COMPARISON OF THE DEPTH OF PERCEPTION WITH THE STANDARD CONVEX MIRROR AND THE M-C TECHNOLOGY
The only way the eye can judge the
position of vehicles and objects in proximity that are being projected
in a spot mirror is by the perception of size and relativity that the
image produces and transmits to the eye.
In the following pictures we
illustrate the difference between standard convex mirror technology and
the M-C spot mirror technology visually. When looking at the
pictures below please remember that the adjacent truck is parked
exactly even with the back of the trailer on the subject truck.
The first picture illustrates a common
mirror configuration of a standard west coast (flat glass mirror) and
an 8 inch convex mirror as a supplemental mirror. The picture is
taken from the driver’s seat. Note the size of the objects
in the spot mirror, especially the size projection of the truck parked
to the rear of the subject truck.
The second picture is taken placing
the M-C 750 in the area where the 8 inch convex mirror is
attached. Note now how the relative size has increased so that a
driver receives an image that better illustrates the exact location of
the adjacent truck.
IT SHOULD ALSO BE NOTED THAT WHEN
LOOKING AT THE PICTURES IT BECOMES EVIDENT THAT THE DRIVER HAS TO WORK
HARDER TO FIND THE IMAGES IN THE CONVEX MIRROR AND THEN IS REQUIRED
TO DO A SERIES OF MENTAL CALCULATIONS TO TRY AND ASSESS ITS
LOCATION RELATIVE TO THE DRIVERS VEHICLE. WE BELIEVE THIS CREATES
A TENSION FACTOR ON THE PART OF DRIVER AND THIS TENSION CONTRIBUTES TO
THE FATIGUE FACTOR OF THE DRIVER WHEN DRIVING LONG DISTANCES.
The difficulty with door-mounted
mirrors, when the vehicle has a hood, is that the driver is not able to
see the area behind the mirror and along the side of the truck.
To overcome this problem safety conscious operators have accepted the
premise that a supplementary mirror located on the front of the truck
can add this area to the driver’s view. Here the mountings
found indicate that some operators place the spot mirror on the hood of
the vehicle and some operators place it on the front fender.
Mounting hardware is usually a single arm for the hood-mount and a
tripod for the fender mount. The question of vibration should
always be considered and we have concluded that the three legged tripod
offers greater stability for the spot mirror and gets it far enough
away from the body of the truck that its full maximum can be achieved.
The hood-mounted mirror mainly shows the operator the body of the
tractor.
For perception purposes the next
picture includes an 8 inch convex mirror mounted on the front fender
with an M-C Spot mirror adjacent. Again the factors of relatively
of size to location and ease of viewing are apparent.
We hear occasionally that the width of
the viewing area is the critical feature of a spot mirror. There is no
question but that the exterior mirror system should show enough of the
area around the sides of the vehicle to allow it to safely negotiate
through congested traffic but sheer width of the angle of view is not
as important as being able to understand and use what you see.
Probably the widest field of view in any mirror is found on the
passenger detection mirrors on the school bus. These bubble type
mirrors on the front of the bus provide the widest view possible with a
spot mirror, but even the federal government that mandates them for
pedestrian detection, says they must not be used while the bus in
motion. The distortion factor is so great that they become impossible
to use for driving purposes. The next picture illustrates this
distortion.
THE CORRECT SPOT MIRROR TECHNOLOGY
PROVIDES A BALANCED VIEW THAT SHOWS THE OPERATOR THE AREA IN PROXIMITY
TO THE VEHICLE, NECESSARY TO SAFELY NEGOTIATE THROUGH CROWDED ROADWAYS
AND DOES SO WITH IMAGES THAT CAN BE USED BY THE OPERATOR IN MAKING
DRIVING JUDGMENTS WITH MINIMUM MENTAL CALCULATION.
M-C SPOT MIRROR TECHNOLOGY HAS REACHED THAT CORRECT BALANCE.
If you want to join the number of
companies and agencies that are seeking to eliminate dangerous blind
spots in working vehicle rear view mirror systems M-C Spot Mirror
Technology is the answer.
Richard T. Ince
Safety Director
M-C North America