Compactline driving position Flawed design?

[Clarky]

I too have a love hate relationship with my bus mirrors. Love the rear visibility (saved my bacon when we got lost in Rome!) hate the way it’s exactly where I need to look at a roundabout in the UK. Maybe I’ll get a LHD instead....

Then you get exactly the same problem when across the Channel.
It's worse in France with a LHD as the French will insist on driving those piddly little French cars that always seem to be hidden behind my mirror on roundabouts.
As the French don’t believe in signalling at roundabouts and build new ones every few km it can become a bit tedious.

Richard.

 

[Lenny HB]

Just scanning down this thread I'm surprised how many of you have a RHD A Class I always think of an A Class as a LHD drive vehicle. I don't use the drivers door much mainly fuel stops they must be a right pain in a RHD.

 

[Steve and Denise]

Well I only ever wanted to Drive around England so have never come across this problem (aclass) maybe cameras are the way to go, no mirrors to obscure your view

 

[Minxy]

Well I only ever wanted to Drive around England so have never come across this problem (aclass) maybe cameras are the way to go, no mirrors to obscure your view

I'm sure that'll happen as some trucks now come without mirrors but instead have cameras but they are still mounted externally where the mirrors would normally be I believe although not as large.

 

[Steve and Denise]

I'm sure that'll happen as some trucks now come without mirrors but instead have cameras but they are still mounted externally where the mirrors would normally be I believe although not as large.

Exactly (not as large) infact very small so no obstruction

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[Minxy]

Is anyone 'brave' enough to remove their big mirrors and fit cameras?

 

[ambulancekidd]

I'm always sorry to say this but, its fact, Ducato's are shit, I've no idea why they cannot get these vehicles right?
If you drive some of the competition or work on them, the Ducato's flaws become glaringly obvious.
Too many motorhome folks make excuses for these vehicles & even pretend that they like them, this has to be a form of madness or sheer inexperience. Seems a bit like those who kidded themselves on the the Metro was a good car, you know the type, usually in a John Major voice "oh my Metro was a wonderful car".

 

[Minxy]

I'm always sorry to say this but, its fact, Ducato's are shit, I've no idea why they cannot get these vehicles right?
If you drive some of the competition or work on them, the Ducato's flaws become glaringly obvious.
Too many motorhome folks make excuses for these vehicles & even pretend that they like them, this has to be a form of madness or sheer inexperience. Seems a bit like those who kidded themselves on the the Metro was a good car, you know the type, usually in a John Major voice "oh my Metro was a wonderful car".

Not sure which thread you're on about as this is about A-Class mirrors ... nothing to do with Fiat!

 

[Steve and Denise]

I'm always sorry to say this but, its fact, Ducato's are shit, I've no idea why they cannot get these vehicles right?
If you drive some of the competition or work on them, the Ducato's flaws become glaringly obvious.
Too many motorhome folks make excuses for these vehicles & even pretend that they like them, this has to be a form of madness or sheer inexperience. Seems a bit like those who kidded themselves on the the Metro was a good car, you know the type, usually in a John Major voice "oh my Metro was a wonderful car".

So what would be your answer /Recomndation to the shit that is on offer to us

 

[Minxy]

Hey ambulancekidd ... have you seen what your Mrs is bragging about on another thread?

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[tonyidle]

Is anyone 'brave' enough to remove their big mirrors and fit cameras?

I would if I could find a decent kit. I have the high mounted mirrors on my Le Voyageur and hate them. The RH one takes out the entire view to the right when entering roundabouts and it isn't simply a question of getting used to them. I can't simply adjust my position or move my head - it requires a totally unnatural shift and duck to see what I need to. Having removed them to clean up the surfaces that allow them to be rotated and move relative to the vehicle it becomes obvious that they're actually intended to be bottom mounted. They've been mounted upside down.

 

[Minxy]

I would if I could find a decent kit. I have the high mounted mirrors on my Le Voyageur and hate them. The RH one takes out the entire view to the right when entering roundabouts and it isn't simply a question of getting used to them. I can't simply adjust my position or move my head - it requires a totally unnatural shift and duck to see what I need to. Having removed them to clean up the surfaces that allow them to be rotated and move relative to the vehicle it becomes obvious that they're actually intended to be bottom mounted. They've been mounted upside down.

I've just had a very quick shuftie and there are various kits available from really cheap to very expensive, but not sure how good they are or how 'nice' they'd look. I suppose one of the issues is that if you are looking at a monitor the image could be a lot smaller than a large mirror and by not looking at the actual side mirror itself you may not notice something at the very side of you level with the mirror so out of it's or a camera's range.

 

[AndyPK]

I would if I could find a decent kit.

...and the next question would be where do you mount the monitors so as not to cause obstruction through the windscreen?
Possibly some kind of HUD, but again, not great for forward vision......

 

[TinaLes]

Its not just Carthago, but even Morrelo, N&B, Frankia A Class Vans, I have been saying to myself for years......Why do they fit those Bus mirrors to further exclude vision after the A pillar when there have been rear view wide angle cameras available for year s now?
I was told when I raised this issue in the past, that they were not approved for use in The UK, because they could fail, and were deemed as not reliable, but I think this was either an excuse or total guff.
If I were in the market for a 2021 Premium line MH, especially in the 150K plus region, then I would expect cameras for rear & side vision to offer better front side vision, especially at roundabouts, and junctions.
I would just love to know where the monitor, even monitors for both sides would sit in relation to the drivers seating position?
Maybe I should have a look in trucks that already have them, but the buggers dont stop to let me have a look when I thumb a lift these days
I think cameras are the future, no idea when they will become mainstream though, along with the fact that it would make the mirror spiders homeless maybe, which I have been trying to do for years
LES

 

[Nanniemate]

As said in a previous post. Sit in passenger seat hold a dinner plate in your hands an go brooooom brooooom.?

Dinner plate?? go full on

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[Lenny HB]

Maybe I should have a look in trucks that already have them, but the buggers dont stop to let me have a look when I thumb a lift these days

Put your short skirt on and some stuffing up top Les.

 

[peterc10]

Put your short skirt on and some stuffing up top Les.

It is going to take a long time to get that image out of my head .................................

 

[tonyidle]

I've just had a very quick shuftie and there are various kits available from really cheap to very expensive, but not sure how good they are or how 'nice' they'd look. I suppose one of the issues is that if you are looking at a monitor the image could be a lot smaller than a large mirror and by not looking at the actual side mirror itself you may not notice something at the very side of you level with the mirror so out of it's or a camera's range.

The OEM one I saw installed (on a truck IIRC) had the monitors installed at the bottom of each A post. They were used in portrait mode and presented the 'picture' roughly where you'd expect to glance if using bottom-mounted mirrors. Well away from the windscreen and much larger than the typical rear view camera monitor. I have investigated what's available at present and putting one together from scratch but it's a critical application and things like angle of view and night vision need to be optimised. There is also the issue of legal approval and passing the MoT. A kit would need to be certified for its intended use I suspect.

This video isn't the one I saw last time I searched but does show a possible monitor location:

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[Pausim]

For me the benefit of the bus mirrors outweighs the inconvenience. I don’t expect to drive without moving my head and that is all it takes to check the spot. It only took me a few roundabouts to get used to the mirror position and I don’t really think it is a big deal.

 

[tonyidle]

...and the next question would be where do you mount the monitors so as not to cause obstruction through the windscreen?
Possibly some kind of HUD, but again, not great for forward vision......

See my reply to Minxy Girl. It doesn't seem to be an issue.

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[wiljoy]

I have a LHD and there ls a blindspot on my right. As with most motorhomes blindspots are common but you get used to them and cope in different ways.
A customer of mine is retrofitting a pair of camera mirrors to a Luton van. I'm very interested at the end result. I've driven a truck with them and found they are very good but expensive. A replacement head is into 4 figures.

 

[Compactliner]

both LHD and RHD designs will have their own visibility issues....
although we spend around 25weeks a year touring in Europe i feel more comfortable with RHD 'over there' than using LHD for our 10 weeks touring 'at home'...

 

[JP1889]

Due to lockdown I have done very few miles since collecting my c tourer 138 in February. I find the mirrors very good, but I certainly cant get the hang of looking at the rearview tv screen thing.

Try driving a refuse cart.
Cockpit is full of TV screens and mirrors. 360 degree camera system .
Check the guys, the lift and bins are all clear, in front of the vehicle, overhead, sides, blind spots, mirrors, cars overtaking , the road ahead., junctions, and driveways.
Need to look in about 10 places at once, every time you move off and you still get irate car drivers.
Sod that for a job, utmost respect for the drivers doing that job.