You know, it's actually quite amazing, and disturbing, how many people (incl. yours truly until a while back) are clueless about the proper adjustment technique of their vehicles' side mirrors. This YouTube video gives the how-to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwzUE6PHk4U
There is NO SHAME in learning to do this right. After all, would you rather look like an ass now, and learn to do this properly, or whould you rather look like a zebra (or a pumpkin, depending on the color of the prison jumpsuit) later, after you caused someone's death on the road because you did not see them in your side mirror(s)?
When we learned how to drive, we were told to set the mirrors so we can see the traffic to the sides of our cars, but I, for one, do not recall ever being shown how to adjust these mirrors properly. For the longest time, I thought that I needed to see just a smidgeon of my own car in the side mirrors, and the sides' view extending to the left and right of that "reference" point. A while back, I have read something about this somewhere, and realized I need to adjust my adjustment :)
The video presents, and explains why, the proper way of said adjustment. Every driver should see it; chances are, you might need to re-learn the proper way of doing this.
Don't forget to adjust your rear view mirror, too - you're supposed to see the road behind you in it, not your face.
Be safe - always signal and shoulder-check, and never drink and drive.
