Rear view blindspots. How do you cope with them?

**sootie** · 14th October 2012, 20:26

One bike I owned in the 1980s had wide handlebars, wide spaced curved mirrors & almost no rear blindspot. Just about every other bike I ever owned has had a safety issue associated with this which the rider has had to come to terms with.

* does heavy (jacket) riding gear further restrict your rear vision? Do you consider this?
* do handlebar tip mirrors help?
* have you trained yourself to always look rearward for a big picture as you approach every turn?
* do you really use vehicle positioning intelligently & deliberately to minimize the risk?
* as you ride is your blind spot configuration always in your mind's eye?
* do you think we should all fit spacing bars to our mirrors on every bike?
* is this mainly a big city driving issue?
* have you considered this issue & tried to reduce any problem you have?

I would like to see some discussion on this. What are your views?
Who knows a 24 carat answer to the problem?

PS: I once fitted a rear view CCTV.
It worked perfectly, but was totally useless & I removed it after just one short ride.
Have a guess why this was?

**98tls** · 14th October 2012, 20:36

Barend mirrors.Simple.Why they stick mirrors on fairings ive no idea.

**Katman** · 14th October 2012, 20:37

Originally Posted by sootie

It worked perfectly, but was totally useless & I removed it after just one short ride.
Have a guess why this was?

I'd guess because it wasn't the mirror image that your brain is programmed to expect to see.

**steve_t** · 14th October 2012, 20:38

Originally Posted by 98tls

Barend mirrors.Simple.Why they stick mirrors on fairings ive no idea.

+1

10 chars

**bogan** · 14th October 2012, 20:43

I have to tuck my elboe/shoulder a bit to get a decent view; bar mounted mirrors on wider bars than stock. Bar-ends don't seem like a good idea for filtering, but that is probably more of an issue for me cos I run wider bars to begin with.

Originally Posted by Katman

I'd guess because it wasn't the mirror image that your brain is programmed to expect to see.

Don't automotive units mirror the image to compensate?

**FJRider** · 14th October 2012, 20:43

Corners are always the best time for a sneak look behind. On the straighter sections I do a bit of a weave to the left/right for a good look. But on my FJ ... usually (mostly) I just pull the elbows in a bit .....

**Hitcher** · 14th October 2012, 20:49

The Kiwi Biker wave is a foolproof solution in these circumstances.

**sootie** · 14th October 2012, 20:51

Agree with the elbow tuck idea - I do that too

Going to let the CCTV one run for a bit - I never saw the answer coming.
Clue: I decided it was bloody dangerous! (Nothing to do with reversed image).

**nzspokes** · 14th October 2012, 20:53

Clutch it up, will be easy to see then.

**onearmedbandit** · 14th October 2012, 20:54

Originally Posted by sootie

PS: I once fitted a rear view CCTV.
It worked perfectly, but was totally useless & I removed it after just one short ride.
Have a guess why this was?

A mate put the same setup his bike, the issue he had was sunlight on the screen made the image impossible to see.

Riding with only one arm does have an advantage I never considered before getting back on a bike. My left mirror always gives me a good clear view.

**Asher** · 14th October 2012, 20:54

Ive never found it to be a much of a big deal although in my typical riding position all i can see in my mirrors is my elbows.
-I always do i full head check before i change lanes or want to make sure double check whats behind me.
-When im going around corners i check the inside mirror which lets you see the entire corner and whats directly behind you.
-When im on a quiet road i often ride with my left hand resting on the tank so im not blocking the view of my left mirror.