Driver's Rear Blind Spot / Grab Handle Delete

[thebigdu]

FWIW here, I am a performance driver with a good amount of track experience in a low powered car, so I know the value of situational awareness at speed.

So, how do people adjust their mirrors? I learned a while ago about the "head lean" method of setting your side mirrors, and it allows you to get virtually no blind spot. This combined with BLIS and while I still shoulder check out of (good) habit, I don't feel like it's really needed. If I really want to get a complete mirror view a quick lean forward I feel gives me better info than any view-distorting bubble mirror does.



Forscan is a configuration tool, not a programming tool. It can only set something Ford has already programmed. I think people get excited at what they think it can do.




The side mirror cameras on the F150 I think have to be 360 dome lenses. They capture from the front fender all the way back to the tail-lights from a static location. With these kind of cameras, software can pick out a section of the dome and show that as its own cropped feed, especially if it already does the processing for the existing 360 cam display. I'm 90% sure this is how the Bronco Tire View Cam works (THAT would be great if it could enable via Forscan), but there might also be a dedicated camera for that.



Hmmm, don't remember, but does the bed cam offer a wide enough rear view?



So sik.

@thebigdu These have shown up, and they make it look like you probably just

Sorry, not sure if I missed something, but I don't see the last part of your post.

I personally adjust my mirrors out pretty far to avoid blind spots as much as possible, but I'm on the taller side and have my seat pretty far back. The B pillar pretty much blocks a quick "lean forward and glance" to my left.

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[hotrodmex]

Sorry, not sure if I missed something, but I don't see the last part of your post.

Ah that was supposed to be deleted. Was going to be a link to some aftermarket handles for that location to offer an idea about a block off plate, but realized probably not what you were looking for. A nice 3d formed/rounded cap that presses into the bolt holes would be cool.

Gave me a thought about converting them to something like a fabric /rope/soft style of handle, though, wrapped into a project for adding some kind of shopping bag tether.

personally adjust my mirrors out pretty far to avoid blind spots as much as possible, but I'm on the taller side and have my seat pretty far back. The B pillar pretty much blocks a quick "lean forward and glance" to my left.

Personal ergonomics do affect this issue a lot, I suppose. I also run with a very racecar-driver-like position, like what you see in a touring or stock car.

I probably look like a super yuppie to any other truck owner.

Also, I'm normally in between sizes for everything, but I seem to be right in the middle of the truck's bell curve for fit.

 

[Calson]

I have owned trucks and large SUV's for the past 50 years and with each and every one of them I buy a couple of 3" convex mirrors and stick them on the vehicle's mirrors. They work the best when they are in the top inside corner of the mirrors (right side for left mirror and left corner for right side mirror). No different with my 2022 F-150 although the factory mirrors are exceptional on this truck as it is. Total cost for my truck to add the two mirrors was $9.

The mirror lets me see if there is a vehicle where I plan to be and if I see a car or truck in the convex mirror I then turn my head so I can see out the window or wait adjust where I steer the truck. It works perfectly but it does require that I pay attention to the road and other motorists while I am driving.

Most drivers are not at all attentive and this includes when their vehicle is merging with traffic on a freeway. They are busy checking their smartphone or eating a burger or drinking coffee or checking their makeup or zoned out with a cigarette in their mouth. Small wonder that traffic accidents have increased so much in the past few years and the reason most often cited with traffic accidents is "driver inattention".

 

[thebigdu]

I have owned trucks and large SUV's for the past 50 years and with each and every one of them I buy a couple of 3" convex mirrors and stick them on the vehicle's mirrors. They work the best when they are in the top inside corner of the mirrors (right side for left mirror and left corner for right side mirror). No different with my 2022 F-150 although the factory mirrors are exceptional on this truck as it is. Total cost for my truck to add the two mirrors was $9.

The mirror lets me see if there is a vehicle where I plan to be and if I see a car or truck in the convex mirror I then turn my head so I can see out the window or wait adjust where I steer the truck. It works perfectly but it does require that I pay attention to the road and other motorists while I am driving.

Most drivers are not at all attentive and this includes when their vehicle is merging with traffic on a freeway. They are busy checking their smartphone or eating a burger or drinking coffee or checking their makeup or zoned out with a cigarette in their mouth. Small wonder that traffic accidents have increased so much in the past few years and the reason most often cited with traffic accidents is "driver inattention".

Thanks for the suggestion. I'm genuinely curious though why you say that the factory mirrors are exceptional. They seem so small for a full size truck and have shrunken from previous generations.

 

[Calson]

I live on a street that is split into a Y and where they merge it is very difficult to see a vehicle coming down the other side with my other mirrors. The 2022 Ford F-150 driver side mirror is enough of a convex mirror to show this other side of the road. All my other vehicles have required that I cross the Y at a 90 degree angle and look up the road through the driver side window.

I use the 3" convex mirrors for freeway driving where the blind spot alert is not adequate and not to be relied upon 100%. The blind spot detection with the newer vehicles is getting better but it is still not as good as using the mirrors.

 

[Atlee]

That is what I am dreaming for. Though the positioning of the 360 cameras may not be good. At some point a perfectly positioned dedicated camera will be utilized for blind spots. Hyundai does this with the Santa Fe and it is a wonderful feature. I also think Lexus is exploring an option to dump the side mirrors and have a smaller side camera set up. It displays the blind spot view on a dedicated screen and gives the BLIS warning.

Trucks should be getting this before cars but that probably will not happen.

Many Class C motor homes built on the Ford E 350/450 chassis have a blind spot camera in the mirrors. Left turn signal gives a camera view of the left side of the motor home.

 

[hotrodmex]

The side mirror cameras on the F150 I think have to be 360 dome lenses. They capture from the front fender all the way back to the tail-lights from a static location.

I knew I had seen where the side cameras could give this view, and it's part of the Pro Trailer Backup screens.

Now to get @Ford Motor Company to have this display in the cluster when hitting the turn signal...

 

[FrankThompson]

That is sweet. I've never seen that view!

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