear view mirrors w/backup view...good?bad?

12 years ago

Do you have one and is it really useful? Friend loves that feature on his new SUV. DH's aunt hates hers, also on SUV. Says she tries to ignore it. I did a test drive recently and it looked good with salesman standing off to the side of vehicle, but wondering about real life use.

Not asking about pro/cons of suvs or vehicles, just the mirrors. I often park in Handicap spots (legally) and helpful as it is to save those steps, they are also the spots with the most walking/driving traffic.

Your thoughts on those mirrors as a safety feature? Thanks. Sandy

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Comments (11)

ravencajun Zone 8b TX
12 years ago
I love them wish my Hummer had one, my sister's new Infinity suv has it and she loves it, it has kept her from nearly running over her cat a few times when it was laying in the driveway. My husband has the backup beep beep feature where it beeps if you get too close to something not the camera and he likes that too. It is just one more safety feature and I think the more safe we can be the better.
Holly_ON
12 years ago
I wish the bus that hit our parked Mercedes had one yesterday. The driver said he didn't see the car.
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terilyn
12 years ago
Are you talking about a backup camera? I have had one on my last two SUVs love it, my dogs seem to think the perfect place to stand is right behind me when I am backing out of the garage, without the camera I would never be able to see them. I can only imagine how many children could be saved if they were mandatory on taller vehicles.
stephmc72
12 years ago
I agree about the backup cameras. My SUV has one and I love it!!
lowspark
12 years ago
I have one and I love it too! I use it for two purposes. Before backing up out of my driveway or a parking spot, I glance at it to make sure nothing is obstructing my way. Then I just use my mirror as normal for the rest of the way.

The other time I use it is when I'm backing up into a tight spot where I have to get really close to something I'm backing up into. It tells me exactly when to stop, when I'm just a few inches away. That way, I can take advantage of all the room I actually have while knowing for sure that I won't hit something. It's great for getting into and out of a parallel parking space!

It's pretty easy to get used to and look beyond when you don't need it. But it sure is invaluable when you are in a tight situation.
jannie
12 years ago
Years ago, when I was a teen learning to drive, my Drivers Ed instructor taught us never to rely on mirrors when backing up, always turn your head and look. Now, when I park in a lot, I try to get a spot where I can drive straight out. And in my own driveway, I've made it a habit to look behind my car before I even get iin, make sure no kids are around, or bicycles, or garbage cans, etc.
lowspark
12 years ago
Jannie,
The thing is, when you're driving an SUV, you can't depend exclusively on turning your head to look. In a car, when you turn your head to look (which I agree 100% that is what you should do), you can see the end of your car, aka the trunk. So you have a point of reference: the trunk to the street. But in an SUV, you can't see the outside of the back of your car to use as a point of reference. All you can see is the inside of the back of your vehicle.

So... in an SUV, when you back up, you must use mirrors. I normally use all three. Rear view, right side view and left side view. I use the left and middle most heavily. The left gives me that view of the point of reference I need. I can see the left edge of the outside of my car, and the street or other surrounding items and how they relate to my car.

In the case of the back up camera, it gives you that additional edge. You can now see what's behind you as if your eyes were sitting on the back edge of the outside of your vehicle. So then you don't need that point of reference because you're already at it.

Like I said, I only use the back up camera for specific uses. I also check around my car before getting in. But the camera gives me one last opportunity to check as well.
Toni S
12 years ago
I have a smaller SUV and like lowspark said it's very hard to see all of the back with just a glance over the shoulder. I always look over, but love to have the back up camera and blindspot indicater on the mirror helping to watch the lower area that I can't see at all. The zoom feature helps me back up to see a hitch if I want to tow. Yes, I think it's a nice feature.
alisande
12 years ago
I would love a backup camera for my SUV. When my new grandchild arrives, I'm going to start backing into my garage like I used to, so I can pull straight out. And, like Jannie, I arrange my parking so I never have to back out of a space in a parking lot. Between speed demons, adult pedestrians, and children on the loose, parking lots are hazardous places to be in reverse!
tami_ohio
12 years ago
I have to agree with Lowspark. I drive a SUV, a big one. I pull a trailer with it in the summer, and it's the only tow vehicle we now own. (So I don't get slammed as I have in the past for driving a gas hog!) That said, I wish I had the back up camera, which was not available when we bought it in 2005. I use my mirrors, I turn and look, but there are blind spots, as there are with ANY vehicle. We do have a back up camera in the motor home. What a God send! DH even added a side view camera, as the glass in the door is a frosted privacy glass. When you come to a diagonal intersection, you can NOT see from the driver's seat to check traffic coming from the right. Normally we are both in it so the other checks traffic, but there are times we need that side view camera, either when only one of us is in it, or when checking traffic at highway ramps. For some reason, people no longer think that they have to yeild when they are the ones entering the highway, they think we have to move over to let them on. Well, I have news for them. Some day they will be buying someone else a new vehicle. There are times you just can't be nice and move over for them! Especially driving a large vehicle, SUV or motorhome as examples.

Those cameras are great! You might only use it once in a while, but that one time might save a life or a car,no matter how careful you are.

Tami
breenthumb
Original Author
12 years ago
Thank you all for your responses. It sounds like DH's aunt is the only one who doesn't like them--just as I suspected.

Glad you all realized I was talking about the rear view cameras. My computer started to stall and stutter and I hit submit quickly, while I still could. It's fixed now. Sandy

Rear view mirrors w/backup view...good?bad?

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ravencajun Zone 8b TX

Holly_ON

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Rear view mirrors w/backup view...good?bad?

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