How to check your blind spots

One of the first things you should do before even considering buying what you think is the car for you is to sit down, shut up and open your eyes.

Women seem slightly more obsessed with the concept of a car having “good visuals” than men, but they are on to something. If you don’t feel like you can see well out of a car, keep on looking.

If you find the A-pillars too thick in the dealership, then they’re definitely going to obscure a pedestrian or a cyclist at some stage, which will frighten the hell out of both of you.

If you feel like the blind spot over your shoulder is annoying while sitting still, that’s nothing compared to what it will be like out on the road in traffic, every day.

A lot of convertibles really suffer from giant blind spots with the roof up, so be sure to check your vision with the top raised as well as lowered.

It might seem like an obvious tip, but if you don’t feel like you can see out of a car properly, it’s just not right for you, in a very practical sense.

POSSIBLE BLIND SPOTS TO CONSIDER

1. Thickness of A-pillars (the sides of the windscreen)

2. Visibility over your shoulders on either side

3. Height of the driver’s seats and driver’s eye level

4. How much is seen in the wing mirrors

5. Size of rear window and rear vision mirror field of view