Rep Power: 269

Why is it that every day when driving home from work I get stuck behind a convoy of SUVs that "own" the fast lane? Sure I tend to drive a little faster than I should, but get out of the way or at least back up the middle lane or right lane!

Well, after much angst, I have been testing something that may help you too. When I inherited the car from my wife there was a mirror in the car that she used to check on our son while riding backwards in the back seat. It is a little mirror with a suction cup that sticks to the window. I'm sure you can see where I am going...

So for instance, I'm riding along and get over into the fast lane behind an SUV going 2 mph over the speed limit and loses 7 mph going over the overpasses.

(Yeah, the pictures were taken sitting still in a parking garage, but you get the idea.)

Now what do you do? Basically three options:
1. Wait patiently for the SUV to realize that they are disrupting the flow of traffic and wait even longer until they change lanes.
2. Try to pass on the right only to find that there is yet another SUV driving the same speed beside the one you are behind.
3. Wait a little less patiently and closer to the SUV...

Well, I have positioned the mirror at the interior top corner of the passenger side windshield. This gives me a little extra right side vision around the SUV to help determine if there is room to pass on the right (plus one last check of the blind spot).




It is not a perfect system, but it does help. Since the mirror is convex it distorts the view a little, but with a bit of practice, I don't know how I drove without it.

So basically, the mirror is a mirror on a stick with a suction cup that can be bought at any Babies 'R Us for about $5 (Honda Service Manual not included).


I hope this helps you as much as it has helped me.

 
Rep Power: 321

huh?

 
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Does that guy know that HONDA is spelled backwards on his tire cover??????

Thats actually a great idea. I usually ask my GF if its clear to pass or not but this would help out a great deal....

I wonder what a cop would do if he saw this? Give you a ticket for restricting you vision like a radar detector or a medal for improving your awareness on the road

 
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That really isnt such a bad idea haha =)

 
Rep Power: 269

Yeah, the wife usually will spot for me, but she's usually not in my car. And the mirror is easier to afford than any GF I ever had...

 
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It's not..it seems that way cause you are looking at it through a mirror..same reason why the word ambulance is spelled backwards..

 
Rep Power: 302

Personally I prefer a small cruise missle for taking out SUV's, but that's just me...

I admit, that's an interesting idea.

 
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no **** sherlock.......... that was implied sarcasm. I thought everyone would understand that

 
Rep Power: 347

That works, I normally check in the far end of the left lane, than I floor the gas to get around slower SUV's in the left lane...

That is a cheap way of doing things. I'd like a camera system or something high-tech to see around SUV's so you don't have to slow down for them.

 
Rep Power: 812

haha at first i thought you were gonna use the mirror to shine sunlight at the suv driver

 
Rep Power: 253

I was thinking the exact same thing!

Cool idea. Don't know if I'll do it... but cool idea.

 
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i usually tap the horn or flash highs and they move if not, I floor it around them and set cruise to 3 miles below the speed limit.

 
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very good ideal.

 
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i tailgate muhaha

 
Rep Power: 365

If anybody is doing the speed limit (aka slower than the speed of traffic) in the left lane (aka the PASSING LANE) I'll come up behind them and wait for them to move. If they don't, I'll flash my lights a time or two. At that point, I'll pass them on the right if possible, left if possible (some places in Missouri have like 9 foot shoulders...) or I'll just make sure they know I'm behind them.

It's not my fault they suck at driving. If I'm doing the speed limit, I get way the hell over to the right.

 
Rep Power: 286

Yeah...big shoulders but the ones I see are full of glass and other trash.

I drove from Linburg. to N. Kings Hwy on 70 all summer and I just used the 2 rights lanes cause there were so many "gangstas" (leaning into the middle of the car!) in there car doin 55 in the fast lane. I loved my civic during that afternoon traffic.

 
Rep Power: 269

Yeah, I've thought about this too - like how some cars have the reverse camera to see behind you. If the camera could be mounted into the passenger mirror with a display, hmmm.