Wing mirror
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A wing mirror (or side mirror) is a mirror found on motor vehicles for the purposes of helping the driver see areas behind and to the sides of the vehicle, outside of the driver's peripheral vision, or 'blind spot'. A wing mirror is mounted (usually) on a wing or part analogous thereto, unlike a rear-view mirror. Sometimes a wing mirror is called a side-view mirror because it is mounted on the side of a car.
The term is still frequently used although all modern cars mount their side mirrors on the doors, normally at the "A" pillar. "Door mirror" is a preferable description.
Some car manufacturers allow mirrors to be either manually pushed or electrically folded in, to protect them when they are parked. Passing cars can easily clip wing mirrors that stick out causing damage. However the folding capability protects them from harm.
[edit] Types of wing mirrors
[edit] Car
In the United States, passenger-side wing mirrors have this line engraved on the lower part of the mirror -
Objects in mirror are closer than they appear.
This is because passenger-side wing mirrors are convex to allow the drivers to get a wide-angle view of the road -- behind them and to the sides -- but at the same time, causes objects to appear more distant.
A flat mirror used on driver side wing mirrors, on the other hand, would not provide a wider view of the road.
