Do you plan to remove your side mirrors?

[FutureBoy]

Here is an article explaining the requirements for external mirrors on your vehicle

https://www.carparts.com/blog/is-it-illegal-to-drive-without-a-side-mirror/#:~:text=There are a few states,the rear window is obstructed.

So looking at Washington, the chart says a left side mirror is required and that there needs to be two mirrors.... So can I have 2 left side mirrors? Can I stack them on on top of the other? How about 1 left side mirror and one rear view in the middle of the cabin? Or if an internal mirror is OK, can the left side mirror be inside the cabin but facing to show nearly the same view as an external left mirror?

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[Tedacules]

No Doubt in my mind. Here only one mirror is required, but I'd remove all of them on delivery (assuming side hole covers are available). Maybe get a 1" or 2" round bubble mirror to be legally compliant and tuck it somewhere inconspicuous (or magnetic and put it on if I'm stopped) . Then I'd start thinking about the wiper delete. It would have to be a really bad experience to make me go through the trouble of putting them back on.

I would also take the wiper off no reason to cook it on the windshield when it's not needed .

 

[flowerlandfilms]

I think Massachusetts should have a Boston Mirror Party and through all the cybertruck mirrors in the bay to teach King George a lesson.

 

[Crissa]

Mirrors work well there because your eye still focuses to the distance so no adjustment needed...

This is a myth. That'd be a different distance, not the same. You end up refocusing anyhow.

Besides, screens can be made to have artificial focal points if that's something that eventually is borne out.

-Crissa

 

[jerhenderson]

I hear you. I'm 42 myself and with 26 years of doing something every day, it will be challenging to feel comfortable doing something different.

I'll be 52 this summer and almost if never refer to my side mirrors. A shoulder check in my Jeep ( soon to be CT hopefully ) and screen check in my wife's MY does the trick.

 

[jerhenderson]

We got 4 feet of snow at my house over the last week. The rearview camera on both of my vehicles has been completely useless, covered in snow/slush/salt. Backing out of my driveway, I normally look fully at the camera. This last week the camera image was 98% obscured and completely unhelpful, so I relied entirely on my rear view mirror.

Unless they come up with a way to self-clean the rearview camera, the rearview mirror is absolutely essential in snowy areas. It's actually going to be a pain to need to open the tonneau to back out of spots and then close it after, but will be required in winter.

I didn't notice that issue up here in Canada. Brush off the camera.

 

[HaulingAss]

I would also take the wiper off no reason to cook it on the windshield when it's not needed .

I think it was Franz who claimed the wiper has a slight aero gain parked in the vertical position so it would perhaps make more sense to add another dummy wiper on the right side to make things symetrical and increase efficiency further.

 

[Crissa]

I'll be 52 this summer and almost if never refer to my side mirrors. A shoulder check in my Jeep ( soon to be CT hopefully ) and screen check in my wife's MY does the trick.

You need to, a shoulder check can't see into the space a mirror can. You're very likely to kill a motorcyclist not checking your mirrors.

-Crissa

 

[Tedacules]

I think it was Franz who claimed the wiper has a slight aero gain parked in the vertical position so it would perhaps make more sense to add another dummy wiper on the right side to make things symetrical and increase efficiency further.

I live in Az replace my wipers once a year because the Sun destroys them.

 

[TickTock]

TickTock said:
Mirrors work well there because your eye still focuses to the distance so no adjustment needed...

This is a myth. That'd be a different distance, not the same. You end up refocusing anyhow.

Besides, screens can be made to have artificial focal points if that's something that eventually is borne out.

-Crissa

The hyperfocal distance of the human eye varies widely person to person but once you get beyond ~5m you are effectively focused at infinity.

 

[agordon117]

The hyperfocal distance of the human eye varies widely person to person but once you get beyond ~5m you are effectively focused at infinity.

Yeah, focusing from looking out the windshield to a rear view or side view mirror, your eyes are focused to infinity either way. Switching from looking at the road to looking at a screen, refocusing occurs.

Now, if you want to argue it's not a big deal, that's a discussion to have. But the refocusing does happen, that's not really a debate.

 

[agordon117]

Maybe after fsd is solved… I’m 54 and I already have to adapt to no stock and rear view mirror on screen… that’s as far as I can go for now.

Age has nothing to do with it. I'm checks calendar 31, and I feel exactly the same about it. Lack of stalks is objectively worse for quick actions. In general, having a large change in driving dynamics between vehicles isn't great, but now it's much more difficult to quickly react to something and signal your reaction with the turn signal... Or to switch quickly from forward to reverse.

It's going to be an adjustment for all of us for sure, and it would just be made worse if the side view mirrors were now displayed in the center of the car. Would have been a different conversation if there was a screen placed in each A pillar, and one in the rearview. I am super thankful that the laws were not changed, and side view mirrors were required. Likely would have been the tipping point for me to not get one. I don't want to have such a needlessly large delta between driving a normal car and cybertruck.

 

[jerhenderson]

You need to, a shoulder check can't see into the space a mirror can. You're very likely to kill a motorcyclist not checking your mirrors.

-Crissa

I've found a shoulder check better than any mirror.

 

[AustroTom]

If you're towing anything at all, you will need the stock mirrors at a minimum, (if not extendable or aftermarket mirrors). Otherwise you will have no way of looking down the sides of your trailer. And anyone who ever towed (and I did a lot), knows what I'm talking about.

 

[Cybergirl]

Removing the side view mirrors on the CT should improve the Cd and range at highway speeds. CT's current Cd = 0.335. The Rivean R1T's Cd = 0.30 giving it a slightly better highway range. Does anyone know how much CT's drag coefficient would improve without side mirrors? I assume it would not be insignificant.

I plan to keep the mirror inside the cabin, but might remove the right and left side mirrors when right and left camera displays and FSD are available. With the tonneau down it serves as a backup in case the rear camera fails. I use the side view camera displays in my Model Y when changing lanes. Once you get used to looking at the screen to check for a clear lane, it's better than using the side mirrors, imo.

If I remove the side mirrors there's a risk of getting a ticket, of course, but a majority of states (including AZ, NV, IL, IN, WI and MN where I often drive) do not require side mirrors as long as you have a clear view for at least 200 ft behind the vehicle. Arizona statute states:

28-956. Mirrors; exception

A motor vehicle that is constructed or loaded in a manner that obstructs the driver's view to the rear of the vehicle from the driver's position shall be equipped with two mirrors located in a manner to reflect to the driver a view of the highway for a distance of at least two hundred feet to the rear of the vehicle. This section does not apply to a fully autonomous vehicle that is incapable of operation by a human driver.

As I see it, the CT is NOT constructed in a manner that obstructs the driver's view to the rear of the vehicle because even with the tonneau cover down so that the interior mirror's view of the road is blocked, the driver has a clear view for 200+ feet behind the vehicle via the rear view camera. I don't see a conflict with the law in Arizona where I will register my Cybertruck. Would my view be upheld in traffic court? Maybe, maybe not.

The mirror laws in California and New York only apply to vehicles registered in CA and NY.

I'm assuming the risk of citation is minimal unless coincident with being stopped for another infraction. I'm interested in other opinions on the matter. Would you risk a ticket to gain a few miles of highway range?

https://www.efficienauto.com/mirrordeletelaws

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