Do you drive "Flaps Up" ?

[thepaidtraveler]

I was wondering how many yaris drivers actually drive with their side view mirrors tucked in folded up to the door in a "Flaps Up" position?

[YAR1S]

defeats the point of having them? Why would you? unless it affected it aerodynamically... then maybe but not just cause it looks good.. you get others and yourself killed.

[Loren]

I don't even HAVE a right side mirror in my Spitfire, but it's a very small car, I have a wide-angle rear-view mirror and I almost always drive with the top down. I have no trouble keeping up with what's going on around me in that car.

But, in the Yaris, with all of it's blind spots and such... not a good idea.

I actually tried is a couple weeks ago when I did my "economy run". Tucked the right side mirror in, and damn if I didn't almost get in a wreck because of it! Not because I didn't see what was to the right of me, but because I was looking way over my right shoulder to be sure the right lane was clear and didn't see the car in front of me come to a STOP because the car in front of them (that I couldn't see) decided to stop suddenly to prepare for a left turn. It was a very close call... missed clipping the rear of a minivan by about a foot.

Not worth it.

[03Z33]

I folded in the mirrors on Lorens Yaris when we ran it at the 1/4 mile drags this past Spring. I don't think it helped much with the fuel economy over that 1/4 mile :tongue:

[Mikeb Yaris]

[QUOTE=Loren;190871]But, in the Yaris, with all of it's blind spots and such... not a good idea.QUOTE]


One of the few gripes I have about my sedan is the blind spots. Between the aft pillar size and the rear seat headrests, it does one well to be dilligent in mirror adjustment and attention - particularly in changing lanes. Do not forget your driver's ed procedure from high school in this car!!! ALWAYS turn your head and look back!! The first week I had mine I came this close to really getting wiped out!:eek:

[Bob_VT]

I don't even HAVE a right side mirror in my Spitfire, but it's a very small car, I have a wide-angle rear-view mirror and I almost always drive with the top down. I have no trouble keeping up with what's going on around me in that car.

But, in the Yaris, with all of it's blind spots and such... not a good idea.

I actually tried is a couple weeks ago when I did my "economy run". Tucked the right side mirror in, and damn if I didn't almost get in a wreck because of it! Not because I didn't see what was to the right of me, but because I was looking way over my right shoulder to be sure the right lane was clear and didn't see the car in front of me come to a STOP because the car in front of them (that I couldn't see) decided to stop suddenly to prepare for a left turn. It was a very close call... missed clipping the rear of a minivan by about a foot.

Not worth it.


Slightly off topic.... when I used to drive my Spitfire top down I felt as if I had to almost stand up and wave so trucks could see me. It is low enough to the ground that you cad see yourself in truck hub caps :biggrin:

[TLyttle]

True 'nuff... My old Morris was quite tall, but I was always amazed at how "invisible" I was to larger vehicles.

As far as blind spots are concerned: I took the Yaris sedan off the road for the winter, and reactivated the old Volvo 245 wagon. Wow!!! It was like being in a goldfish bowl all of a sudden! Narrow pillars, lower beltline, and even though there is less glass in the 245, it is all vertical and stays cleaner. We had freezing rain the other day, and the only glass to get covered was the windshield; the side windows stayed fairly clear. Also, the "laddered" headrests help a lot.

The only mirrors with significant drag IIRC are those "West Coast" mirrors one finds on semis; on a pigup they can cost about 3-4mpg.