How to see kids in the backseat at night

[blktoptrvl]

Originally Posted by cloudz

Thanks for the tips and suggestions. I have young sons, a baby and toddler, that sometime makes strange noise while in the car. I want to be sure they are not doing something stupid even though I don't leave anything in the back seat. My older son just learn how to open the rear door using the lever. We were surprised. Fortunately, I already disable the door being opened from the inside.

CloudZ

I've never had kids in my X5 yet. How do you disable the doors?

[m5james]

Originally Posted by cloudz

Thanks for the tips and suggestions. I have young sons, a baby and toddler, that sometime makes strange noise while in the car. I want to be sure they are not doing something stupid even though I don't leave anything in the back seat. My older son just learn how to open the rear door using the lever. We were surprised. Fortunately, I already disable the door being opened from the inside.

CloudZ

I was behind a lady in Seattle one time who's child had opened the rear door while driving, and somehow she hadn't noticed!! It probably didn't help she had a phone on the side of her head. After honking the horn repeatedly and nothing happening, I literally had to push her over to the shoulder and pointed to her that he kid had opened the damn door. Stupid, stupid people. I showed her to use the childlock on the door and I was on my merry way. I don't even wanna think how that could have turned out.

[hhhm3]

Originally Posted by m5james

I was behind a lady in Seattle one time who's child had opened the rear door while driving, and somehow she hadn't noticed!! It probably didn't help she had a phone on the side of her head. After honking the horn repeatedly and nothing happening, I literally had to push her over to the shoulder and pointed to her that he kid had opened the damn door. Stupid, stupid people. I showed her to use the childlock on the door and I was on my merry way. I don't even wanna think how that could have turned out.

You are a good samaritan. Most ppl would've drove off and not bothered.
And on the cell too... I would've reported her, endangering her child and other ppl on the road while on the cellphone. What happen to the kid's seat belt?
In Canada we banned the handheld cellphone while driving.

Here is an idea for "seeing you kid in the backseat at night".
This device has night vision. If you can not install it, I am sure any car audio/video shop could do it for a small fee.

NEW 2009 PYLE Rear View Camera 2.5" LCD Monitor System - eBay (item 350318716129 end time Feb-25-10 07:24:23 PST)

[mtech8]

I've replaced my mirror with a large Broadway mirror (approx. $20).

It's brighter and provides more real estate for seeing what's going on in the back. It's nice for normal driving too. To see out the large rear windows (a big turnoff for me about the X6). (For some people the smaller windows and views are fine. It's just my preference).

The drawbacks is that it nullifies all the benefits of the original bmw mirrors (compass and auto dim).

I hardly ever use the compass (i can just look at my nav if I really want to know which direction I'm going). And my windows are tinted and the X5 sits higher up that most cars out there, so I rarely have glare issues.

[peterjaw]

Originally Posted by cloudz

Lately I have been transporting my kid in the evening with X5 but I have difficult seeing him at night. If i turn on the light, then the rear view mirror will automatically dim so I still can't see him.

Does anyone have any tip or trick to see the back seat at night?

Thanks.

CloudZ

I have the same situation and question, too.
I just wonder if I can write BMW an e-mail and suggest them to add another light switch for just rear seat area for the driver?

X5 is a family car so I believe many owners are also fathers or mothers. My solution is just to buy a small wide-angle mirror and attach it just under the
center back mirror.

[X5 Meister]

Have you tried just turning on their individual map lights (and not all the interior lights in the car). Those usually work pretty well at illuminating the back seat area without being a nuisance to the driver.

Another option, and a tad more expensive and involved, is installing a rear DVD setup like the Invision headrest DVD system. Each screen will generate enough light in the backseat to illuminate the rear passengers.

Originally Posted by cloudz

Lately I have been transporting my kid in the evening with X5 but I have difficult seeing him at night. If i turn on the light, then the rear view mirror will automatically dim so I still can't see him.

Does anyone have any tip or trick to see the back seat at night?

Thanks.

CloudZ

[acedeucy]

X5Meister thanks for the bump! Still going strong...

-LAW

[m5james]

Originally Posted by X5 Meister

Have you tried just turning on their individual map lights (and not all the interior lights in the car). Those usually work pretty well at illuminating the back seat area without being a nuisance to the driver.

My kids have done this before, and I don't think it illegal to have them on in the back while driving. My 7 has really cool ones in the C pillar where they point down perfectly into the lap of the backseat passengers for reading, etc.

[X5 Meister]

That's what you get for making and selling a quality product!

[acedeucy]

Originally Posted by X5 Meister

That's what you get for making and selling a quality product!

Thanks for the Kudos!

-LAW