Everybody knows about the “blind spot” in their car – the view from the back left rear where a car may be between the side rearview mirror and the actual view outside the car window to the left. Always look back and check is the rule of thumb. But there is another blind spot that may be even more dangerous and because of it, I came within inches of typing my last article.
I was in Ruckersville and had just gone to the bank and was crossing back over the four lane highway. I pulled into the center median, looked to the right, saw some cars coming several hundred yards away and proceeded to cross the other two lanes when suddenly, out of the blue, a pickup truck sped right in front of me – not a foot away.
I never saw it – a big pickup truck – and I had looked to the right before I went across the highway.
I was quite shaken to say the least. Another few inches and it would have been boots up.
How could I have missed seeing that oncoming vehicle? It was in my blind spot, my real blind spot.
I drive a Jeep Liberty. It’s a fairly sturdy vehicle and the bars connecting the front windshield to the passenger windows are substantial – nearly a foot wide. In addition, the exterior rearview window is massive, another 8 or 10 inches wide. When I looked to the right to check for cars, the front right bar and the side rearview window blocked my view of at least 100 feet of highway. The truck had been in the center of that blind spot.
I urge everybody, even though the view on your car may not be as restricted as it was on my Jeep, to double check to the right in case your view may also be restricted.
I can tell you this. I no longer look once, I look two or three times before crossing where my view may be blocked. I was very fortunate. Make sure you are, too.
