Rear view blindspots. How do you cope with them?

[Sable]

What a load of waffle. I nearly always headcheck.

[sootie]

What a load of waffle. I nearly always headcheck.

What happens when you don't?

[nathanwhite]

What happens when you don't?

This:


..........

[sootie]

This:

Presumably you have also developed a crash proof rider (yourself) - impressive!

[nathanwhite]

Presumably you have also developed a crash proof rider (yourself) - impressive!

They are still working on that it seems

[sootie]

This

On a more serious note, the rider moves out at an acute angle to the oncoming vehicle. The vehicle would not be visible in his mirrors, and he has to twist his head a long way to check this angle. It did register with me that this takeoff was one which needed extra care (if it were not for all the automated safety protection of course!) I know it is a takeoff angle I do not like much & try to take great care with.

[Bison]

Remember....mirrors show you what you can see....blind spot checks show you what you can't see. Turn your head like your life depended on it. One day (at least) you will be right.

[Zedder]

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?

Were you watching the CCTV too much?

[slofox]

If y'go faster than everything else on the road you don't have to worry about anything that's behind ya. (Just what's in front...)

[jellywrestler]

i have my right mirror adjusted to see what's in the lane beside me, i always look to the side when lane changing, after indicating but can only see so far so mirror picks up the bits I can't see, the left mirror is adjusted to see what you'd normally see further afeild

[scumdog]

What a load of waffle. I nearly always headcheck.

Yep, 'nearly' is all ya need, only a soft-cock needs 'always'...

[biggo]

A friend of mine in the UK uses a mirror called a Riderscan and swears by it . He rides in the city of London to work where you get people coming at you from all directions !!

http://www.huntercreate.com/index.htm

Cheers Phil

[FJRider]

Blind spots ... ????



Plan B ...

[Xsannz]

i was taught by an ex pommies cop trainer.

mirror... mirror .. Life saver check. chin to shoulder quick glance change lanes.

if your chin touches your shoulder your vision which is about 160 degrees out of the helmet or so is enough do see anything in your blind spots hell you could practically look behind you with you chin touching your shoulder..

and presumably your not sitting bumper to bumper with the guy in front and acceleration up the arse of somebody those 1.5 - 2 second may save your life.

it also gives any car drivers an indication that you may be moving around because they watch your head.. same as when you are filtering on your bike in traffic watch car drivers head if they turn their head chances are they are going to change lanes suddenly or rather soon.

i am probably just stating the obvious here, but having just done the defensive course, and looking to start teaching it, i was so inspired by the guy, told me alsorts of stuff non of the kiwi instructors would have dreamed of.

if we had the UK tests for driving here we wouldn't be paying excess rego fees for accidents we didn't cause and poorly trained riders / drivers wiping themselves out.

sorry if this upsets anybody but that's my wisdom and 2c worth.

[george formby]

i was taught by an ex pommies cop trainer.

mirror... mirror .. Life saver check. chin to shoulder quick glance change lanes.

if your chin touches your shoulder your vision which is about 160 degrees out of the helmet or so is enough do see anything in your blind spots hell you could practically look behind you with you chin touching your shoulder..

and presumably your not sitting bumper to bumper with the guy in front and acceleration up the arse of somebody those 1.5 - 2 second may save your life.

it also gives any car drivers an indication that you may be moving around because they watch your head.. same as when you are filtering on your bike in traffic watch car drivers head if they turn their head chances are they are going to change lanes suddenly or rather soon.

i am probably just stating the obvious here, but having just done the defensive course, and looking to start teaching it, i was so inspired by the guy, told me alsorts of stuff non of the kiwi instructors would have dreamed of.

if we had the UK tests for driving here we wouldn't be paying excess rego fees for accidents we didn't cause and poorly trained riders / drivers wiping themselves out.

sorry if this upsets anybody but that's my wisdom and 2c worth.

When I did my test & star rider course up over during the last ice age, life savers were (are) the be all & end all, don't move without looking. I was taught a philosophy of riding in space, knowing what is happening all around me & acting to maximise my safety margins. Mirrors are for keeping track of what is approaching behind, not a definitive observation.
Having said that I have used bar end mirrors for some years now & on wide bars the view is fantastic. Somebody in a camouflaged smart car would have to be very stealthy to find the blind spot. I'm not perfect, though so I always look, proper focusing the eyes look.
Yeah, i'm on the same page Xsannz. UK popo are bloody good riders, more fail than get a bike to play on. (Noooo disrespect to our homegrown popo, I'm sure it's a bloody hard graft to get your wheels too & based on the same training, on ya!)