Due to my incompetence, AIBU

[perfumeperuser]

We are being affected by ULEZ. We have a non compliant van and a compliant car.

We need to swap vehicles, but the van is boarded so that there is no middle mirror only side mirrors.

I get heart palpitations just thinking about driving a vehicle with no mirror in the middle.

This means that we will have huge costs probably to buy a compliant car. We are already having a huge cost to change insurance over.

AIBU should I suck it up and learn to cope without the mirror, you're costing the family perhaps a great expense.

OR AINBU to value the safety of myself and all other Road users.

Any tips on buying a car in a ULEZ climate would also be greatly appreciated!

I used to live in a country where on a multi lane road ( main road was 6 lanes) you can over or undertake, so had to use my side mirrors constantly. I got used to it quickly and it was actually really weird switching back.

Because of ULEZ, second hand vans are in massive demand at the moment. You might be able to sell it to someone far out of London, while all the ULEZ compliant ones are snapped up by those in London.

Then, yes, buy another car. If you can get a ULEZ compliant one, do, but if you can't, then at least you have a more manageable sized vehicle with a rear view mirror.

I know I wouldn't want to be using a van in your scenario either, and I'm confident with reversing and driving!

I know people that have had to buy estate cars, rather than vans, as there as so few ULEZ vans available at the moment.

@TenderDandelions That's good. Hopefully if they are in demand we will still get a decent price and it won't result in the prices going down. It's a shame as it's a good runner! The good thing is we don't need a van anymore anyway.

Come on. How do you think van, lorry, truck and towing people drive?!

@ChannelyourinnerElsa With damn sight more skill than me! 🤣

Practice lots.

Sorry but have I missed something? You no longer need your non compliant van so can sell that and have a compliant car. I'm struggling to see the issue you might have with ULEZ.

Same here

I am a really nervous driver (I didn't drive for nearly 20 years after passing my test) but even I could cope easily with no back window and mirror.

Please try it or have a lesson.

I usually drive the compliant car, but I will have to swap vehicles with DH, as he drives a non compliant van and goes inside the ULEZ area daily.

I can either drive the van or sell it for a compliant or non compliant car. I have also remembered that the van is not automatic, so I will not be able to drive it without a lot of physical pain. We will probably lose a lot of money if we sell the van, as it's non compliant and this will cause so many knock on affects with regards to timing and finances - especially if we choose another compliant car.

I always use my side mirrors when reversing. I have to park in narrow spaces at work and my drive is through a gate and then up the side of the garage at an angle, so I quickly realised if you use your side mirrors you can do it way more accurately - if there’s daylight between the edge of the car and the garage wall I’ll never hit it no matter how close it feels in my head! You can’t be that accurate with the centre mirror.