Active blind spot detection

Originally Posted by chris328

i think there was another thread where some kid was all mad and adamant that his car didnt have a rear camera. that one was pretty good too.

Haha. And respect to a fellow AFX fan BTW...

Originally Posted by EddieB

My mirrors are adjusted that way as well, and I like the blind-spot detection except that it is a little too conservative when you need to pass and pull in front of somebody. Wish it could be modified.

Yup..my big issue with blind-spot warning is the second-stage alarm when you get when you are signaling before changing lanes. This second-stage warning that flashes the mirror triangle and vibrates the steering wheel is much too sensitive. It expects the driver to have a far greater distance between the two cars than is normal -- even with a margin for safety.

Originally Posted by MonkeyCMonkeyDo

All these suggestions are well and good but as a motorcycle driver I can tell you we are still invisible in many cases despite doing all of the above. However, with my blind spot detection it still picks them up. There has been 3 or 4 times I have looked in the mirror looked left and still not seen anybody (EVEN though I specifically look for bikers) and the blind spot warned me and sure enough a bike was there.

To me that is reason enough to have it.

If a motorcyclist is in your blind spot he deserves to get tagged.


(especially squids)

Originally Posted by SergioK

If a motorcyclist is in your blind spot he deserves to get tagged.

Typical Cager.

We really need a sarcasm tag.

But seriously, if you ride and stay in someone's blind spot you probably shouldn't be on a m/c. It irks me to no avail when I see someone on a m/c and they are riding it as if they were driving a car. And no, I'm not a typical cager. Been riding for over 12 years and I average about 10,000 miles a year on my motorcycles.

Originally Posted by SergioK

We really need a sarcasm tag.

But seriously, if you ride and stay in someone's blind spot you probably shouldn't be on a m/c. It irks me to no avail when I see someone on a m/c and they are riding it as if they were driving a car. And no, I'm not a typical cager. Been riding for over 12 years and I average about 10,000 miles a year on my motorcycles.

Seams like you got all the answers.
cheers
vern

Originally Posted by Elk

Typical Cager.

Dude I was weaned on bikes. It is your responsible to be seen. Cager or no.

They have electronic nannies that help you be seen nowadays.

You can't pass someone without going through his or her blind spot. Found that to be true even on my bike.

Originally Posted by EddieB

Dude I was weaned on bikes. It is your responsible to be seen. Cager or no.

Yes, riding a bike requires a constant defensive posture when in traffic. However, when passing a car or being passed, a bike will be in the car's blind spot through no fault of the bike.

It is the responsibility of the driver changing lanes to make certain the adjacent lane is clear by situational awareness and actually looking. A car's "blind" spot exists only when the driver refuses to turn his head and look.

Regardless, statements such as "If a motorcyclist is in your blind spot he deserves to get tagged" are callous and thoughtless at best.

It is merely another tool to assist the driver, like mirrors. One needs to appreciate the benefits and limitations of every device.

And you are telling me you havent been driving in the left side of your lane, actually even with the driver to your right's tire and see them look left, what looks like right at you, and then still moves right at you?

People are idiots in cars. The best driving technique on a bike is to assume EVERY single driver on the road does not see you so only drive where there are escape routes and to keep yourself in safest place you can when cars are around you.

Sergio I figured you were being sarcastic but clearly you havent driven much in heavy so cal rush hour. There is no choice but to be near peoples blind spots at times. You just always have an escape route if you need one.

EddieB - You say you were weaned on bikes but it is not our responsibility to be seen if we are in our lane obeying the laws. It is the SMART thing to do, but no just like a car that is in another cars blind spot, it is the driver that turns into your lane who would be at fault. SMART bikers do everything in their power to never be invisible on the road. However, that is not 100% possible and if you do ride like you say you do then you know that is true and I am sure you have plenty of stories where oblivious cagers just move into your lane without looking, forcing you to brake hard, change lanes, honk, speed up, etc.

The point of the biker comment in the beginning was to state that EVEN as a biker they are still invisibile to me on occasion and any tool that can see them when I cant and will alert me to them makes me happy and is worth having. Even if it is overly conservative. I can handle a moment of vibration when i want to change lanes aggressively.

Originally Posted by MonkeyCMonkeyDo

. . . EVEN as a biker they are still invisibile to me on occasion and any tool that can see them when I cant and will alert me to them makes me happy and is worth having.

Both bikes and cars would be involved in many fewer accidents if everyone took this level of responsibility.

I like having blind spot detection. It is just another reminder to check and double check before changing lanes. Also, for me to not be so aggressive in changing lanes. I really does not get to where you are going that much faster.

Regarding motorcycles it helps. It seems pretty good at detecting motorcycles splitting the lane between you and the car right next to you, which is legal in California.

I've always used a blind spot mirror... still do a quick look over the shoulder. Why would automakers not have a blind spot area already integrated into side mirrors?

Learn to adjust your mirrors like Car and Driver, heck, even the DMV now suggests and you won't need those little stick-ons.

And NOTHING cures a 'driver' (loose definition of the word) if the person doesn't actually look and see before a lane change, doodads or not.