Blind spot??

Question

I had a weird experience today..... actually, I nearly had a crash!! I was driving along - following my sat nav and it told me to take the next left but I was in the right hand lane so I indicated left (i was in a lane of moving traffic), when I checked my mirror and over my shoulder, there was nothing there, but then I moved over and .... there was something there.... a very angry driver who beeped, slammed on and then put 2 fingers up to me!! Nice.... I have only been driving for 3 weeks!! Is this the blind spot? Why didn't I see him? Even though I checked my mirrors and glanced over my left shoulder? Driving is scarey, am not sure if I wanna continue!! I am ok when I have somebody in the car with me but when I am on my own it is really bad, and the more mistakes I make, the more it knocks my confidence and then the more I don't want to drive :-(

Answer 1

yeah even when looking in the mirrors actually turn ur head mirrors lie sometimes

Answer 2

This is your blind spot.  I am a car driver and I am also a motorbike rider.  When I was training for my bike test I was tought to look over my shoulder just before moving out.  They called it the lifesaver.  Not only do I use it when riding my motorbike but I also use it when driving my car, and believe me it has stopped me from having an accident once or twice!  So get doing your lifesavers just before you change lanes and you should be absolutely fine.

Answer 3

Make a habit of checking all three mirrors not just the one inside.

There are little stick on mirrors that will give you additional visibility in the blind spots on both sides very cheap but effective.

You also need to remember that courtesy is not a common feature of drivers and people will often go out of their way to be obstructive especially if they feel you are likely to get a space further ahead of them in the queue.

Be safe and enjoy your driving it is a skill that you are constantly learning.

Answer 4

a lot of people are in accidents when they just knew no other car was there. well it was there you just did not see it I won't patronize you. you need to start paying a lot more attention to what you are doing.Just passing your driving test does not make you a good driver, years of driving and being exposed to a lot of different situations makes you a good driver.

Answer 5

Hi

Yes it is your "Blind Spot".

By all accounts it is an area that is not covered by your interior or exterior mirrors and cannot be seen by moving your line of vision from left to right.

We all make driving errors and it is times like these that you should be able to learn from your mistakes and act accordingly.

Don't let it phase you, the guy should also have been looking at what you were doing, and if he has time to sound his horn and stick up two fingers, he has time to slow down and let you through.

Verdict.....Not entirely your fault.

Carry on driving, just think "what if" each time you make a manouver.

Answer 6

Sometimes, when you look in the mirror and see a car that is far away, you think it is safe to change lanes, but sometimes they are speeding, and then they are there just as you make your move.

Gotta learn how to judge other car's speed. It's not always easy, but you will get the hang of it over time.

Answer 7

Probably was in your blindspot.  You can prevent this though. Dont only "glance" over your shoulder, look out the driver side rear window once to make sure there is nobody there and then a few seconds later after you have your directional on just incase.  The best way to drive is to expect everybody to do what there not supposed to do.  I live in south florida and its insane to drive down here with all the old people and immigrants that arent supposed to be legally driving.  Just keep checking your blind spots, and keep an eye on your mirrors so you can see if a car is comming up or not.  Hope this helps, and dont give up on driving. You will get used to it. And if your really skittish about your blind spots now, have a friend stand outside your car while your parked and have them walk around until you find out exactly where your blind spots are and so you can find a way of looking in them while driving! :)

Answer 8

that is indeedyour blind spot!!

when checking your mirrors, try waiting a bit before moving, thus giving time for any vechcles to exit the blindspot and come into view. it could have been that you looked, but didnt see it!

Answer 9

We all have close calls from time to time.

When doing that shoulder check, do it AGAIN JUST BEFORE you steer into the next lane. DO actually look out that rear door window too! Then you will see whoever is lacking in scanning and proactive and defensive driving habits. Also when you begin changing lanes, look well up the lane you intend to enter and use very minimal steering. Make your lane changes as straight as possible. Forming this habit will also keep you straighter during slushy, wintery weather.

Answer 10

I have only tried a sat nav once and don't think that I will for a long while.  The problem with them is that they take your concentration away from the road.  Mine was giving me weird instructions and as I was reading road signs, ignored some of them otherwise I would have been sent up some dead end roads.  Before you go on a journey next time, check your route on a map first so you can get an idea of how many junctions you might need to turn at. If you do make a mistake (we all do at times) and find yourself in the wrong lane, indicate,  check your mirror, look behind and check your mirror again before you begin to pull out.  Do you have the P plates on your car?  Hopefully other drivers might be a bit more understanding.  Knowing that you have a blind spot means that you will be a little more careful next time.  None of us were expert drivers when we started and sometimes the stupidity of other drivers (supposedly experienced ones) can make the rest of us a bit scared at times.  The more experience you get, the easier it will get.