If you're talking about the fresnel lens for the rear window, they're just
about useless for driving IMHO.  Handy for parking, but difficult to get a
quick reference from.

Karl Wolz

----- Original Message -----
From: "developtrust" <developtrust@COX.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, May 06, 2002 12:19 PM
Subject: Re: Side view mirrors, was: cheap exterior mirrors and pet peeves

> Don't waste your time moving that rear view mirror. Get one of those
plastic
> back up films that are made for campers wanting a back up view. Great
> improvement.
>
> William
>
>
> > 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
> >
> >
> > __________________________________________________
> > Do You Yahoo!?
> > Yahoo! Health - your guide to health and wellness
> > http://health.yahoo.com