Mirrors

[ugly_bob]

This might be a 'World Cup' question also

I've put a big St George cross in my back window, totally covering it. People have said to me that it's illegal to do that (because I can't now see through the rear window)

i think that's wrong.

I still have use of my 2 wing mirrors to see behind me. As far as I understand, as long as you can still use 2 of the 3 mirrors, there isn't a problem.

Anyone know the facts?

[Toureman]

No it is not illegal but a silly thing to do.

[ugly_bob]

Don't see why it's silly
used to using wing mirrors anyway - from work van
I understand that it does reduce rear visibility, but I'm used to only having wing mirrors. Wouldn't dream of leaving it there ehen I take my sister out for driving lessons (Scary enough as it is!!!)

[funkymoped]

hey there U.B.

there are afew bloody big things on our roads these days called "lorries". 95%of the time they cant see whats behind them. box vans/lorries, cant see whats behind them.

i dont think you need worry about having the flag there.

but we should all be worried after todays shambles, we won and didnt score !

[ugly_bob]

agreed, and i do look out for mopeds

[Pippa68]

Only funky ones?

[THECORBYLOON]

The Highway Code says "windscreens and windows MUST be kept clean and free from obstructions to vision" so the answer then is burn the flag to avoid the tempation to break the law...

[BadlyHungBoy]

As long as you have a wing or door mirror on both sides, there is no need to be able to see out of the back window or even to have glass in it or even mirror to see whether it's obscured or not. As for the 2 out of 3; you can have the 2 wing mirrors or the offside (right) and middle but not the middle and left

[Ethel]

As long as you have rear visibility with your nearside wing mirror you are not committin an offence:

Having checked the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations of 1986 I can confirm the following for you:-

* For a motorcar: It must have a mirror fitted externally on the offside of the vehicle i.e. drivers door mirror and either an internal or nearside mirror which shows an adequate view to the rear

* Section 33 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986

[ianess]

I believe it's the same as if you're pulling a caravan.....you can't see through it with your interior mirror but you must be able to see along both sides using your external mirrors.

[Grunty]

Ethel is talking about the need to have mirrors. This is not the same thing as the legal requirement to have the windows free of obstruction, as thecorbyloon says.

[JudgeJ]

You will almost certainly receive a fixed penalty (FP) if you are stopped with your rear window obstructed in this way. Under the same Construction and Use regulations from which Ethel has cherry-picked the section concerning mirrors, is the section which THECORBYLOON quotes concerning windows being free from obstruction.

If you remember a few months ago when we had a smattering of snow, some drivers were issued with FPs for not clearing all their windows sufficiently. The same applies with your flag.

I try not to pass judgement of matters such as these, but sometimes cannot help myself. I have to say that I think it is particularly silly to deliberately obstruct the rear window of your car so unnecessarily. Vehicles that have to drive on wing mirrors alone (e.g. lorries and those towing trailers) have much more efficient ones fitted than those fitted to a standard car. If you examine the field of view you have from your wing mirrors you will find quite a large blind spot extending directly behind your rear bumper.

Why you should choose to deliberately obscure your vision of this area is almost as baffling as to why you should need to ask if it is illegal. Or indeed almost as curious as to why you would want to put a flag anywhere on your vehicle because a football competition is taking place.

[ugly_bob]

I don't see the problem personally, and I don't see your probelm with people showing a bit of national pride JudgeJ.

Thanks for all your answers though everyone.

[JudgeJ]

I don't have a problem with people showing a bit of national pride, ugly_bob. Quite the reverse, in fact. I am English and very proud of it.

I do, however, have a problem with people using their motor vehicles inappropriately to manifest that pride, particularly when it introduces hazards to other road users. I should also add that it would be nice if the "national pride" so obviously apparent when a football competition was in progress was demonstrated a little more widely on other far more important occasions.