Objects in Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear
Encyclopedia
The phrase "Objects in the mirror are closer than they appear" is a safety warning that is required to be engraved on passenger side mirrors
of motor vehicles in the USA, India
, Canada
and Australia
. It is present because while these mirrors' convexity gives them a useful field of view
, it also makes objects appear smaller. Since smaller-appearing objects seem
farther away than they actually are, a driver might make a maneuver such as a lane change assuming an adjacent vehicle is a safe distance behind, when in fact it is quite a bit closer. The warning serves as a reminder to the driver of this potential problem.
that has been used for many other purposes. Some of them are:
Wing mirror
A wing mirror is a mirror found on the exterior of motor vehicles for the purposes of helping the driver see areas behind and to the sides of the vehicle, outside of the driver's peripheral vision .Although almost all modern cars mount their side mirrors on the doors, normally at the "A" pillar,...
of motor vehicles in the USA, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It is present because while these mirrors' convexity gives them a useful field of view
Field of view
The field of view is the extent of the observable world that is seen at any given moment....
, it also makes objects appear smaller. Since smaller-appearing objects seem
Perspective distortion (photography)
In photography and cinematography, perspective distortion is a warping or transformation of an object and its surrounding area that differs significantly from what the object would look like with a normal focal length, due to the relative scale of nearby and distant features...
farther away than they actually are, a driver might make a maneuver such as a lane change assuming an adjacent vehicle is a safe distance behind, when in fact it is quite a bit closer. The warning serves as a reminder to the driver of this potential problem.
In popular culture
Despite its origin as a utilitarian safety warning, the phrase has become a well known catch phraseCatch phrase
A catchphrase is a phrase or expression recognized by its repeated utterance. Such phrases often originate in popular culture and in the arts, and typically spread through a variety of mass media , as well as word of mouth...
that has been used for many other purposes. Some of them are:
- Objects in the Mirror Are Closer Than They AppearObjects in the Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear (Nancy Moran album)Objects in the Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear is the second recording by Nancy Moran, a contemporary folk artist who is also a current member of the folk/comedy group The Four Bitchin’ Babes...
, a 1993 album by Nancy MoranNancy MoranNancy Moran is an American folk-rock singer/songwriter, based in Nashville, Tennessee. She joined Four Bitchin' Babes in 2005. The group is currently on tour promoting the latest CD "Diva Nation....Where Music, Laughter & Girlfriends Reign!" .... - Objects in the Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear, the 2000 debut album of rap rock group Confrontation CampConfrontation CampConfrontation Camp is an American rap rock group consisting of Kyle Jason and Public Enemy members Chuck D and Professor Griff. The group's debut album, Objects in the Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear, was released on Artemis Records on July 25, 2000.- Sources :*, Rolling Stone *[ Allmusic]*,...
- Objects in Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear, a 2005 album by Jozef van WissemJozef van WissemJozef van Wissem is a Dutch minimalist composer and lute player.Composer and lutenist Jozef van Wissem is devoted to what he terms “The Liberation of the Lute”...
- Objects in Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear, a 1995 novel by Katharine WeberKatharine WeberKatharine Weber is an American novelist.Weber was born in New York City. She grew up in the Forest Hills Gardens section of Queens, New York. She attended The Kew-Forest School and Forest Hills High School before attending the Freshman Year Program at The New School for Social Research in 1972...
. - Showing an approach of a Tyrannosaurus rex in the film Jurassic ParkJurassic Park (film)Jurassic Park is a 1993 American science fiction adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Michael Crichton. It stars Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough, Martin Ferrero, and Bob Peck...
, which was parodied in Toy Story 2Toy Story 2Toy Story 2 is a 1999 American computer animated film directed by John Lasseter and co-directed by Lee Unkrich and Ash Brannon. It is the sequel to the 1995 film Toy Story, released by Walt Disney Pictures and the third film to be produced by Pixar...
. - A Far SideFar sideThe Far Side is a comic strip by Gary LarsonFar Side may also refer to:*Far Side , a 2010 album by Roscoe Mitchell and the Note Factory*Farside , an alternative rock band*The Pharcyde, an alternative hip hop act...
cartoon by Gary LarsonGary LarsonGary Larson is the creator of The Far Side, a single-panel cartoon series that was syndicated internationally to newspapers for 15 years. The series ended with Larson's retirement on January 1, 1995. His 23 books of collected cartoons have combined sales of more than 45 million...
in which the side mirror showed a very large eyeball. - "Objects in the Rear View Mirror May Appear Closer than They AreObjects in the Rear View Mirror May Appear Closer than They Are"Objects in the Rear View Mirror May Appear Closer than They Are" is a song composed and written by Jim Steinman, and recorded by Meat Loaf. The song was released in 1994 as the third single from the album Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell and it reached #38 on US's Billboard Hot 100, and #26 in...
," a 1994 song performed by Meat LoafMeat LoafMichael Lee Aday , better known by his stage name, Meat Loaf, is an American hard rock musician and actor...
and written by Jim SteinmanJim SteinmanJames Richard "Jim" Steinman is an American composer, lyricist, and Grammy Award-winning record producer responsible for several hit songs. He has also worked as an arranger, pianist, and singer...