Bizarre LTTE in local paper

[madinmaryland]

LETTER: Side mirrors make no sense
G*** *******, Ottawa

In regard to the rearview mirror on the right side of vehicles, I have had several near accidents because of that mirror, given that the object in the mirror is closer to me than the mirror shows.
Could anyone tell me what the reason is for this, to show something that is farther behind me than it really is? With all the things on every car to make it safer on the road, here they have a mirror that tells a lie every time you look in it.
I know that mirror has been on vehicles for many, many years. Don’t you just wonder how many accidents those mirrors have caused over those years? I was told that, if you live with or do something often enough, you get used to it. I have never gotten used to that mirror.

>>snip

http://www.limaohio.com/story.php?IDnum=16106

:wtf: I can't even come up with a response to this.

[SheepyMcSheepster]

1. lol

that is pretty funny.

you should write back and explain that the mirror is convex so that you can see more of the world through (helps with blind spot) the "Closer than they appear" is just a side effect of the convex surface.

[madinmaryland]

2. Its so strange, I had to kick it.

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. Then rip the damn thing off your car

or turn it so you can't see it.

I ALWAYS use both of my outside mirrors. I learned to drive before they were common and I think they are one of the smartest things car makers have added to cars. I don't intend to write a LTTE about them, though. :eyes:

[leftofthedial]

4. EVERYONE knows that the "closer than they appear" feature

was added to the passenger-side rear view mirror in order to make the T-Rex scene in Jurassic Park funny.

Duh!

[WeRQ4U]

5. Solution = Get a Jeep, drive with the doors off. Then you have no mirrors