Piston Slap: Blinded by the Light or BGE Clarity? (Part II)

TTAC Commentator Sam Hell Jr writes:

A few questions in follow-up to the discussion of blind-spots and glare… I drive a current-gen Malibu and live in a fairly well-heeled suburb on the edge of farmland, so a lot of my miles are coming on unlit roads surrounded by extra-tall SUVs and and extra-legally illuminated pickups. (With special commendation for the tailgating lifted Ram driver who, upon seeing me adjust my rearview mirror to avoid his aftermarket LED glare, flipped on the high-beams. Boo this man!)

The Malibu’s left sideview mirror adjustment is fairly limited, meaning I’ve still got to check over my shoulder around the driver-side B-pillar before changing lanes, even with the mirror at its widest angle.

• I’m thinking about installing one of those fisheye mirrors, but doesn’t a fisheye mirror’s shape basically guarantee that I’ll be blinded by brodozers irrespective of my side-view mirror position?
• Also, you mentioned the possibility of a light rear-windshield tint to combat headlight glare, is there a difference in tints if the priority is night visibility and glare reduction? Some sunlight shading would be welcome, because I do occasionally drive in my glasses, but that would be a lesser priority.
• The Malibu’s auto-dimming rearview mirror already needs a fair amount of optical prodding before it engages. Would tinting the windows impede the rearview mirror’s light sensor?
• I live in Ohio and use the rear defroster an awful lot. Is that something to take into account when choosing a tint?
• Last one’s addressed to Sanjeev: for the next time that Ram pulls up behind me, your thoughts on installing a powered rear-facing reflector styled after the bullet-proof shield on the Goldfinger DB5?

Sajeev answers:

Sorry to hear your Malibu’s mirror isn’t Blindspot Glare Elimination ( BGE) savvy! Window tinting is almost mandatory in my part of the country, so perhaps we can hammer this one out quickly:

• My limited experience with fish eye mirrors is they’re small enough to keep a large amount of reflections in your face. I guess its okay to try it, because if you gotta do it…
• Do keep in mind that everyone’s rod and cones are a bit unique. Visible Light Reflectance is real and I will vouch for both clear and (especially) darkened tint giving illegal headlights a serious wallop. This link is the only one I’ve googled with a clear ranking of glare reduction: perhaps going to a tint shop and reading their spec sheets is in order!
• Yes, window tint impedes an auto dimming mirror’s duty cycle (so to speak). But the on/off switching still happens, and the mirror dims less frequently because the need is less dire. That said, I lament the days of adjusting mirror sensitivity (see the lighted #8 in the video below), because the original, 1980s GENTEX mirror had a 0-10 sensitivity thumbwheel which really comes in handy in this era of illegal headlights.

• Nope. Granted my Houston home ain’t Ohio, but the defroster always works in every tinted car I’ve experienced for decades.
• Son, never listen to Sanjeev. Never ever.

[Image: Chevrolet]

Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com. Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry…but be realistic, and use your make/model specific forums instead of TTAC for more timely advice.