How the rear view mirror was invented …

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View in the Rear View
There was a time when cars didn’t have a rear view mirror …

Last Thursday 21 Jan 2016 I learned how the rear view mirror was invented.  That’s the unsophisticated but critical devise that hangs on the inside of your front windscreen so you can see what’s happening behind you when driving your car.  It’s standard in every vehicle.  It’s wasn’t always that way.

“Mind if I sit here?”  Said the old man as I looked up from my breakfast.  I was in the hotel lobby sitting at a table by myself eating and reading the complementary newspaper.  I didn’t really want company but I could see all the other tables were full and he seemed like a nice person.  I wasn’t going to say “No” but in about 2 seconds my attitude shifted to the positive; I welcomed him.

He immediately started a conversation in which I became an interested listener.  His name was John and he was 80 years old but he looked younger than many 70 year olds.  He was slender and wore an expensive looking pair of pants, fancy belt and a pressed shirt.  He was mostly bald and spoke with a pleasant yet commanding voice.

John was an ex-Air Force pilot.  He flew the C-141 cargo planes.  Did that for 10 years – from 1960 until 1970.  Then he got out and studied to be an optomitrist.  While studying he flew planes in the Air National Guard.  Then he opened an optometry practice where he barely made any money.  His practice and income started to rocket when he opened up a few stores selling sunglasses.  Now, he’s out of the optometry game but still has 9 or more stores selling sunglasses.  He also told me about his property investing exploits.  As I listened, I felt more and more like I was listening to a pro.  He talked about selling apartment blocks on the Florida panhandle beach and walking away with millions.  I told him I was a property investor and that’s why he discussed a few of his property deals.  I’m glad he told me because I learned a few things.

But, my favorite part of the conversation was when he told me about how the rear view mirror was invented.  He brought us onto the topic when he said, “Isn’t it crazy how things get invented?  Things we take for granted now were invented by clever people; people looking to solve a problem.  For instance, Do you know how the rear view mirror was invented?”

He had me.  I wanted to know.  I’d never thought about it before.  It seems so commonplace and so necessary.  Who would drive a car without a rear view mirror.  Well, apparently, that’s how folks used to drive – nobody had one!  It hadn’t been invented yet.

I listened intently as John continued, “Race car drivers used to have a navigator; a guy who sat in the car facing backwards.  His job was tell the driver about what was happening behind him.

“Well, one day a navigator told his driver ‘I can’t make it, I’m sick.  You gotta find someone else.’

“The driver was in a bit of a panic looking for a replacement navigator.  After all, you’d never enter the race without a navigator; they were necessary if you wanted to win and also for safety.  It was getting close to race time and the driver still didn’t have a replacement for his sick navigator.  So, in desperation he came up with an idea – ‘I’ll jerry rig a mirror to the inside windscreen so I can look out the back.’

“The first rear view mirror was born.  It was basic, crude and ugly but it worked.  And, something very surprising happened – he won the race!  The rear view mirror gave him a big advantage over the other drivers – he didn’t have the extra weight of the navigator; a rear view mirror weights next to nothing!

Soon – very soon – all the other race car drivers ditched their navigators for lightweight rear view mirrors.  And, now all passenger cars come standard with rear view mirrors.  All because a race car navigator got sick one day many years ago.”

I love that story.  Is it true?  Don’t know, but I love it.  And, I’m so glad John joined me for breakfast that morning.  What an interesting person.  What an achiever.  We need more people like John.

 

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