Headlight glare from wing mirrors

Post by **Nicola&Tony** » 27 Oct 2007, 16:52

When we first got the van last year we replaced the wing mirrors because they were in poor condition. Not knowing any better (i.e. it was before we'd discovered 80-90!) we got the flat wing mirrors from JK.

The problem I'm having is driving at night - I struggle with the headlight glare from other vehicles in the wing mirrors. So I was wondering if the convex mirrors would reduce the amount of glare and are there any better quality ones available than JK?

Are these mirrors still available from VW does anyone know?

Thanks for any info.

Tony

Post by **Hacksawbob** » 27 Oct 2007, 17:01

yes they are available
left 251 857 513 A rear view mirror (convex) 40,81 GBP
right 251 857 514 A rear view mirror (convex) 38,07 GBP
add the vat

Post by **DiscoDave** » 28 Oct 2007, 11:23

i had this problem when the old bill made the take of my tints on the frount windows. i learned to live with it but i did wonder about tinting my wingmirrors! a few of the posh newer cars seem to have tinted mirrors!

Post by **sherlock** » 28 Oct 2007, 11:37

Disco Dave........Why did the law make you take off your tinted fronts ??
I thought thay didnt give a stuff really...am I wrong ?

I have my back windows done and am thinking about the fronts. How tinted were yours ?

Sherlock.

Post by **jamesc76** » 28 Oct 2007, 14:02

sherlock your not alowed any tint on the fronts at all they can make you remove it there and then !!

Post by **kevtherev** » 28 Oct 2007, 16:26

I have door mirrors fitted

Post by **Nicola&Tony** » 28 Oct 2007, 22:43

kevtherev wrote:I have door mirrors fitted

Do they give you much bother with headlight glare though?!

Ha ha! Point taken! I never thought about that . . . old habits die hard I guess!

Tony

Post by **Bilbo Blue** » 29 Oct 2007, 07:22

If you think about it, any mirror will show the headlights of a vehicle behind you. Thats what they are there for, to see whats coming up behind you. You could tint the mirrors but is it worth it if you miss something going on behind you ie a bike. Dont know what the law would say if you had an accident and they found you couldnt see out your mirrors.

Post by **Syncro G** » 29 Oct 2007, 19:45

I think the law on tinting windows is something like; windscreen must let in 75% light, front side windows 70% all other windows can be as tinted as you like - the most extreme case being a panel van without rear windows.

Posh cars seem to have a blue coating on the door mirrors which I guess is anti glare? The stick on glass patches you get from halfrourds are available in this finish it seems. I've herd people say you can't see cyclists at night due to some anti dazzle mirrors but I think thats probably in auto dipping intereour mirrors. Never driven a vehicle with eather at night.

I've got flat joke mirrors on my van (which you can't see anything in let alone cyclists!) and they do seem to dazzle alot, I certainly notice it more then in my landy (convex mirrors) and don't remember it being a problem in our old caravelle (electric mirrors - they were fantastic!), that had the light green tinted windows of course. It would be logical a convex mirror makes headlights appear smaller and therefore less anoying? Then again you'd still be seeing the same amount of light so that wouldn't affect it? I'm hopeing all these mirror woes will disapear when I fit the convex truck mirrors.

Post by **kevtherev** » 29 Oct 2007, 19:51

I tend to adjust them so I have to move my head to see behind... that seems to stop the constant in your face glare

Post by **Nicola&Tony** » 29 Oct 2007, 20:22

Bilbo Blue wrote:If you think about it, any mirror will show the headlights of a vehicle behind you. Thats what they are there for, to see whats coming up behind you.

I've been driving for more years than I prefer to think about now, and in a variety of vehicles so I'm well used to headlights in the mirrors. My point was more about the amount of glare being considerably worse in our T25 than anything else I've ever driven so I was wondering if I'd made it worse by putting cheaper, non-VW mirrors on and whether or not buying more expensive ones and / or convex, rather than the flat mirrors, would reduce the amount of glare down to the much more manageable level that I'm used to in other vehicles?

Many thanks for all the info and suggestions so far.

Does the flat / convex mirror choice make any difference to the level of glare, does anyone know?

Tony

Post by **Nicola&Tony** » 29 Oct 2007, 20:29

Just read Syncro G's reply again, thanks for the flat / convex comparison info. I think I might ask Santa for one convex mirror, put that on and then do a little experiment to see if there's much difference in glare between the two mirrors! Thanks Hacksaw Bob for the VW part numbers.

Tony

Post by **minke** » 29 Oct 2007, 21:25

Syncro G is spot on. My Modeo Titaniun Xx has front tinted windows, 70% & 75 respectively. All rear views mirrors are auto..if a vehicle comes up behind with fulll lights on the mirrors go darker..first Ford I ever had & its FAB

kevnot the rev

Post by **Cruz** » 29 Oct 2007, 21:41

The glare might by to do with a big proportion of charlies driving with out of line headlights. Some headlights nearly blind me on low beam

Post by **Nicola&Tony** » 29 Oct 2007, 21:51

Cruz wrote:The glare might by to do with a big proportion of charlies driving with out of line headlights. Some headlights nearly blind me on low beam

I totally agree with you there! I wish something could be done about this because it's one of my motoring pet hates! They also include (a) motorway / dual carriageway drivers who pull out into the outside lane and then sit there pootling along not overtaking anything, oblivious to the increasing queue of traffic behind them and an empty lane ahead of them (b) people who put fog lights on as soon as it gets misty / wet / dark!

I can feel a Downing Street petition coming on . . . not!

Tony