Who was the genius behind the development of the rear-view mirror?
In the early days of automobiles, navigating one's vehicle was a challenge, and looking behind required dangerous maneuvers or additional help. This was a problem that Ray Harroun, a racing driver, sought to solve. Harroun, who worked as a chauffeur in Chicago in 1904, is credited with the idea for the first rear-view mirror used in a vehicle at the Indianapolis 500 on May 31, 1911.
His one-seater vehicle, equipped with a rear-view mirror, caused quite a stir at the race. The mirror, which Harroun called the 'Hind View Auto-Reflector', gave him a competitive edge, allowing him to win the race and complete the course ahead of the rest of the field.
Three months after Harroun's ground-breaking Indianapolis run, the 'Hind View Auto-Reflector' went on sale. Dorothy Levitt, a British racing driver and writer, recommended the use of a portable rear-view mirror for motorists in her booklet The Woman and the Car (1909).
The first widely distributed rear-view mirror became available in the 1920s. Elmer Bergen, an inventor from the US, marketed his rear-view mirror as a 'Cop-spotter' and enjoyed some commercial success selling them as an aftersales device.
Rear-view mirrors have gradually added enhancements such as anti-glare coatings and multi-way adjustability. By the 1970s, rear-view mirrors had become common in cars, although they were not made mandatory in the UK until 1978. The mantra of 'clutch, mirror, signals' will still be the bane of learner drivers for years to come.
Martin Fone, a writer, blogger, and journalist from Surrey, has written extensively on the history of rear-view mirrors. He is the author of five books, the latest of which is 'More Curious Questions'. Fone is also known for his four-line biographical poems, known as Clerihews.
One of the most interesting uses of a rear-view mirror in literature can be found in Edmund Bentley's novel Trent's Last Case (1913). The plot of the novel turns on a glance into a rear-view mirror of a car, a feature that was not common at the time. The novel is considered one of the three best detective stories ever written by Agatha Christie and Dorothy L Sayers.
In conclusion, the invention of the rear-view mirror revolutionised automobile driving, making it safer and more convenient for drivers. From its humble beginnings in the early 1900s to its widespread use today, the rear-view mirror has become an essential part of driving, helping drivers to navigate the roads more safely and efficiently.
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