Accidents Caused by Blind Spots - Seriously, ..anybody?
 

Lots of complaints over blind spots on these cars over the years.. but has anyone actually gotten into an accident because of the design of this vehicle (not driver error)?

I know we are only a small sample of 370Z owners, but we gotta start somewhere..

If nobody comes out of the woodwork, then maybe we shut this 'complaint' down in the future right from the start.

I have my mirrors all the way out and I just gas it when lane changing lol

^^ mirros all the way out fix the blind spot issue. It worked for me

It is possible to have an accident due to blind spotting, the question is whether you blame the car or yourself. IMHO, with properly adjusted mirrors there isn't a practical blind spot on the highway, but many people don't know how to properly adjust mirrors (I didn't until this car required me to learn).

Quick Google link that seems to have the right technique: How to adjust your mirrors | The Web Page of Kristopher Linquist

Backing out of a parking space, on the other hand, is totally dangerous in this car. Be smart, go slow, pause for idiots :).

I think even with proper adjustment, you have a blind spot that is more than big enough to hide a bike.

It's ok, bikes just mean fender scratches :driving:

But seriously, adjusted correctly a motorcycle can't hide.

Maybe it's a driver height thing. I know how to adjust mirrors and always had a blind spot that a big could easily tuck into

Defintely a driver height issue. I had to buy the small convex mirrors to help a bit. The driver side mirror also blocks my left side view at intersections a bit. I'm 4' 10".

Are you on the short side or tall side? Maybe.

If you get into an accident changing lanes it's your fault. You have to know where the cars in front and back are before merging. This isn't your typical car that has a small blindspot.

The design of the car can't be blamed for an accident. Granted, the Z has a nasty blind spot, but if you are extra careful when changing lanes, backing out, etc, I don't see how it could be an issue.

Turn on signal, hold the horn, swerve into the next lane. Always works. At least I'm considerate and warn people. :tup:

Too tall to drive it with a helmet on :p

I just gas it and make sure I have the room. I mean I still look but with the wing and the blind spot I might as well not lmao.

TO be fair I think the extra caution we use because we don't want to wreck our car compensates for the blind spot.

Yeah embarrassingly I almost took out a fellow motorcyclist. I had the windows down and didn't even hear him. After that I got small convex mirrors and attached them.

Moped riders are also hard to see. They are not as bad here in SC as they were in Korea but there is definetely an increase in riders.

Height does play in the blind spot mirror adjustment. I have my mirrors all the way out and I can still see all of my rear fender. I added a blind spot mirror on my LH mirror since I almost clipped a car while I was changing lanes and didn't see any sign of the car beside me. The blind spot mirror look like sh!t, but it keeps me from hitting what I otherwise can't see without them.

Rear blind spots aren't too terrible once you get used to them.

It's the side mirrors overall size that obstructs my view. Whole cars have "popped" out as I'm entering a turn, they were hidden perfectly behind the side mirror on the left. It also obstructs my vision on the right.

I'm 5'7", so on the shorter side, but I've got the seat cranked all the way up. Never had this issue with any other car in my life. Thy're too chunky. Why are these things as big as my head?

someone made a left-turn and hit another car cause the mirror blinded the view. i dont remember who.

Did he have these installed?

http://www.truckcustomizers.com/imag...s-02-large.jpg

jordo- you can actually raise the factory seat another 3/4" with some spacers and lower bolt. modshack recommended this to me a while ago and that helped my view quite a bit.

but the ultimate solution was my CS. :p now i can see as good as when in my my G35C.

ill be honest, i absolutely adore my 370... but one thing that irks me is changing lanes... especially on a busy highway... i dont drive her too often to keep the miles low on it for better trade in for a newer 370 or GTR in the future, but when i do take her out for a drive.... highway drivng..... and changing lanes is a real worrisome thing for me, the blindspot windows are so small you really dont even see the point in why Nissan put them there and thought they would prevent the "blindspot" from occuring.. i drive in the slow lane and have to completely turn my head and body around in order to partially see lol.

I remember this, he said that the mirror blocked his view while he was turning and drove into some parked cars... Sounds more like driver error to me.. loll

hahaha, i suppose we need step ladders inside the car so we can see over the mirrors. :icon17: :wtf2:

This should help

http://photo.buysell.net.my/data/639.../424_p5214.jpg

:icon18:

7 years in a 323 cabrio, 4 years in a 350 vert, and now 6 months with a 370 vert.

I adjust both side mirrors all the way outward, as much as they can stretch. One time my friend ask me, " Does you car have a blind spot?" She thought the blind spot is too big that I can't even check it by turning my head, cos she never see me turn my head.

Never has an accident that caused by blind spot.

Of course, I am NOT saying we don't need shoulder check, sometimes, I do turn my head too.

Every car has blind spot, we can't blame the blind spot, it's the drivers' responsibility to overcome it.

BTW, FYI, the one car I notice it has damn blind spot, you might not believe me, but it is my experience cause I used to drive that car, it's the Mazda Protege5, yup, a wagon with TONS of windows. I have to put a convex on both side... Yup, the blind spot on that one is even worse than 370.

CAD$0.02

:iagree:

I guess another reason I don't have much problem with it is I'm generally outpacing everyone around me, and I build a mental map as I go. So I know where people are behind me without looking to begin with, the mirror/look checks are just double-takes to make sure they didn't do something totally unpredictable. (Well, and the rear view checks spot oncoming faster drivers, but even though I scan it religiously that's pretty rare heh. Usually more likely to find the fuzz there :p)

Backing out of parking spaces can also be a pain. Side mirrors won't help if you're parked between 2 taller vehicles. I found this out today after I used the angled street parking spots.

I drove my friend's Corvette last night and was surprised how much better the visibility was in his car.

:iagree:

this has happened to me too. i'm 5'6" so im sure it has a lot to do with driver height. i actually sit up/stretch a little higher and look over the side mirror when turning now to avoid this.

That's me for sure. Now that I have a cage the top main loop has block some of my view out the rear. I need to drop my rear view some how. Mostly for track purpose.

Isn't this the same topic as this?

http://www.the370z.com/nissan-370z-g...lind-spot.html

That one inspired this thread. This thread is to see if everyone's talk about blind spots is all talk. I don't see any concrete stories from people about it causing an accident. So why are threads like the one you linked to still in existence??

What I am proposing is the following when someone new posts about blind spots:

1. Someone posts "Hey, I heard the 370Z has bad blind spots. Is this true?"
2. Someone replies "No."
3. Lock thread.

That should be the end of it unless I see a legitimate story about someone having their mirrors aimed properly and still hitting someone.