Cool gadget that you don't need

I was going to make this topic a mini rant. Those are the things that I originally created this blog for, but haven't actually written any since inception. I hate to come back from a hiatus of over a month to rant, but here goes.

I found this on the FatMatrix blog which I subscribe to in Google Reader. It's a cool gadget someone installed on their car that lets you know when someone is in your blind spot. From the description: "In the presence of any approaching vehicle these high intensity pulsed beams get reflected back to the vehicle and is detected by Infrared sensor TSOP 1738.Whereas in the absence of any approaching vehicle no reflected Infrared beam is present and output of TSOP infrared sensor is High. It should be noted that output of TSOP sensor is high when no infrared beam is present and become low in the presence of pulsed (36 KHz) Infrared beam. Thus Software continuously monitors the output of both TSOP sensors and generate alert if there is change in the output of any TSOP sensor. User has option to choice alert on LCD only or user can go for voice alert too."

Cool! Just not needed... just like those goofy little "blind spot" mirrors sold at autopart stores and retailers. I try to explain this concept to people all of the time. If you set your mirrors correctly, you shouldn't have a blind spot. (I'm assuming here that you are not driving some kind of convertible or sports car with little to no rear window visibility, of course.) Before leaving your driveway, follow this simple exercise. Adjust your rearview mirror so that you see out of the rear window. Next, adjust the driver's side mirror so that the last thing you see in the left side of the rearview is the first thing you see in the right side of the driver's side mirror. I don't know why people have a fascination with looking down the side of their vehicle in the side mirrors. THIS DOES YOU NO GOOD! Next, do the same with the passenger's side mirror. This is not as critical since most of these are made for wide angle viewing anyway.

Now, when you are driving down the road, and someone is passing you on the left, you will notice that as they approach you and the front of their vehicle disappears in your rearview, it will appear in the side mirror. Now you can see their rear in one mirror and their front in the other. As they continue to pass and the front of their vehicle disappears out of view in the side mirror, TA DA!, it is now visible through the window next to you in your peripheral vision. No need to ever crane your neck around to check beside you before you change lanes...

That's how your mirrors are supposed to work. Use them. :)

Now don't get me wrong, I'm all for extra safety, and I think this a cool gadget that could be incorporated into new vehicle designs cheaply. The bad thing is, people would become even more lazy in adjusting their mirrors and using their best sensory input; their own vision.