Rear view blindspots. How do you cope with them?

[sootie]

These helmets are brilliant!!

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...post1130267344

Had seen these advertised somewhere. It looks a really good idea if it has been implemented without any new issues arising. It would avoid the CCTV issues & be simpler too (a big bonus).

[Dangsta]

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?

I had a bit of a problem on my S83 with it having quite narrow handlebars. Struggled with seeing anything behind me for a few days which made for some pretty scary moments plus some unusual riding positions as I tried to contort myself into wierd shapes to see behind me. I was thinking about wider bars with risers but as a quick fix, I went to repco and bought a couple of little blindspot mirrors for two bucks. Stuck them to the top corners of my mirrors and now I don't really have a problem.

[98tls]

These helmets are brilliant!!

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...post1130267344

Hi vis/traction control and now thisDoes anyone here remember motorcycling?Young fellas today when considering a life on 2 wheels would simply shrug there shoulders and figure its easier to fly an aeroplane.

[Dangsta]

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).

If the CCTV was anything like me with my GPS, I realised I was staring at the screen with the little moving "me dot" and ignoring the road. Too distracting.

[sootie]

I had a bit of a problem on my S83 with it having quite narrow handlebars. Struggled with seeing anything behind me for a few days which made for some pretty scary moments plus some unusual riding positions as I tried to contort myself into wierd shapes to see behind me. I was thinking about wider bars with risers but as a quick fix, I went to repco and bought a couple of little blindspot mirrors for two bucks. Stuck them to the top corners of my mirrors and now I don't really have a problem.

I have been down this exact road & still have the mirrors to prove it. I really could not get the idea to work for me any better than the standard mirrors. The same would probably be true for bar-end mirrors, although they offer a good solution on my mate's Ducatti.

I see bikes around which pass their WOF, and seem to have poorer rear vision than I have. Perhaps the owners always ride a lot faster!

[sootie]

If the CCTV was anything like me with my GPS, I realised I was staring at the screen with the little moving "me dot" and ignoring the road. Too distracting.

YOU WIN THE PRIZE!! Well done! In traffic you are always flicking your eyes to monitor rear vision. It takes time for eyes to re-focus short / long / short / long. During the re-focussing, you are likely to hit something.
Probably worse for me as I am not a young rider anymore, but bad for anyone I think.
You wind up trying to resolve very small closeup TV screen detail just to make it all worse.
Glad you mentioned GPS as I have had the same thoughts, but you don't look at that so often (I hope!)

You don't get the re-focussing problem with a mirror because your forward vision & your mirror vision are both at long range, one just has its direction changed.

[ducatilover]

I'm basically blind in one eye, so I only have one mirror
My problem if I die I suppose?

[Berries]

Always liked this quote.

[Bassmatt]

Why the angst over whats behind you, unless you're changing lanes?
I dont get this obsession with scanning mirrors all the time, you cant hit something that is already behind you. I reckon alot of nose to tail accidents are caused by this.

[sootie]

Whats behind me; its not important

I dont get this obsession with scanning mirrors all the time, you cant hit something that is already behind you. I reckon a lot of nose to tail accidents are caused by this.

I think I am one of those pathetic riders that often rides within the speed limit.
(The law does not always think I am really good at this by the way.)
Anyway I am often interested in the cars that come up behind me doing 50kph more than I am & looking for an easy overtake. If they don't quite clear me, or hit something head on it might spoil my day too.

I also get quite nervous about cage drivers who are trying to collect a live rear tyre impression at 90 kph plus. 4WDs with Bullbars scare me particulalry, but then I have already admitted to being a bit wimpy.

[sootie]

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

Did you mean weave ???

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.

You surely know enough to graduate as a "Topgun" from Fighter School FJ!!

[bogan]

I dont get this obsession with scanning mirrors all the time, you cant hit something that is already behind you.

No, but they can hit you.

I reckon alot of nose to tail accidents are caused by this.

Undoubtedly, without knowing what is behind you, there's no chance of avoiding getting run into the back of

[nathanwhite]

These helmets are brilliant!!

I tried one of those on in the shop the other day. I found I had to move my eyes right up as far as they could possibly go to see in the mirror. It took me a good 2 seconds to actually focus on what was behind me. Maybe it wasn't quite fitted properly or I wasn't used to it IDK. I didn't like it too much to be honest.


I usually have my right mirror half showing my arm and half showing what is directly behind me. My left is a little wider and shows whats in the back left quadrant. I always do a head check to almost 180 degrees back before a lane change so it works fine for me.

[HenryDorsetCase]

Always liked this quote.

Dammit, came on here just to post this.

instead

[sootie]

I tried one of those on in the shop the other day. I found I had to move my eyes right up as far as they could possibly go to see in the mirror. It took me a good 2 seconds to actually focus on what was behind me. Maybe it wasn't quite fitted properly or I wasn't used to it IDK. I didn't like it too much to be honest.

That is interesting info - suggests exactly the same problem as the TV camera.
Question: Are you looking rearward via a series of mirrors, or are you looking at a projected image located near the helmet apex?
If these helmets use the latter then I suggest that they would not be satisfactory.
I am going to make a point of looking for one.

(Added later by edit): http://www.reevu.com/faq.asp
Suggests bending of light - not an image - still unsure about refocussing issue though.
The revue suggests that the helmet needs to be adjusted for the wearer, and then takes a bit of getting used to.
Further comment here would seem to be in order.