It’s ‘total ignorance’ if you don’t know what these extra car mirrors are for, so what do they do?

A tweet right now is going viral, claiming it to be “total ignorance” not knowing what some extra mirrors on a car are for. I’m sitting in the camp with the poster, I can’t lie, that I’m totally ignorant and have no idea what their purpose is.

Right now, Twitter, or X, has been taken over by puzzling questions going viral. There was the mind-boggling London Bridge riddle, curves on window bars being explained, and people working out what the two lines on a keyboard are actually for. A tweet also went around teaching us all what the dots on a car windscreen are. Did I learn anything in school?

Today, we’re back once more to the subject of cars. “What’s that random mirror some cars stick on the rear windshield? Enlighten me,” one viral tweet said. Another added: “From my total ignorance, can someone explain to me what the reason is for that mirror there? Or what the heck is that?”

desde mi total ignorancia, alguien puede explicarme cuál es la razón de ese espejo ahí? o que vaina es esa? pic.twitter.com/M2k5qaR4mh

— Yellow (@Oji_yellow) April 27, 2026

What are the extra mirrors on a car actually for?

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Someone in the replies to the tweet has answered the question. “That’s an auxiliary convex (wide-angle) mirror stuck on the rear windshield,” they said.

“It gives the driver a broader fisheye view of the area right behind the car—especially the bumper and blind spots—when reversing or parking. Basically a cheap, old-school backup camera alternative. Common on vans, taxis, or cars with poor rear visibility.”

Another added: “That mirror is positioned high on the rear windshield so the driver can discreetly see what’s coming up from behind without having to twist around awkwardly. Or maybe it’s just there to give curious passengers something to look at while they’re stuck in traffic.”

Someone else chimed in: “If you don’t have a reversing camera, then such a mirror lets you see how far your bumper is from the obstacle.” Well, that all makes a lot of sense.

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