Date: Thu, 27 Apr 2000 08:57:45 -0700
Reply-To: Steve Arbaugh <sneakers@OZ.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Steve Arbaugh <sneakers@OZ.NET>
Subject: Re: "Backing Up Is hard To Do"
I've got one of those fresnel(?) lenses on my back window. When I bought the
westy, it had one, and I thought I'd pull it off, but after the drive home from
place of purchase, it's stayed, and I even replaced it with a larger one. The
lense plays tricks, allows the fish-eye look, so you can see almost straight
down, left and right. Since I like my outside mirrors more straight back than
down, the lense is very useful in backing up. What really surprised me is that
when I look into the mirror out the rear window, I usually look thru the lense
rather than directly out the back window. My outside mirrors also have the
little bubble mirrors on them as well, allowing a good look down and to the
side for blind spot checking.
it's one of those things I didn't think I'd like, and I end up using it more
than I ever thought.
steve
'85 westy
kent, wa
>From: Susan Bernavich <susanb@WIZZARDS.NET>
>ok...I was just backing up tonight (to get Harold packed for a great
wetwesties
>outing) and I thought to myself.....geeze there has got to be a trick to
>this...thanx for the information tony...will try it next time.....susanb
>
>Tony Peet wrote:
>
>> Howdy There VanAGoneers!
>>
>> Well, you learn something new everyday.
>>
>> I've had my '91 Syncro Vanagon for almost a year now, and I've spent a not
>> insignificant amount of time trying to figure out how to back up 'well'
>> (defined as safely, without hitting that tree on the right rear, and at a
>> respectable pace;-)) I've adjusted the mirrors and gotten out of the van
>> countless times to try to 'learn' a good way to accurately gauge "how much
>> room I've got left before I hit the wall/car/parking space limiter/fence/kid
>> etc."..and nothing has REALLY been a dependable measure....until NOW:
>>
>> I've found that with not too much leaning I can see the LOWER BACK EDGE OF
>> EITHER THE RIGHT OR LEFT REAR TIRE in the bottom part of the right or left
>> mirror. When I just focus on THAT BACK EDGE, and use IT as a reference
>> point to the nearest object, I get an extremely accurate read as to where
>> the rear bumper is etc and can really nail the distance with precision.
>>
>> Using any other reference point along the sides of the van just has not
>> worked for me ......the distances get really distorted.
>>
>> And yes, if you must ask, this HAS changed my life.
>>
>> I would be curious to know if anyone else uses this or any other trick too
>> or what your experience is if you give it a try.
>>
>> Happy Trails.....
>>
>> Tony
>> '91 Syncro Westy ('teepee')
>> Pacific Grove, CA
>> ________________________________________________________________________
>> Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at <a
href=http://www.hotmail.com>http://www.hotmail.com</a>
>
|