[Coppertop]

The reason I started this poll was because the guy the wrote what I added to my post #4 claims that in the 60's the passenger side mirror was standard on most cars and I know it was not.Claims the designers and engineers were "idiots" . But we all know that's the way it was and cars were built that way,the passenger mirrors were an OPTION back then.
Plus most of the older cars had a great "greenhouse" and most were easy to see out of.There were some cars that had the optional passenger side mirrors but they were definately in the minority and not what most people drove. From my recollection the passenger side mirrors weren't standard equipment on American cars until the late 70's and into the early 1980's.
Appreciate all the responses

Here is the YouTube "short" I thought that maybe you had been referencing (I now know what TC post you are talking about). Ironically, I viewed this video not long before your post. "Dudes with Wrenches" channel posted this about 2 weeks ago:

The government didn't care

let's talk about the safety features of this 1974 classic carThey were definitely lacking in the safety department But they were trying hope you learn someth...

youtube.com

 

[Robinls5]

Here are some 1970 FACTS about mirrors. I ordered my SS 454 / M-22 El Camino in Feb. of 70, in Beaver Falls , PA. I did order the Remote D. Side mirror. My 1970 El Camino was delivered with " ONE " outside rear view mirror. ( D. Side ONLY ) Around 1971/ 1972 the Pennsylvania state law or the Fed. Govt. law was changed. ( law could have been for trucks only ??? ) In or around ( NOT sure of the correct year ????? ) 1971 / 72 To get my El Camino inspected in Pennsylvania, I had to use a ((( Clip on, Rain gutter mirror for inspection, Must have TWO OUTSIDE R. View mirrors ))) ,,,, After it had the new sticker, The clip on mirror went under the seat untill next inspection.
I took my driving test in July, 17th. 1956 in New Brighton, Pa. in my moms 1955 Ford 4 Dr. Custom line. I was excited, But I failed the test, WHY???? I did everything very correct, I asked the Trooper why I failed. He said " Your driving skills are excellent, You answered all the questions perfect. Then he said " You are 16 today, and legal to take a driving test, You Did NOT learn all the driving skills you have since 6:00 AM this morning, You have been driving for a good length of time ....... AND DRIVING underage, So come back next week and retake the test. He sure did P!$$ off a 16 year old kid, on his birthday !!!!!!!!!

 

[71350SS]

Here is the YouTube "short" I thought that maybe you had been referencing (I now know what TC post you are talking about). Ironically, I viewed this video not long before your post. "Dudes with Wrenches" channel posted this about 2 weeks ago:

The government didn't care

let's talk about the safety features of this 1974 classic carThey were definitely lacking in the safety department But they were trying hope you learn someth...

youtube.com

I watched it and although they talked about safety they didn't even mention that no one back then could be even talked into wearing their seat belts voluntarily we had to be threatened with expensive police tickets before people would even wear them. Even though all the data showed that seat belts actually do save lives.
So Ok let them blabber on about safety we both know they're only concerned with how many people watch their online act and really couldn't care anything about squat.

 

[MA70BU]

I learned to drive on cars with driver and passenger side mirrors. My first car once I got my license though was a 70 Chevelle with just the rear view and driver’s side mirror.

 

[drivejunk]

Robin's assessment of the subject rings true. The driver's license probation week... well thats justice where its due, mercifully. Never heard of that though.

Citations all had dual outside reariews and came out in 1980. I imagine MPG wind tunnel engineers and safety engineers went back and forth over that one, and that safety played the trump card once multiple lane highways became commonplace. Because who needs the passenger mirror on dirt roads? Thats probably where most of us learned how to work a car or bike. Nowadays every new politician vows to pave all roads in the state. Thats just silly, but... theres probably people alive now who have never driven on gravel. Probably the angry ones a car length behind you on an eight lane wanting double the speed limit and willing to kill.

 

[71350SS]

Nowadays every new politician vows to pave all roads in the state. Thats just silly, but... theres probably people alive now who have never driven on gravel. Probably the angry ones a car length behind you on an eight lane wanting double the speed limit and willing to kill.

what state is that ???

 

[drivejunk]

Arkansas, LOL. However I did not hear it from the newest governor so maybe no more that. Laughable concept but they have worked hard at it.

 

[mrpaticular]

And, a police officer had to ride along for the road test. Unless you went through Sears and Roebuck.
Rick

 

[oldcutlass]

Back in the day, people would not opt for air conditioning or tinted windows let alone a passenger side mirror.

 

[rkd]

In 37, even a Ford Deluxe only had a drivers mirror, so I started on a car with only one outside mirror.

 

[blm]

I took my driving test in July, 17th. 1956 in New Brighton, Pa. in my moms 1955 Ford 4 Dr. Custom line. I was excited, But I failed the test, WHY???? I did everything very correct, I asked the Trooper why I failed. He said " Your driving skills are excellent, You answered all the questions perfect. Then he said " You are 16 today, and legal to take a driving test, You Did NOT learn all the driving skills you have since 6:00 AM this morning, You have been driving for a good length of time ....... AND DRIVING underage, So come back next week and retake the test. He sure did P!$$ off a 16 year old kid, on his birthday !!!!!!!!!

Bob,
That is ironic. I took my driver's test on July 26, 1972. It was my 16th birthday. I took the test in my Mom's 1967 Olds Vista Cruiser. Took my test at the Washington PA state police barracks which had the driver's test course. Passed on my first try and got my license on my 16th birthday. Nobody ever taught me how to drive. I just picked it up from watching other people drive. Had my first hot rod two months later. A 1965 Impala SS convertible.

 

[Tim Boyle]

my first car was a 66 Chevelle drove it before I had a license had no passenger side mirror, my current 66SS doesn't either, its a little strange since my daily driver is a Toyota Tacoma but my Chevelle didn't come with the extra mirror so I will leave it as is.

 

[Cam]

As was mentioned, older hardtops had a greenhouse you could actually see the outside of the car with, despite the Detroit styling excesses (which I love). The over-the-shoulder check was standard operating procedure. Now after decades of driving with RHS mirrors I still look at my non-existant RHS Chevelle mirror by habit.

Somebody mentioned the local laws in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania is funny with their laws. They banned the rear window louvers that were on Mach 1s, cars with 80" tread width require clearance lights (71-76 GM B-bodies barely squeaked through). I'm sure there are many more quirks on the books.

One thing that shocked me was that 1969/70 Mustang Sportsroofs did not come standard with dual sport mirrors, just a single DS single chrome mirror (GT & Mach 1 used dual sport mirrors as standard). Either you are driving the car on the strip, or you don't give a care about your blind spots.

Learning to drive stories. In 1976 when I was 14 my dad let me take over driving duties on the deserted backroads in his '70 Biscayne 3-in-the-tree. He looked at me astonished and said, "you are pretty good at this." Of course I was, little did he know that every Thursday night when he and mom went to German class (us kids learned to speak French so they needed another code language and mom wasn't big on Latin) I would take the Biscayne out for a cruise. Back in the 1970s you could drive without insurance, you just paid a fee into The Uninsured Driver's Fund, and hoped like anything that nobody made a claim against you.

 

[Steve69SS396]

I learned to drive when I was 10 years old on an early 40's Case tractor with no mirrors.

 

[ToocoolZ28]

I learned on a 67 Impala SS, 283 power glide. It didnt have a right side mirror. My 70 Chevelle nor my 67 Vista Cruiser came with a right side mirror but I drive them both quite a bit so I added one to both of them.

 

[mr 4 speed]

I can count on one hand how many GM muscle cars I have owned that had the passenger side mirror...

 

[Jim Mac]

my 1st car, 71 camaro only had a driver's door mirror. I stuck a pair of sport mirrors on it later. my 70 chevelle still only has the remote drivers mirror. jim