The Function of Vehicle Side Mirrors that Must Be Known

The rearview mirror is one of the essential accessories in motor vehicles that plays a significant role. The vehicle's mirror is not just an accessory, but a vital component for safety while driving. However, for some people, the vehicle's mirror is still considered not very important in terms of its function and utility.

You may still see many people on the road whose motorcycles do not use mirrors. They intentionally remove their vehicle's mirrors, either one or both mirrors. Usually, those who remove their vehicle's mirrors are motorcycle users; it is rare for car users to remove their car's rearview mirrors.

Compared to other vehicle accessories, the vehicle's mirror is indeed not considered a very important tool. The machine components of a vehicle are certainly much more important than the vehicle's mirror, as the machine functions as the main driver for the vehicle to operate.

However, the presence of the vehicle's mirror should not be ignored. This vehicle accessory must be owned by every motor vehicle and should always be used while driving, whether it is a motorcycle or a car.

Function of Vehicle Mirrors

Vehicle mirrors are generally used to easily see the rear area to drive safely. This vehicle mirror becomes an important driving aid in reducing the risk of accidents. By using the vehicle's mirror, the driver will not drive carelessly, which could endanger their safety. Some other functions of using mirrors include:

Protecting the vehicle's body: especially for cars to avoid being easily bumped or scraped by other vehicle users
Preventing crime: with the presence of vehicle mirrors, it will help you remain alert to suspicious things on the road, such as robbers or pickpockets following your vehicle from behind
Acting as an "eye" aid when parallel parking: this will help you position your vehicle correctly to avoid contact with other vehicles while parking
Helping to tidy up: especially for motorcycles, which serve as a mirror after wearing a motorcycle helmet that makes hair messy.

Motorcycle Mirrors

On two-wheeled vehicles or motorcycles, there are two mirrors, one on the left and one on the right. The function of these two vehicle mirrors is almost the same, which is to see the traffic conditions behind you while riding. When you are about to change lanes, you definitely need to use the vehicle's mirror to prevent collisions. By observing the traffic conditions behind, you can position your motorcycle so that it does not obstruct other vehicles behind you. The use of vehicle mirrors will minimize the occurrence of accidents in traffic.

The increasing number of motorcycles today certainly causes congestion in traffic. This traffic congestion will cause motorcycles to often be close to other vehicles. In such conditions, you can utilize the vehicle's mirror to see the side of your vehicle and ensure that your motorcycle is not too close to other vehicles.

Although many types of motorcycle mirrors are now unique and interesting to be used as motorcycle accessories because some mirrors have textures, this should still change the perspective and usage. The function of motorcycle mirrors will not change as an enhancement to your motorcycle, but rather as an aid for you to see traffic conditions and the like to ensure safe and comfortable riding.

Car Mirrors

Similar to motorcycle mirrors, the function of car mirrors is to help you see the surroundings while driving in traffic. However, vehicle mirrors on cars differ from those on motorcycles. Generally, car manufacturers design car mirrors into three types, each with its own role. These three types of vehicle mirrors are the exterior mirror, interior mirror, and additional mirror.

1. Exterior Mirror

This type of vehicle mirror is certainly well-known to many people. The exterior car mirror is similar to the motorcycle mirror, consisting of two, one on the left and one on the right. With this vehicle mirror, car users can see the left and right rear sides of the car, allowing them to know the condition or vehicles in the area behind their car.

Another function of the exterior car mirror is that it can show a quarter of the car's body. This exterior car mirror has two adjustment systems: manual and electric.

2. Interior Mirror

This vehicle mirror is located inside the car, often referred to as the car's interior. Generally, this vehicle mirror is placed on the ceiling of the front part of the car near the windshield. However, there are also vehicle mirrors that are placed flush with the windshield as if they are integrated.

The function of this interior vehicle mirror is usually used when reversing to see the condition behind the car, whether there are other vehicles or not. This interior mirror can be adjusted for distance using a manual system or operated by hand.

3. Additional Mirror

This type of vehicle mirror is a complement to the existing mirrors on the vehicle. This car mirror is known as a blind spot mirror, which is used to see objects in the blind spot area that are usually not visible by standard mirrors.

Generally, this additional mirror is placed on the exterior mirror by being attached. However, there are also additional mirrors placed above the front wheel fender, which function to determine the distance between the car's wheels and the road boundary, drainage, or sidewalk.