Thanks for the info Steve, I didnt know the proper way
to set the mirrors on a BIG bus(I just got my
Commercial Carrier license a year ago) and your right,
the Westy's rear view mirror is useless, but not for
long, i plan to move it down a bit, after hearing some
older posts.

By the way I think you just proved my theory that tour
bus drivers, RV'rs, etc. who enjoy driving buses would
ALSO enjoy the Vanagon becouse it turns just like a
miniature tour bus am I wrong?

Phil ***84' Westy Tiico "Millenium Falcon"

My Vanagon turns on a dime, sharper than a Honda Civic
hatchback!

--- Steve Sullivan <steveis@SPEAKEASY.ORG> wrote:
> Don't want to start an argument (been enough of that
> lately), but here's a
> tidbit to lend perspective (otherwise known as my
> pet peeve):
>
> As a professional tour bus driver (and driver
> trainer) at one time, we
> learned the proper way to adjust mirrors on a
> motorcoach. The short of it is
> that about the center of the mirror is aimed exactly
> where the road horizon
> hits the side of the coach, giving almost only rear
> vision. The same is
> true, I'm sure, for semis. Remember, there is no
> interior rear view mirror
> possible. So that's how you check traffic behind
> you, and to the sides near
> the rear.
>
> When driving a bus, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE to look "over
> your shoulder" and see who
> is beside you, so you're supposed to always pay
> attention (which no one in a
> car does or there'd be vastly less accidents) and
> always know the traffic
> pattern around you, ie, where every car is. Not as
> hard as it sounds, and it
> becomes second nature. But for safety, all newer
> coaches have very convex
> mirrors that show (very tiny) the entire side of the
> coach and lane beside
> you. But it's easy to miss a car in that tiny
> mirror, so it's still
> important to see in your mind where everything is.
> Incidentally, those
> mirrors are used for corners and lane placement as
> much or more than for
> traffic control.
>
> In my cars I use my mirrors the same way, keep track
> of traffic, and only
> look over my shoulder (which I do every time I lane
> change) as a
> verification of what I already know, NOT to see
> what's there. Because
> accident statistics say that it's too easy to
> overlook a car, it really is.
> And that's when you're paying attention. In my
> vanagon, I mounted a tiny
> rectangular convex mirror horizontally to help see
> side traffic.
>
> One last detail, at the company where I drove, the
> blind spot was never an
> excuse for having an accident. The whole side of the
> coach is a blind spot.
> You were never excused for hitting something else
> because you were always,
> always, always, expected to know what was around
> you, and "if in doubt,
> don't." This included being rear ended, because you
> most likely contributed
> in some manner and are expected to avoid accidents.
> If only car drivers
> would take a little responsibility too, but that's
> anti-American, Bill of
> Got-mine-and-screw-you Rights without
> Responsibilities.
>
> Anyway, off the subject. Ahem. If you aim your
> mirrors to the side of your
> van, how will you see what's behind you? Your
> internal rear view does a piss
> poor job of showing you the entire picture. That's
> why your "side view"
> mirrors are actually called "rear view" mirrors.
> That's why your neck is
> designed to swivel.
>
> Steve
>
>
>
> On 5/6/02 7:06 AM "G. Matthew Bulley"
> <gmbulley@BULLEY-HEWLETT.COM> said:
>
> > Bill wrote: "By the way, how many people out there
> have their side
> > mirrors aimed to
> > the rear, just like the rear view mirror?"
> >
> > You aren't alone in this peeve.=20

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