“A”Pillars TOO BIG?

I’ve had my tacoma for almost 2 years now. I love this truck and enjoy driving. I consider myself a safe and experienced driver and have never caused an accident (to my knowledge). Today I pulled out in front of a car while making a left turn. It caught me by surprise since I saw the car as I was pulling out. I quickly gave it some extra gas and was fine.

The problem was I didn’t initially SEE the car. It was hidden behind my trucks HUGE “A” pillar. This is the third time it has happened. I understand toyota has beefed up the pillars for strength in case of an accident, BUT the driver’s visibility is also being sacrificed.

Anyone else have this issue?
Or am I not the safe and experienced driver I think I am?

 

You about 3' 10?

 

Vehicles need to be able to support their weight without collapsing if they are upside down due to federal mandates. Account for it and double check before entering traffic. and watch out for motorcycles!

 

All A pillars are very big these days. Cars and trucks alike. Having seen the crash test vids and some of the crash pics here, I am completely happy with their size on the Taco.

The mirror position was a problem for me though. Thankfully, the BirdDawg mirror riser for the 2nd Gens works for the 3rd Gens:
http://www.birddawgindustries.com/mirror-riser.html

It gave me a lot more visibility looking right. Without it, full size dump trucks were hidden for me.

 

I've noticed it as well. There was a couple times where i haven't seen cars at slow speeds in parking lots. Nothing to cause an accident, but i've looked like a bad driver no question. It's very different from the 2nd gen I came from.

 

if this is your vision plane then i worry about anyone driving around you.

 

Angle grinder

 

One of the reasons I absolutely love driving my 80 series Land Cruiser is because all of the forward pillars are tiny, awesome visibility. But when I hop in the family's Maxima it is a different world. Gotta really be careful, don't just crane your neck, lean forward if you have to. As mentioned above, please keep an extra eye out for Motorcycles too

 

aren't you supposed to double check before you go? I do agree they are big, mine are worse since I have weather tech window visors but if you had looked twice the car the was hidden in the 1st place would have been visible the 2nd time..

 

LOL, coming from an old truck I feel like the sight lines from the 2nd gen are terrible.

I rented a low cab forward Isuzu NPR box truck the other weekend. Now talk about being able to see everything, heck yeah.

 

Nope, not too big.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/8o3g4wdTt44?rel=0

 

Toyota is working on it...
https://www.automobilemag.com/news/toyota-patents-see-pillars/

 

I actually had a near miss a couple of weeks back... was in a Nat'l forest and made a left turn. Always look both ways and had clear view of the road in both directions. What I couldn't see was a Park Ranger coming up an access road right in front of me - he was coming up a steep hill and pulling out right as I was making my left turn.

He turned on his lights and we had a chat but his comment to me was exactly that - you probably couldn't see me from behind your pillar or mirror b/c of the angle I was at... we had a good laugh and then he checked out my truck and commented on how he wished they issued them Tacos instead of the old silverado he was driving

 

Try an FJ. You can fit a person behind one of these easy, made driving in the city fun. I dont even notice that Tacomas.

 

True story. which is why he was so cool and we laughed for a bit

 

A-pillar has to be superstrong.....so folks can install roof racks and have keg parties in their overlanding tents.

Seriously....the visibility from the driver's perspective is pretty good in these trucks for drivers of normal adult height.

 

You know Toyota is trying to put screens in it right? http://www.thedrive.com/sheetmetal/...device-to-make-car-pillars-appear-transparent