i understand that trucknet has contacts with erf, as per the happy new year post. Perhaps, next time they ask for drivers opinions the subjects of mirrors can be brought up. Our Fodens (which I am lead to believe are rebadged ERFs) have mirrors high up the stalks - combined with the edge of the wind deflector means a blind spot, especially on the approach to some roundabout. Our Scania’s have mirrors that are mounted lower, and at the same roundabouts there is no blindspot. I wouldn’t have thought it would cost a major amount to relocate the mirrors.
I thought that Fodens where rebadged DAF CFs
And ERF’s were now MAN’s?
Ken.
our MAN’S 18tonners have a blind spot due to the two part window’s plus the area were the mirror is situated.you have to push your head back to see past the rubber seal and the mirror.i think MAN/ERF need to look at this and sort something out.i think it’s an accident waiting to happen.this is only my opinion. 
Fodens are now part of PACCAR… which also owns DAF, Foden are close to DAF in build and components.
I will be speaking to one of the UK directors of DAF in the next week or so and will draw his attention to this thread
I have yet to drive a truck where you can see through the mirrors 
There is no way to avoid having a blind spot where the mirrors are 
The merc 30 seater, sprinter based mini buses are the worst I have ever driven for wing mirror induced blind spots.
These are vehicles designed for city use yet have a blind spot so big that on most roundabouts you can lose a class 1 & most of us have at some point come close, very close, to piling a bus up as a result.
Given that any semi competent driver would realise these blind spots existed, who road tests these vehicles ?.
To actually design a dangerous blind spot into a vehicle & then not redesign it out shows just how much these manufacturers really care about road safety & how good their road tests are that they don’t pick them up.
Truck mirrors are bound to create blindspots They are a lump of plastic over a foot square bolted to the side of your door, sometimes two mirrors.
You have to move around in the cab, and look around the blindspots That is why I dont wear a seat belt in a truck. How can you lean over to check that space just out of view using a mirror
Most trucks used to be fitted with a little round mirror, the size of a tax disc on a stalk which would blow in when you went more than 20mph.
I dont mean 30 or 40 years ago either 
I remember the same complaints voiced by drivers when they brought in those new fangled Volvos with them massive mirrors, I mean a F86 not a new FH
daxi:
The merc 30 seater, sprinter based mini buses are the worst I have ever driven for wing mirror induced blind spots.
These are vehicles designed for city use yet have a blind spot so big that on most roundabouts you can lose a class 1 & most of us have at some point come close, very close, to piling a bus up as a result.
Given that any semi competent driver would realise these blind spots existed, who road tests these vehicles ?.
To actually design a dangerous blind spot into a vehicle & then not redesign it out shows just how much these manufacturers really care about road safety & how good their road tests are that they don’t pick them up.
I’ve driven plenty of regular Merc Sprinter panel vans and I’m in total agreement to you, the blindspots are absoluetly ridiculous. The Sprinter has been in production almost 10 years now, and theres no excuse for rectifying this glaring problem. Most other vans have small blindspot mirrors which make a great difference, is it asking too much of Mercedes to extend a piece of plastic a little and slot in a tiny piece of glass? It’ll give customers more confidence in the vehicle and save peoples lives and property. Yet the 54 Sprinter has the same mirrors as the old P reg Sprinters as far as I can tell.
You have to move around in the cab, and look around the blindspots That is why I dont wear a seat belt in a truck. How can you lean over to check that space just out of view using a mirror (quote) by Wheel Nut
I agree with you on that one. i dont wear a seat belt either on the grounds that i have to be able to move around to see. especially with a road running from the left. i have had problems with scanias too. the side windows seem to stop forward of my driving position
I agree with everything that’s been said.
In my opinion the worst thing ever invented was the quarter light. Always made a difficult job harder.
We had a particular problem at Toray when reversing a Foden Drawbar blind side against the sun into a dark warehouse. The nearside mirror was viewed through the quarterlight and as if the sun wasn’t bad enough the quarterlight glass would reflect the dashtop. I even covered the dash with black cloth but it made no difference. If the sun wasn’t shining and it was raining - same problem but caused by the wet glass.
Couldn’t wait to get my new FH12 and wind the window down, whatever the weather!
Salut, David.
scanny77:
You have to move around in the cab, and look around the blindspots That is why I dont wear a seat belt in a truck. How can you lean over to check that space just out of view using a mirror (quote) by Wheel NutI agree with you on that one. i dont wear a seat belt either on the grounds that i have to be able to move around to see. especially with a road running from the left. i have had problems with scanias too. the side windows seem to stop forward of my driving position
Don’t let Plod catch you not wearing your seatbelt.
If you are involved in an accident through which you are entitled to compo, the compo will be halved, and no court in the land will up it for you.
If your vehicle has an airbag, and you are involved in a collision and you are thrown forward, the airbag is likely to kill you, it is only a back-up to the seat belt, not there to stop you, the explosive force will stop you and throw your head back sufficiently to break your neck. Also, no compo.
i know its illegal and there could be consequences if i get caught but if i cause an accident cos i cant see the road properly then there are consequences there too. as for the airbag, iv never liked them but i never get them either. im agency. i am more concerned about bits rattling off the truck as im driving along. its happened before
■■■■ i havnt got seat belts fitted 
how about i ratchet strap myself to the seat for safety
simon
scanny77:
the side windows seem to stop forward of my driving position
Surely that’s an issue with your choice of driving position? It has been mentioned in another post about adopting the ‘car seat’ (or ‘laid back’) seating position; trucks simply aren’t designed for that.
scanny77:
if i cause an accident cos i cant see the road properly
…and that must be reason enough to adapt your driving position to a safe one that affords you good safe all-round vision.
And on a similar subject, why do some drivers have their curtains (cab) half pulled across the side windows for normal driving?
Is there any logical reason why mirrors on the driver’s side on trucks can’t be placed in the same place as in cars 
ticker:
Is there any logical reason why mirrors on the driver’s side on trucks can’t be placed in the same place as in cars
Because half the dim witted drivers on the road nowadays would knock them off within the hour
simon
ticker:
Is there any logical reason why mirrors on the driver’s side on trucks can’t be placed in the same place as in cars
Erm, because the body of the truck is usually wider than the cab, so if the mirror were in the same place, the body would obscure the view down the side of the truck. 
Isn’t the issue one of shouldn’t something which is designed to aid vision be placed in a position where it causes minimum vision loss ?.
Some of these mirrors are so ignorantly placed as to cause a very real danger when you attempt to look round them.
The Merc sprinter mini bus mirrors require an exaggerated movement of the whole body to see past them at roundabouts & some junctions, & this when you most need to be in full control of the vehicle.
The placement of mirrors should be as important as any other safety issue, yes they are always going to cause some loss of visibility, but that loss should not cause a dangerous & avoidable blind spot.
marcustandy:
And on a similar subject, why do some drivers have their curtains (cab) half pulled across the side windows for normal driving?
Cos they’re driving scanias and that is SO embarrassing 