Safe Speed Forums

I've just received a sample of "Serraview APS", a PVC self-cling freznal lens device intended to reduce a pillar blind spots. See:

http://www.bendinglight.co.uk/serraview_APS.asp

The lens is horizontally 'progressive' in that the bend is greater near the pillar itself. This helps to eliminate the possibility of the device itself creating blindspots.

I haven't tried driving with it yet, but I can see a significant potential safety benefit, especially for those driving unfamiliar vehicles.

Thoughts?

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

I can see a big down side. Whilst it provides vision through the pillar, it does so at the expense of undistorted vision adjacent to an already large blind spot. I think on balance it would be bad for me - but not very. It might induce headaches though thanks to apparently conflicting information on what is where hitting the brain. I guess it depends how progressive the distortion is.


That I definitely agree with. However, I'll bet that this product won't have undergone whatever tests are required for something so radical and therefore, the occasions where it would benefit most - works pool cars - it will never get used.

What is really needed of course is for motor manufacturers to offer (perhaps as an optional extra) to build in such optical properties within the windscreen - if necessary paying royalites to Mr Serraview.

are you someone else Paul? i responded to something very similiar to this subject yesterday and provoked an email from the magazine editor thanking me for bringing him back down to earth

http://www.roadtransport.com/blogs/big- ... ent-192376

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Richie

SSAFA supporter
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Eh? I'll join you in your concerns about over-reliance on technology, but this device is a bit of plastic that clings to a windscreen.

Something interesting is that I like it much better having handled it than I did from the description and the imagination. I haven't tried driving with it yet...

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

that sounds a bit like the mirror we have above the nearside door. it bends to see more but the result it that you cant see a damn thing in it. too distorted

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Richie

SSAFA supporter
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That sounds like simple convex glass which maes for a wider angle with things correspondingly smaller. Paul is referring to fresnel prism redirectors which need not magnify (or minify to be pedantic).

In the picture on the bendinglight website the bike magically appears from behind the pillar, which is good, but if the bike was behind the fresnel lens it would become invisible again. In the picture three quarters of the blue car have dissapeared to be replaced by the bike. It seems to me that the lens just moves the problem rather than soving it.

the synhesised overhead view makes it one of the neatest of such systems i've seend...... although they really need to show the doors open in that shot so you can still get out once youve wedged it into an unfeasibly tight spot

that image confuses the heck out of me anyway !

it seems to show someone driving their mini on the wrong side of the road !
and not only towards an oncoming motorbike.. but also a beemer.

in that situation i'd be in brown trousers mode anyway, screw the lense

not the most realistic use of their magic lense perhaps ?
i had expected a more typical driving scenario image where A pillars are a problem..... approaching a roundabout or junction ?
where else would these actually help ?

Hi BendingLight

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Views expressed are personal opinions and are not necessarily shared by the Safe Speed campaign

I'm suspicious of this. Firstly I wonder about the legality of adding such a level of light distortion to your front windscreen; there are pretty stringent laws about that sort of thing.

More pertinently perhaps, and as others have noted, unless it does distort the image, then the problem is merely moved, you can no longer see what was previously visible where the lens now resides.

Probably most importantly, why would we want to endorse the use of a device that discourages drivers from moving their heads, which is the only reliable way of eliminating blindspots!

Bump

Have you tried this, Paul?

We have looked at the various posts with interest and thought we should let you know that you can buy Serraview APS online at www.bendinglight.co.uk.

The £23.50 price includes delivery and VAT.

Regards

Bending Light

I was thinking about this device on my way home last night in the rain. I noticed that the outer 40mm or so of the windscreen was not actually swept by the wipers. Would this not affect the performance of the APS?

The other issue that occured to me was if there could be a problem with dazzle from oncoming headlamps being excacerbated.

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Driving fast is for a particular time and place, I can do it I just only do it occasionally because I am a gentleman.
- James May

Hi - in the Bending Light office we have at least three people who use the APS extensively day and night - none of us have had any problem with night-time glare / headlight dazzle.

With reference to the 40mm at the side of the windscreen we would say that the product will work best when the windscreen is clean. However water stains, dust, etc do not seem to adversely affect the Serraview APS. If the side of the windscreen is caked in mud / dirt then obviously this will stop the product from being as effective.

Regards

Bending Light

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Bending Light Ltd
020 7092 1760

I see the benefit of it. The only potential problem I can think of is driving a different vehicle without such a feature after having gotten used to not needing to 'look around' the pillar - what is the risk of a driver forgetting to check properly?

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Views expressed are personal opinions and are not necessarily shared by the Safe Speed campaign

Sounds like a good reason for the govt. to make fitting them compulsory!

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Time to take responsibility for our actions.. and don't be afraid of speaking out!

is this a really serious problem? personally i wont use satnav because i am surviving perfectly well without it. why would i consider this product when i have no need for it? as said, move your head

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Richie

SSAFA supporter
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