REAR=VIEW MIRROR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 November 1939, Page 3

REAR=VIEW MIRROR

AN INTERESTING HISTORY. The introduction of the rear-view mirror, which is today compulsory equipment for all motor vehicles, is linked up with an interesting incident and story. It appears that, when America’s famous "Indianapolis" 500 miles’ motor car race was inaugurated away back in 1911. a well-known speed driver, in Ray Harroun. nominated for the event. When he produced his Mormon car in trial runs on the Indianapolis speedway, his fellow-competitors. raised a fuss with the organising committee on the grounds that Harroun’s machine was fitted with a single-seated light body, while the rest of the entrants had their cars equipped with a double scat, so that a mechanic could be carried. Finally, the race officials ruled out Harroun’s machine on the grounds that, when drivinground the track at speed, he could not look back, consequently he'would not know when he was being overtaken by a fellow-competitor, a safety factor which was provided by carrying a mechanic. ' > Harroun withdrew, but was back on the track in a few days, with a mirror mounted above the small windshield of his car. He convinced the officials that he had entirely met their requirements. Harroun not. only won his point, but also the race, covering the 500 miles at an average speed of 74.59 m.p.h.

It is claimed in U.S.A, that this was the first occasion on which a rearview mirror was used, and so successful did it prove that it was only a matter of time for it'to come into universal use —a vogue that was greatly accelerated by the advent of the closed type of car body.