Check over your shoulder.

iain_j

shouldbeinbed wrote:

+1 for being a considerate motorist but why the antipathy to mirrors, do you have them on your motorbike? why not a bike as well? as a way of adding to the sensory input and giving a quick back view when not making a manouvre.

I don't know the technicalities but, being a legal requirement on motorbikes/cars, I guess that their mirrors are made to better standards than those for pedal bikes. For a start, they tend to be a lot larger than the handlebar clip-on type. Not to say that decent mirrors for pedal bikes exist, but how many shop around for them like you have done, as compared to those who buy one from Halfords, clip it on and assume it's good enough.

Mikefule

shouldbeinbed wrote:

granted many mirrors are complete pony and people will get a bad one, not like it and write them all off as useless and ineffectual. rather a sweeping and unfair generalisation. I've gone through many before I found the decent ones that give a good clear and solid image.

Surely the fact that you had to go through "many" before finding one that gave a good image supports my general point that most of them are useless.

Ad to that that most people don't use the mirrors they have anyway (in cars, on motorbikes, etc.) and it's no wonder there are so many accidents.

I spent many years investigating motor accidents for a living, incuding interviewing drivers and witnesses. I know whereof I speak. It was exceedingly rare to find any person who felt they were to blame, even when it was obvious that they were.

cjcp

Whether the cyclist heard or saw Mike approaching, the fact that Mike anticipated what the cyclist might do is something a lot of motorists do not do. If you were required to ride a bike as part of your driving test, I can't help but feel that this would help us because a greater number of motorists would be better judges of the speeds at which we travel, the amount of space (e.g. turning left at junctions, bollards approaching and shall I/shall I not overtake befoe them ? That last example sounds like it's bleeding obvious what the driver should do, but how many times have you been squeezed at bollards or other pinch points in the road).

The same applies to any other driving test.

BentMikey

Don't forget that mirrors are only an aide to looking, they do not replace looking. For most people on most bikes, mirrors aren't necessary. OTOH some like mirrors, some need mirrors. I have one on my recumbent since it's much harder to sit up and look back, but not on the upright since it's easy to look back there.

tailwindhome

chuckcork wrote:

iain_j wrote:

I can only agree, the idea being pointed out to me by a pedestrian not long ago. She walked straight off the pavement in front of me causing me to brake and swerve. Her companions who had more sense, still on the pavement, shouted something to her and she mouthed back "well he's got brakes, he can slow down can't he" :roll: .

She also has eyes and possibly even a brain. She possibly coud use them too. Similarly you have fists and hard pointy bits called elbows that can make a dent in an otherwise pretty face (aka a knocking some sense in this bit seems to be missed with some)...really wish now instead of avoiding the stupid 20 year old who thought it was hilarious to stand in front of me in a cycle lane, and then move to stand in front of me again when I tried to avoid her, that I'd applied a bit of fist/elbow to face. Might make the experience a little less funny and bring her into the real world of being less than completely stupid and understanding there are consequences that mummy and daddy can't American Express your way out of.

I hope this is tongue in cheek :shock:

Golden Rivet

Hi Milke

fancy finding you in here...

Your Imaginary Friend
Dunny.

chuckcork

WheezyMcChubby wrote:

chuckcork wrote:

iain_j wrote:

I can only agree, the idea being pointed out to me by a pedestrian not long ago. She walked straight off the pavement in front of me causing me to brake and swerve. Her companions who had more sense, still on the pavement, shouted something to her and she mouthed back "well he's got brakes, he can slow down can't he" :roll: .

She also has eyes and possibly even a brain. She possibly coud use them too. Similarly you have fists and hard pointy bits called elbows that can make a dent in an otherwise pretty face (aka a knocking some sense in this bit seems to be missed with some)...really wish now instead of avoiding the stupid 20 year old who thought it was hilarious to stand in front of me in a cycle lane, and then move to stand in front of me again when I tried to avoid her, that I'd applied a bit of fist/elbow to face. Might make the experience a little less funny and bring her into the real world of being less than completely stupid and understanding there are consequences that mummy and daddy can't American Express your way out of.

I hope this is tongue in cheek :shock:

Well, I didn't do it if thats what you mean, and doubt in reality I would. Gratuitous violence has never been my thing. But there are people in world who are really quite stupid and maybe a wake up call is required, along the lines of knocking some sense into them.

cee

BentMikey wrote:

Well done to the OP!!! And yes I agree, there are so many cyclists who don't bother to look and rely on their hearing. Car drivers hate us doing that - look back and negotiate, and become more human. Drivers will treat you much better as a result.

this is liquid sense.

i think that a lack of communication and negotiation is one thing common to the majority of anger that people feel going about their daily lives, wether they be driving, cycling, walking, waiting in a queue.....

it seems to me that people respond better when I communicate my intentions and give them an opportunity to communicate their intentions....looking back at car drivers before pulling out often results in a nod, wave out etc, and then a wee thumbs up from me sorts out the groundrules for how i and that person will continue our communication and respect for each others road space until i or they turn off.

this for me is often the value in looking back...as said before, you don't always need to look all the way round to actually know where the other party is...but that moment of eye contact is priceless.

of course there will always be idiots, but i reckon most of the hassle is through mis-understanding.

PedalPedant

cee wrote:

looking back at car drivers before pulling out often results in a nod, wave out etc, and then a wee thumbs up from me sorts out the groundrules for how i and that person will continue our communication and respect for each others road space until i or they turn off.

this for me is often the value in looking back...as said before, you don't always need to look all the way round to actually know where the other party is...but that moment of eye contact is priceless.

of course there will always be idiots, but i reckon most of the hassle is through mis-understanding.

Couldn't agree more, I *always* give a smile and a wave for even the smallest courtesy from another road user. It often takes car drivers by surprise and hopefully I'm doing my bit to improve the (often completely undeserved) bad reputation of cyclists.

It always strikes me what a diffence you see in people's behaviour on the road when compared to how we all behave as pedestrians. When people bump into each other in street the immediate reaction for most of us is to apologise regardless of who was at fault.

If only that level of respect and courtesy extended to the roads as well

PP