Legality of driving sans O/S wing mirror?

Hxc

Hxc

Hxc

Soldato
Joined
29 Oct 2004
Posts
12,500
Location
London
Hi all

Turned my wing mirror in as I usually do when parking on the narrow streets here... and it snapped off in my hand as the nut had rusted off.

I've ordered a replacement and it will be here on Friday morning, but I have work tomorrow evening 5-9.

From very quick research opinion seems to vary as to whether I require 2 working mirrors of any sort, or a drivers side mirror and any other mirror.

Obviously I stand very little chance of being caught even if it is illegal, but I'm curious to know the actual situation, and I shall decide whether I am going to 'risk it' so to speak, or take the bus tomorrow.

Cheers.
 
I 99% sure you need 1 mirror on the drivers side and either an interior mirror or passenger side mirror. Which side is it?

You probably wouldnt get pulled over if spotted, providing you don't drive llike a goon, not really worth the bother
 
99% sure you only need a centre mirror to be legal, but the law may have changed since I last checked.
 
You need an inside mirror and drivers wing mirror. There is no legal requirement for a passenger wing mirror. In fact, upto 1985 ish, a lot of cars only had an interior mirror and drivers wing mirror.
 
This isnt on an MX5 is it? Be thankful it came off in your hand!

Same thing happened to me in February, except I happened to be doing 70mph down a dual carriage way and it bounced off the bonnet of the ladies car who was travelling behind me!

Happened to be one of those little Alfa's; Mito? Less than a year old. I now a £600 fault claim I have to declare! (although there's no way it was £600 worth of damage. A small golf ball sized dent and a tiny paint chip)

/rant

I drove around for 2 weeks before finally fitting a replacement (driver side) and never got pulled.
 
I had mine removed by a chav on a bike about 5 years ago and by the time i had spare cash to get it done i had become so used to not having it i didnt bother :p

Its had MOT's every year since and passed so no you dont need an O/S mirror.
 
AtreuS said:
I had mine removed by a chav on a bike about 5 years ago and by the time i had spare cash to get it done i had become so used to not having it i didnt bother :p

Its had MOT's every year since and passed so no you dont need an O/S mirror.
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Sounds like a dodgy MOT guy because an offside (drivers side) mirror is a legal requirement. You must have a minimum of two rear view mirrors, either both side mirrors or the drivers side and an internal rear view mirror.

http://www.motuk.co.uk/manual_810.htm

In any case The police will go by the Construction and Use regs, which would require the Car to have a drivers side mirror and either an internal or passenger side mirror.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1986/1078/regulation/33/made

A wheeled motor vehicle not in items 1 to 5, which is first used on or after 1st June 1978 (or, in the case of a Ford Transit motor car, 10th July 1978)

(i) At least one mirror fitted externally on the offside of the vehicle; and

(ii) at least one mirror fitted internally, unless a mirror so fitted would give the driver no view to the rear of the vehicle; and

(iii) at least one mirror fitted externally on the nearside of the vehicle unless a mirror which gives the driver an adequate view to the rear is fitted internally
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I'd always been of the opinion of what Castiel says above, but when you read that link, there are only "Or" statements with no "And". So reading that, just one mirror satisfies the a or b or c?
 
kefkef said:
I'd always been of the opinion of what Castiel says above, but when you read that link, there are only "Or" statements with no "And". So reading that, just one mirror satisfies the a or b or c?
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I think that is bad wording by the source, as the legislation (which I have now posted instead and is more relevant to the OP) states that the O/S mirror must be in place.

I had a car fail an MOT for a cracked o/s mirror not so long ago, so I would go with the legislation and assume the other is simply poorly worded or has not been updated since 2005.

EDIT: the latest MOT testing manual states that any passenger vehicle (including Cars) registered after 1978 must be fitted with Two mirrors/devices, one of which must be in position a (the O/S position). So the above motuk.co.uk link is misleading and a drivers side mirror is required. (see s.8.1)

http://www.transportoffice.gov.uk/c...nualsandguides/mottestingmanualsandguides.htm
 
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Castiel said:
Sounds like a dodgy MOT guy because an offside (drivers side) mirror is a legal requirement. You must have a minimum of two rear view mirrors, either both side mirrors or the drivers side and an internal rear view mirror.

http://www.motuk.co.uk/manual_810.htm

In any case The police will go by the Construction and Use regs, which would require the Car to have a drivers side mirror and either an internal or passenger side mirror.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1986/1078/regulation/33/made
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I think Atreus has got the meaning of O/S mixed up, he'll be meaning N/S if it's true.

N/S = Kerb side when facing correct way down road
O/S = Road side when facing correct way down road
 
kefkef said:
I'd always been of the opinion of what Castiel says above, but when you read that link, there are only "Or" statements with no "And". So reading that, just one mirror satisfies the a or b or c?
Click to expand...

You missed this bit:

Passenger vehicles with no more than 7 passenger seats first used before 1 August 1978 must have any one of the above options.

Passenger vehicles with more than 7 passenger seats of any age, and all passenger vehicles first used on or after I August 1978 (not being a minibus as above), must have two mirrors, one of which must be option 'a'.
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I had this same situation and I put the car through the MOT with a smashed up passenger side mirror and it was fine because you need at least 2 of 3 mirrors.

So a driver side mirror + rear view is fine.
 
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