Rear awareness

**bogan** · 11th May 2011, 12:01

Had a wtf moment this morning which got me thinking, how aware of things behind the bike should we be? How can we avoid rear ends if we see one coming? and how can we prevent them in the first place?

I was aware there was a car some distance behind me (so not right behind), noticed a pedestrian waiting to cross at a cross walk (from the left), so slowed to a stop, as did a ute driver going the other way. Hear a very heavy squeal of brakes coming up the inside as the pedestrian was about 2m out as the car following me comes flying up. He then tears off once the pedestrian is almost half way across. Me and the other driver shake our heads and carry on (think the pedestrian was largely oblivious).
Thing is, if he was a meter or more to the right, I would have been rear ended at about 30kmhr, and I had no idea he was coming up that fast.

Often at the lights I will watch for cars coming up in mirrors and flash the brakes, however in this case the timing was such that I had only just come to a stop myself. Is this just an area we have to trust (shudder) the drivers a bit? Or is there more we can do?

As a side note, I'm not too happy with the position of my mirrors and will be installing a screen in future which will hopefully cause me to notice things without conscious effort to stare at the mirrors.

**george formby** · 11th May 2011, 12:18

It comes under the total awareness label for me but it is really, really hard to think for the vehicle behind you as well as what is happening ahead. If you need to watch oncoming hazards you can only really glance in your mirrors to weigh up what is happening behind you.

When I'm riding I tend to look at my left mirror, the road ahead, right mirror, the road ahead etc etc.

Situations like stop signs, crossings, merging lanes, I try to assess what is happening behind me early so I can be proactive about my speed, their braking distance, leaving space if I'm really worried as an alternative to them hitting me.

I think this is a lap of the gods situation for us until we literally get eyes in the back of our heads. I put bar end mirrors on my bike which give great rear vision but their is not a lot more I can do apart from using them.

**unstuck** · 11th May 2011, 12:22

In the shower to get the soap when in jail.

Whenever your out on the bike you have to be aware all the time, especially if you live in a city. Not just what you are doing but what everyone around you is doing, and be prepared to take some action when needed.

**ducatilover** · 11th May 2011, 12:41

As a fellow Honda rider and enthusiast I will offer to watch your rear for you.

Ahem.

I try to keep an eye out at all times for any approaching fuck-tards from all directions, every now and then though we do have a brain fart. Yes as Katman would say this can be avoided, but, the more I study psych and all that junk, the more obvious it is that the mind is very, very easily distracted, thinking these moments can always be avoided is naive.

**Katman** · 11th May 2011, 12:43

In a situation like that I try to avoid stopping right in the middle of the lane. By stopping to one side or the other of the lane you're allowing a larger escape route for anyone behind you that's not paying attention.

**george formby** · 11th May 2011, 12:50

Originally Posted by Katman

In a situation like that I try to avoid stopping right in the middle of the lane. By stopping to one side or the other of the lane you're allowing a larger escape route for anyone behind you that's not paying attention.

Ditto. You have to make the best call for the situation. Admittedly I have been undertaken while sitting in traffic trying to keep myself in the most visible & observant place in my lane, pre-occupied with the melee ahead of me. I guess a fright is better than a contact.

**willytheekid** · 11th May 2011, 13:42

Good thread.

And yes, personally I always check the traffic coming up behind me as soon as I start braking

Had an "incident" last winter when it started to hail on the northern highway into Chch...and a car driver (No shit!) STOPPED

(to take photos, shake in fear...christ knows!)

But "most" of the traffic managed to pull up in time....but the 4x4 I had passed earlier came thundering into view in my mirrors....and he was Moving!

I had just enough time to gas it & pull off the road (into the grass medium) the 4x4 locked up and did a "power-slide" into the car infront of me....right through the space where I had been.

Without checking my mirrors that incident would have left me either crippled or possibly dead. (just a change of undies was required)
Oh, and for the record, the idiot who was so amazed by hail that he had to stop in the middle of a highway, drove off!... apparently unaware of the chaos they had caused behind them....figures!

Rule of thumb- ALWAYS check for speed racers coming from behind, and ALWAYS leave enough room in front for an "emergency escape"

Ride safer, ride longer...take care KB's

**DangerMice** · 11th May 2011, 13:52

I always check the mirrors as I begin to brake to see how much of a buffer I have, especially if it's a late light for example, and leave enough of a gap in front so there's room to move if the car behind gets it wrong and I need to (for example) gas it up between the two cars in front. Had to do that twice in 3 years, once the car stopped where I was, the other time they rear ended the car in front.

**bogan** · 11th May 2011, 15:04

Good advice regarding the moving over a bit. Had thought about bar end mirrors but I run fatbars anyway, so much wider and I may as well just turn right around for a look! Will work on being more aware too. Might see if I can tweak the mirrors a bit (number 3 tweaking hammer on the stems might do the trick).

Thanks ducatilover and unstuck for the provisions of some 'rear' jokes, inevitable really

**unstuck** · 11th May 2011, 15:08

Would hate to see you REAR ended,or any other bloke for that matter.

Just be aware as much as possible and you should live longer.

**YellowDog** · 11th May 2011, 15:51

Originally Posted by Katman

In a situation like that I try to avoid stopping right in the middle of the lane. By stopping to one side or the other of the lane you're allowing a larger escape route for anyone behind you that's not paying attention.

Good advice - The guy changing his MP3 selection whilst not realising the lights have changed needs an alternative escape route (preferably through you).

**martybabe** · 11th May 2011, 16:24

It's a dodgy one for sure, I'm always relieved when the driver behind me comes to a halt but....
Once upon a time waiting at the lights a guy pulls up behind me and waits in line, as you do. With both vehicles stationary for several minutes and the lights still on red the nice fella behind decides to accelerate from a standstill straight in to the back of my bike. Dismounting my wedged upright steed to have a word with the gentleman, he explained that he thought I had gone

Alternatively using KM's suggestion and waiting to one side at a pedestrian crossing, I had a woman try to squeeze in-between the white centre line and myself shunting me sideways, not happy with the tightness of the situation she decided to move on quickly missing the crossing pedestrian by millimetres.

Bearing in mind then that anything can and will happen, I tend to keep an eye on any traffic approaching from the rear when stopped or slowing, pick myself an escape route and be prepared to use it if the approaching traffic shows no sign of slowing down. I concur with several flashes of the brake light too, it does wake some from their slumber though not all.

**unstuck** · 11th May 2011, 16:29

Dont stop, just keep on truckin.

**Latte** · 11th May 2011, 16:37

Saw a very near thing on the Commute yesterday morning. Scooter in L2 Nearly got taken out by someone in a 4wd looking for a gap in L3 and not realising traffic had stopped on front of her. Swerved to the right avoiding the scooter by maybe a foot, and the car in L4 (just in front of me) had to swerve into L4.

Scooter didn't even realise. The 4wd had the full swerve/body roll going on.... very near thing indeed.