Poor view

[larrys3255]

I am finding that the strut connecting the left side window and the front windshield really obscures the view and may even be dangerous. The tiny window in the middle of the strut is useless. Does anyone else find this a problem?

Larry

 

[LEAFfan]

I am finding that the strut connecting the left side window and the front windshield really obscures the view and may even be dangerous. The tiny window in the middle of the strut is useless. Does anyone else find this a problem?
Larry

There's another thread on this forum about this from a long time ago. Are you kind of short? I'm fairly tall, have been driving my LEAF since June, and it has never been a problem for me. I even leave my back headrests in for my passengers because vision there is no problem either. Love the rear cam!

 

[larrys3255]

Hi

No, I am 5' 10''. I guess I am used to the great visibility of my previous Honda civic hybrid.
One time I actually almost hit a pedestrian who was obscured by the strut.

Larry

 

[larrys3255]

Could you point me towards the previous thread on this subject?

Thanks.

 

[LEAFfan]

Here's one, but I can't find the others right now.

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=5325" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[camasleaf]

Hi

No, I am 5' 10''. I guess I am used to the great visibility of my previous Honda civic hybrid.
One time I actually almost hit a pedestrian who was obscured by the strut.

Larry

I agree with you. It happened to me when I was going downhill and the road was turning left. I tend to stay too close to the center lane on that spot. Ones I had an old red pick-up truck that come like of nowhere from the opposite direction. At the right speeds and angles, that car was in a blind spot for a couple seconds. I am over 6’, but I am not used to the car. Out of the 3200 mile I only got to drive 300-400 miles , … my wife loves the car.

 

[daggad]

Hi

No, I am 5' 10''. I guess I am used to the great visibility of my previous Honda civic hybrid.
One time I actually almost hit a pedestrian who was obscured by the strut.

There is nothing wrong with your Leaf.
Slim pedestrians should however stay out of traffic.... :lol:

 

[elektra]

YES! I'm new on the forum and have been searching it to see whether anyone else has this problem. I've almost hit a few people in crosswalks (just can't see them) and coming toward me when veering right on narrow windey roads.

Not that I'm glad someone else has this issue, but what can one do about it apart from leaning right and left every time the problem comes into play.

And I don't think height is the problem. I'm a 5'4" female.

BTW, Larry. We have a Honda civic hybrid as our second car as well!

 

[thankyouOB]

the car has some bad blind spots, and that is one of the worst.
you have to work a little harder at the look-around, and I always try to check twice when changing lanes because the mirror field-of-vision has some holes in it.

the price of glory.

 

[rumpole]

It did bother me, but now I've gotten used to having to lean forward and stick my head out to look around it, when making left turns. I have also had someone in the blind spot it creates. It's really noticeable when I drive our '04 Honda Civic. The view in that car is like a panoramic 60" wide-screen in comparison.

I seem to have heard somewhere that Federal roll-over standards were responsible for enlarging those supports in most new cars, not just the Leaf.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

this view problem is;

most noticable turning left. the sharper the turn, the worse it gets. turning left while going downhill is especially disconcerting.

is present in most all high efficient cars due to the raked windshield design. This has been a very common complaint of Priuses as well

we did a car trip in the Prius to Disneyland and drove the Coast on the return. there are several areas we were lucky to average 20 mph due to the very sharp turns where the road is literally out of view until within 20-30 feet of the turn. when the only thing you can see is wide open shoulderless air; speed is not something you would want to do!

one thing that was very clear. right turns were much easier to negotiate than left turns

 

[copdoc]

+1 and again +1 (if I get two votes)

I love just about everything about my Leaf, but the visibility is not nearly as good as I would like it to be. The blind spot on the left with the strut between driver window & back seat ain't that great either.

YES! I'm new on the forum and have been searching it to see whether anyone else has this problem. I've almost hit a few people in crosswalks (just can't see them) and coming toward me when veering right on narrow windey roads.

Not that I'm glad someone else has this issue, but what can one do about it apart from leaning right and left every time the problem comes into play.

And I don't think height is the problem. I'm a 5'4" female.

BTW, Larry. We have a Honda civic hybrid as our second car as well!

 

[Nubo]

This was one thing I noted during my test drive during the LEAF Tour. I was waiting in the car with my chaperone, to be released from the parking lot. She had to point out to me that we were being waved on. I just had not see the fellow waving as he happened to be blocked by that fat pillar.

In practice I don't find it to be too bad. Like any car you have to be aware of its visibility zones and compensate accordingly. The one thing I do find tricky is when making left turns onto roads with a curbed median. That little porthole window is JUST ENOUGH to keep tabs on where that curb is. I find it's a bit of work to make sure I don't clip that curb with the wheels.

 

[planet4ever]

The blind spot on the left with the strut between driver window & back seat ain't that great either.

I certainly agree on the area at left side of the windshield. It's probably due to my preferred sitting position, but I can't see a thing out the tiny porthole. I don't understand the problem at the back of the driver window, though. If you have your left side rear view mirror adjusted properly you should have a continuous view through center rear view, left rear view, and out the window, with no blind spots. Try adjusting your left rear view mirror out further. When you are leaning over close to the door you should just barely be able to see the side of your car. (Then do the same with your right rear view mirror when leaning toward the center of the car.)

Ray

 

[LEAFfan]

the car has some bad blind spots, and that is one of the worst.
you have to work a little harder at the look-around, and I always try to check twice when changing lanes because the mirror field-of-vision has some holes in it.
the price of glory.

If you adjust your side mirrors outward, there are no blind spots.

 

[PracticingHuman]

The visibility factor seems to shift based on the individual. I found the headrests in the back seat obstructive but my wife has no issue with them.

Regarding the side mi

If you adjust your side mirrors outward, there are no blind spots.

I do understand that adjusting the side mirrors on any car can effectively reduce blind spots, but short of a George Jetson mobile it seems imprudent to assume one has no blind spots. Best to drive under the assumption that you may have one.

this view problem is;

most noticable turning left. the sharper the turn, the worse it gets. turning left while going downhill is especially disconcerting.

See, Dave... easy solution here. Don't turn left. We Leaf drivers are flexible, right? Learned to change how we do things, make sacrifices for an EV lifestyle? We need to learn to drive by making right turns only.

 

[ztanos]

The visibility factor seems to shift based on the individual. I found the headrests in the back seat obstructive but my wife has no issue with them.

Regarding the side mi

If you adjust your side mirrors outward, there are no blind spots.

I do understand that adjusting the side mirrors on any car can effectively reduce blind spots, but short of a George Jetson mobile it seems imprudent to assume one has no blind spots. Best to drive under the assumption that you may have one.

this view problem is;

most noticable turning left. the sharper the turn, the worse it gets. turning left while going downhill is especially disconcerting.

See, Dave... easy solution here. Don't turn left. We Leaf drivers are flexible, right? Learned to change how we do things, make sacrifices for an EV lifestyle? We need to learn to drive by making right turns only.

Fedex learned years ago that it is cheaper and faster to turn right to turn left. :lol:

 

[eclecticflower]

Many people are unaware of the proper way to adjust side mirrors for blind spots. It seems awkward, but it does work.

Sitting in the driver's seat, lean right until your head is centered in the interior, looking at the rear-view mirror. It will appear that your side mirrors are aimed at the car body. Adjust the side mirrors to point away from the car body until your blind spot is gone (yes, you need long arms to do this in that position, but you can adjust and come back to center to check). When sitting in the normal position, you s/b now able to see a vehicle in both your side & rear-view mirrors simultaneously, as it approaches from behind.

Personally, I think seeing around the pillar is a positional issue, something you have to be diligently aware of and get used to over time, as I did. I try viewing all front and side windows from a "panoramic viewpoint," if you can imagine that. Even with properly adjusted side mirrors, I extensively turn my head & body to look behind me to check blind spots.

I can NEVER completely trust mirrors. Last time I did that backing out of a parking space, I let up on the brake, rolled back a couple feet and the right rear corner of my bumper bonked the center/license plate area of a parked car, which then "magically appeared" in both side & rear-view mirrors. Cracked the right rear corner of my bumper cover & flexed it enough to pop a pin (under the right rear wheel well), separating it from my vehicle (no damage to parked car). Even though I re-pinned it just fine, I had to live with a 2" crack on my bumper's corner (not like me to leave a vehicle unrepaired; didn't want the expense of a new bumper cover for an 11 year old vehicle I'd be getting rid of). Perhaps it the angle at which I was backing out? :?

Moral of the story, NEVER totally trust your mirrors, even under the best of circumstances; start training your neck to twist around (like in The Exorcist :shock: ) so you can see all your blind spots BEFORE making a move!

 

[LEAFfan]

Regarding the side mi

If you adjust your side mirrors outward, there are no blind spots.

I do understand that adjusting the side mirrors on any car can effectively reduce blind spots, but short of a George Jetson mobile it seems imprudent to assume one has no blind spots. Best to drive under the assumption that you may have one.

Reduce? Sorry, but it eliminates ALL blind spots with cars in other lanes. And, it's much safer than turning your head back which is very dangerous as your eyes are no longer watching ahead. In that split second that you turn your head, you could rear end someone that has unexpectedly slowed, cut in front of you, or stopped. Experts on safety will tell you just what I've said. Use your rear view mirror until the car/s disappear, then your side view mirrors. If you set them correctly (as planet/Ray has posted), this is the safest way to drive.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

adjusting the side view mirrors to eliminate blind spots to the rear is highly recommended among several law enforcement agencies. most people tend to focus on areas that are already covered by the rear view mirror.

when adjusted properly, the overlapping view from rear to side mirrors should be pretty small. when you can see a car overtaking you in both mirrors more than a few seconds, that means the side view mirrors need to be adjusted further out