Tomo Posted May 11, 2007 Share Posted May 11, 2007 Hi All, We drive a left hand drive burstner, over on the continent its brilliant and in this country its excellent but on the odd occasion at roundabouts I have trouble seeing. I have been trying to find a mirror that would help. Thought that one on the left hand side (inside) in front of me might be the answer. What do lorry drivers do? Anybody got any suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted May 11, 2007 Share Posted May 11, 2007 What is it you can't see? Traffic on the roundabout coming from your right? Are you possibly approaching too obliquely? If you pull up square to the roundabout, although you do have to turn in more sharply, and so approach more slowly, you should then have an unobstructed view to your right. Is that what you mean? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomo Posted May 11, 2007 Author Share Posted May 11, 2007 Hi Brian, Picture. Dual carriage way approaching roundabout, split into 3 lanes,all at an angle turning away from the traffic from the right I am in left lane to turn left, getting out of my seat is one option, which I have tried, but by the time I get back to seat big possibilty there is more traffic coming. Have to take wife with me everywhere I go I suppose. Side note I live in Milton Keynes, the city of roundabouts. Do you now see my problem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted May 11, 2007 Share Posted May 11, 2007 Yes, I do, Jo, but it isn't one I've run into in UK yet. I found a filter right junction in Spain, that was more than a bit dotty. Totally blind to the right from the driver's seat, I couldn't see through the cab door or "kitchen" windows, and couldn't angle the nearside mirror enough either. Busy road - navigator essential! I think the trucks just crept forward till someone squeaked! Yours must have quite a sharply cut off view to the right. I guess either a mirror on the right hand side of the windscreen or, if you have a rear view camera - a switchable second camera, will be the best "work around" solutions - or just hog the (UK) nearside two lanes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest peter Posted May 11, 2007 Share Posted May 11, 2007 I know exactly what you mean Tomo, so when alone I always swing to the right as I reach r/about so I can see vehicles from r/h side. Also though of fitting a mirror as you suggest, but as I have a co-pilot with me most of the time it's not such a big problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted May 11, 2007 Share Posted May 11, 2007 God guy's I, having troublewith this one ! I even drew a picture of it .....Why would you have problems because its left hand drive?...It has both mirrors yes? Sorry not trying to be sarcastic trying to understand what's the difference if the wheel is R-or L .can you not see the side of the vehicle through the mirrors?...obviously not suppose I would have to try it . *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hymer634 Posted May 12, 2007 Share Posted May 12, 2007 Try sticking one of the transparent wide angle fresnel lenses at the top right hand corner of the passenger side window- it makes a big difference to what you can see. The best type is the flexible plastic sheet, not the hard hinged lens. Most motoring shops stock them. Try a google search for "Summit rear window lens". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted May 12, 2007 Share Posted May 12, 2007 michele - 2007-05-11 10:33 PM God guy's I, having troublewith this one ! I even drew a picture of it .....Why would you have problems because its left hand drive?...It has both mirrors yes? Sorry not trying to be sarcastic trying to understand what's the difference if the wheel is R-or L .can you not see the side of the vehicle through the mirrors?...obviously not suppose I would have to try it . *-) You may have found the same problem at roundabouts abroad. If the entry onto the roundabout is angled, when you look to your left to see what is coming at you round the roundabout, the blank side wall of the van obstructs your view. It's worse with lhd vans in this country, because we tend to try to "massage" our roundabouts out of existance by making the approach roads almost tangential to the roundabout, so that they just "kiss" it on one side, and then on, whereas most of Europe aims the approaches radially at the roundabout, so that you more or less have to stop, and then turn sharp onto the roundabout. The supposed benefit of our system is that it allows far higher speeds through the roundabouts, so less delay. However, I think this is also why roundabouts on busy routes are such a pain to enter from the minor routes, (which seems to me to defeat the object, but don't tell any road engineers I said so!).The disadvantage, apart from just getting on from minor routes, is that the relatively fast traffic approaching round the roundabout becomes "hidden" from lhd vehicle drivers. I suspect the foreign truck drivers just pray, or assume few other drivers will risk ramming a 44 tonner amidships! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomo Posted May 13, 2007 Author Share Posted May 13, 2007 Thanks for your help in my mirror problem. Just come back from a soggy Newbury. No mirrors there to help. We shall not be staying at Newbury again and we will not stay at Peterboro either, so thats 2 down. We only were staying Saturday night and nearly didnt do that as the cost was £30. But wanted a quick meet up with friends so now we are £30 plus the things we bought poorer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vic Posted June 1, 2007 Share Posted June 1, 2007 Mirrors are adjustable. Ergo, no matter if you have a LHD or RHD vehicle there should not be a problem. I drove a Cortina Crusader (RHD) in Europe for seven years with no hitches. Perhaps a Motorhome may be different but I can't see why. If you have an RHD vehicle and you wish to overtake, just pull over to the right first, you can see what is ahead, then, a quick check in the left mirror (properly set up) and away you go. What's the problem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vic Posted June 1, 2007 Share Posted June 1, 2007 Ah, I just thought of those with LHD in UK. The same principle applies. Ony opposite! :-> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted June 2, 2007 Share Posted June 2, 2007 What's the problem? Well, two things, I think, Vic. First, you ain't quite read the first post proper! This was about vision at roundabouts, not when overtaking.Second, on the subject of overtaking, with a rhd vehicle in Europe you can only pull right to look up the nearside if the vehicle in front is well clear of the verge. This is often not so easy with a coachbuilt motorhome, with a body wider than its cab, and even more true if you are following a truck (for which read mobile barn doors), because you risk clouting roadside debris, and signs, with your overhang. Also, in practice, there is a huge offside blind spot, concealing oncoming traffic. Since most of the things you'll be liable to want to overtake in a motorhome are trucks (most cars being faster than most motorhomes), that blind spot just got bigger. The danger in a motorhome is that after that "quick check in the left mirror and away you go": away you do go, straight into the oncoming vehicle that was hidden by the blind spot!On two-way roads, you really need a passenger to advise whether it is clear to pull left and look (and not whether it is safe to overtake), before the "away you go bit". Ease to the left just enough to give the passenger a chance to see what's oncoming then, if s/he says it is clear, pull over far enough to be able to judge the road ahead for yourself, before you commit (you need to be able to spot the minor side roads, from which people often emerge looking left only). Stick to simple "yes - no", or "go no-go", commands between passenger and driver, anything else is open to misunderstanding. That, I think, is the other problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thai Bry Posted June 2, 2007 Share Posted June 2, 2007 What's the problem?This pic taken on my hols in my home land of Thailand.Anyone got any ideas of how to overtake this ?Thai Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thai Bry Posted June 2, 2007 Share Posted June 2, 2007 Thai Bry - 2007-06-02 6:14 PM What's the problem?This pic taken on my hols in my home land of Thailand.Anyone got any ideas of how to overtake this ?Thai Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted June 2, 2007 Share Posted June 2, 2007 But that is the problem Brian. Get it wrong and .......... oblivion! Bash!! Perfect illustration. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boobabsca Posted June 2, 2007 Share Posted June 2, 2007 Hi Tomo, Here's a solution for you.. and on initial reading may sound daft, but rather than risk an accident i think it prudent.. when approaching a known roundabout with this kind of angle that causes a problem, use the right hand lane instead and do a tour of the roundabout. (lol) Like i say on first read it seems like a daft idea, but the whole idea of a rounabout is flexability (and to encourage free flow) so unless we are talking a mini roundabout, which i guess we are not (as the angles are probably ok) then it should be no problem to use the right hand lane, giving a better view of approaching traffic, then drive all the way around the roundabout to effectively turn left. This would be a right pain in the neck if it were every roundabout, but for the odd few, i'd rather do that than pull out on someone and cause an accident. :$ Hope this helps, good luck, let us know how you get on, Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thai Bry Posted June 3, 2007 Share Posted June 3, 2007 BrianAny ideas on how to overcome this one, taken on holiday in my homeland of Thailand.This kind of overloading is standard!!This guy is in the so called correct lane, being undertaken as we drive on same side as here in the UKThai Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted June 3, 2007 Share Posted June 3, 2007 I have had same problem in commercial vans turning right at 'triangle' junctions, solution I use is second windscreen mounted rearview mirror mounted next to 'normal' one angled to look out of passenger window, it is obsured when passenger uses sun blind, but then they are there to see for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted June 3, 2007 Share Posted June 3, 2007 Thai Bry - 2007-06-03 10:36 AM BrianAny ideas on how to overcome this one, taken on holiday in my homeland of Thailand.This kind of overloading is standard!!This guy is in the so called correct lane, being undertaken as we drive on same side as here in the UKThai In short, no. But how Thais choose to kill themselves is surely for them to decide! I assume this isn't a dual carriageway, and the left hand lane isn't a slip road for left turning traffic? The truck looks about right. So, try Vic's overtaking method. Imagine you're in a lhd vehicle, you pull to the left to peep up his nearside, decide its clear and swing to the right to overtake. How many hidden oncoming vehicles were there? If none, pass Go. If any, pass over! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomo Posted June 5, 2007 Author Share Posted June 5, 2007 Thanks Chris, That sounds like a good idea. I will try that next time, but wot about the roundabouts I come across that I don't know, make sure I have the wife I suppose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomo Posted June 5, 2007 Author Share Posted June 5, 2007 colin - 2007-06-03 11:12 AM I have had same problem in commercial vans turning right at 'triangle' junctions, solution I use is second windscreen mounted rearview mirror mounted next to 'normal' one angled to look out of passenger window, it is obsured when passenger uses sun blind, but then they are there to see for you. Hi Colin, The second mirror would be good but I dont have a first windscreen mounted rearview mirror, only have wing mirrors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted June 6, 2007 Share Posted June 6, 2007 Can you not pop down local car accesssories shop and buy a stick on mirror, the one I use has a rubber suction mount and I transfer between vehicles when we rent a van at work, IIRC it came from Halfords. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikey72 Posted June 6, 2007 Share Posted June 6, 2007 Hi, I have exactly the same problem abroad, as one of my kids is in the passenger seat due to the seat belt arrangement, and I don't always trust them. I have tried a stick on mirror on the windscreen, with mild success, until we put the silver screens on and spend ten minutes trying to re-adjust it, and was then going to try a second camera looking sideways connected to the reversing camera system, but looking in the CAK catalogue on page 72 http://www.caktanks.co.uk/files/catalogue2007.pdf they have mirrors that clip onto the top of the existing door mirrors, so that's the next thing I'll be trying to avoid upsetting foreign motorists. Good luck Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomo Posted June 7, 2007 Author Share Posted June 7, 2007 colin - 2007-06-06 10:56 AM Can you not pop down local car accesssories shop and buy a stick on mirror, the one I use has a rubber suction mount and I transfer between vehicles when we rent a van at work, IIRC it came from Halfords. I have lost count how many mirrors I have bought but will definitely not be buying anymore. There is another solution and that is make a big hole in the van door, which is on the other side of the van, and then I could see. The problem only occurs over here so that means I'll just have to spend more time on the continent, that sounds the best idea!!! Tomo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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