Advocacy & Safety - A query for riders with mirrors

In comparison to when you rode without a mirror, do you now look back (i.e., turn your head) less, more, or as often as you did in pre-mirror days?

Also, if you look less now, when do you decide to turn your head vs. use the mirror?

I never counted then or now.
Ride Safe.

I never turn my head completely to look behind me anymore - my helmet mirror gives me a much better view of everything behind me that it would be pointless. I usually ride with a big messenger bag that blocks the view over my shoulder so I have my mirror oriented so that I have to turn my head about 45-90 degrees to the left to see behind me, which also lets me check my blind spot at the same time.

I always used to hate looking behind me because I would have to crane my neck and worried about swerving or hitting potholes so I could only look for a few seconds. The mirror lets me look as long as I want because I'm still mostly facing forwards and I can 'sweep' it across to get a much wider view of everything.

Turning your head and looking is good situational awareness. I would not rely on just the mirrors on my car nor would I rely on just the mirror on my helmet.

I always back up my mirror check with an actual over the shoulder check.

Also, if you look less now, when do you decide to turn your head vs. use the mirror?

I turn my head when changing lanes, when I see someone who doesn't move left in advance, and when I feel like it (looking back allows me to see further).

Prior to equipping my bike with a mirror, I tended to look back often, usually when I heard or "felt" another vehicle approaching, and I wanted more information before deciding whether to get further right or not. Post-mirror, I still look back when I am considering a lane change or a turn, though I probably don't shoulder-check as much as I ought to if I'm moving right, rather than left.

I do have to make a conscious effort to look in the mirror now and then, especially if I'm on a less-travelled road, and not planning on turning anytime soon.

Remember, keep one eye on the road a few car-lengths ahead, another on the debris lying in wait to destroy your tubes, tires or wheels, a third eye on your mirror, a fourth eye on parked cars about to door you, all the while admiring the pretty scenery as you tool along. ;)

Kevin

Since I cannot do a quick check without looking back when I ride mirrorless... I have no other choice but to do a head check.

However the mirror does not allow me to forgo any head checks, it just allows me to reserve a head check (and my eyes off of traffic ahead) for those moments when it is safest to do so.

In other words, mirrors give me more options, but do not replace any head check habits.

I don't change lanes or merge left without a mirror check followed by a lookback, just as I was taught in my high school driver education class in 1966. However, when planning a leftward merge, I no longer look back until the mirror check indicates a probable gap in traffic, which I then verify before proceeding. Without a mirror, I used to have to look back two or more times in heavy traffic. I also use the mirror periodically to check on overtaking traffic, something I rarely did before.

I am an obnoxious mirror evangelist, but I suppose that comes with the turf of being a relatively new convert. :)

I always back up my mirror check with an actual over the shoulder check.

1+:thumb:

Blind spots have a funny habit of not showing up in a mirror.

uke, you should have given an option of I never look back when using a mirror and use the mirror only. There are those of us, like myself who can not look back, or it is very difficult for us to because we ride recumbent or some other physical reason. On my Vision recumbent I can not look back over or under my shoulder so I use 3 mirrors. one on each end of the handlebars and a helmet mirror.

^ Good point; hadn't considered that. However, you can still vote under 'as often' if the pre-mirror case was also virtually never.

I scan mirrors frequently, in a car or on a bike. If I see something, or even if I don't but intend to change position, I do a look-back. The mirror check lets me know if there's any reason to look back. I could never look-back as often as I do mirror checks. My head would fall off. They're not the same. Without a mirror, I still did a lot of look backs, but 90% of them were just out of paranoia. Probably more than half of those are now mirror checks.

In comparison to when you rode without a mirror, do you now look back (i.e., turn your head) less, more, or as often as you did in pre-mirror days?

Also, if you look less now, when do you decide to turn your head vs. use the mirror?


Last summer I had to use a different pair of glasses for a while, and those frames did not support a glasses mounted mirror (in contrast to helmet mounted variety...). In any case, I felt mych more clueless on the roadway. With my mirror I am always jogging my head back and forth just a bit so that I am 99% aware of what is happening on the roadway. It is true that i turn my head from time to time as well; but this is just to confirm or refute what I saw in the mirror and is quick glance.

roughstuff

I do a head check prior to changing my position in traffic, just as I do when driving.
I don't see that answer on your poll, I'd think it would be pretty much a no-brainer.

I do a head check before changing position or whenever I see an overtaking car in the mirror.

Drivers tend to leave me more room and do less overtaking in stupid places (blind curves, narrow lanes, etc) when I do a head check as they approach from behind. It's not a guarantee, but seems to work in most cases.

I don't change lanes or merge left without a mirror check followed by a lookback, just as I was taught in my high school driver education class in 1966. However, when planning a leftward merge, I no longer look back until the mirror check indicates a probable gap in traffic, which I then verify before proceeding. Without a mirror, I used to have to look back two or more times in heavy traffic. I also use the mirror periodically to check on overtaking traffic, something I rarely did before.

I am an obnoxious mirror evangelist, but I suppose that comes with the turf of being a relatively new convert. :)

Exactly... and I have found at times that doing a head check 2-3 times can mess with traffic... when the one rare but kindly motorist interprets my early situation head checks as me wanting to move left "right now..."

The mirror eliminates that confusion.

I do know I sure miss that mirror when I ride the bikes that don't have them... my MTB for instance, as I ride the streets to get to the canyons where I MTB... I tend to glance right where the mirror "isn't" and then have to do a head check.

I can see behind me better with the mirror than I can with a head turn. With the head turn I'm basically looking with the corner of my eye, or peripheral vision. With the mirror the subject area is in the center of my eye, and therefore much clearer. There is no blind spot with a properly set helmet mirror (accompanied with a slight turn of the head) so I sometimes don't bother with the look back. Whether I do head checks or not, I have never been surprised by something I missed in my mirror.

I find head checks to be most beneficial in dense traffic, as a aid to signal my intentions, or to alert the motorists behind me that I am aware of their presence.

I can see behind me better with the mirror than I can with a head turn. With the head turn I'm basically looking with the corner of my eye, or peripheral vision. With the mirror the subject area is in the center of my eye, and therefore much clearer. There is no blind spot with a properly set helmet mirror (accompanied with a slight turn of the head) so I sometimes don't bother with the look back. Whether I do head checks or not, I have never been surprised by something I missed in my mirror.

I find head checks to be most beneficial in dense traffic, as a aid to signal my intentions, or to alert the motorists behind me that I am aware of their presence.

I look back as much for non-verbal communication as I do to check behind me. Surprisingly enough, people actually pay attention to it. There's one spot in particular, where traffic has an on ramp to the right, and the crosswalk cuts across it... if I make eye contact, motorists will almost always yield to me in the crosswalk. (the road is cobblestone, so I'm on the sidewalk there)

I have nothing against mirrors, though.

I check rearward more often with a mirror, because it is so easy, and quick.

Always followed by a head check, if changing direction.

I do know I sure miss that mirror when I ride the bikes that don't have them... my MTB for instance, as I ride the streets to get to the canyons where I MTB... I tend to glance right where the mirror "isn't" and then have to do a head check.

Time for a helmet mirror. ;)

...I am an obnoxious mirror evangelist, but I suppose that comes with the turf of being a relatively new convert. :)

I am a (non-obnoxious), long time mirror evangelist (eyeglass denomination) and I enjoyed reading all the above comments. The only thing I might add is that for a while I was a dual mirror wearer which was nice when riding on the left side of a one way street, when in a rotary (roundabout), or when the sun was shining directly behind me into one mirror; the other one had a clear view. I got the idea when riding with a friend who wore one mirror on his right side only. Eventually I lost one mirror and gave up the habit.

Currently I pretty much only look back for a rarely occuring major lane change in traffic.

How often does one look back when driving a car. About that often. Why would there be a difference. ?

How often does one look back when driving a car. About that often. Why would there be a difference. ?

Most cars and trucks have three mirrors.

Which cover more area without moving your head.

"I don't have a mirror, but thanks for the option to vote for something"

Finaly a fair voting system.

I can't answer the question since I never ride mirrorless. You didn't give an option for that.

I physically look back approximately never.

Most cars and trucks have three mirrors.

Which cover more area without moving your head.

Not with the Take A Look Style mirrors.. I'd guess about a 30 degree turn gets you about 90 Degrees of view.

...Remember, keep one eye on the road a few car-lengths ahead, another on the debris lying in wait to destroy your tubes, tires or wheels, a third eye on your mirror, a fourth eye on parked cars about to door you, all the while admiring the pretty scenery as you tool along. ;)

Slightly OT, on a recent thread to the A&S Forum, "ovoiding obsticals [sic] on the road," I posted:


Jim's Law of the Road: No matter how well-paved or lightly traveled the road, a car is likely to pass you on the left as you encounter an obstacle on the right.

IMO, a rearview mirror, especially helmet or eyeglass mounted, is more effective to look behind rather than a turn of the head, particularly in an urgent situation. The post by daven1986 brings up an interesting question, how far ahead do you look for the road surface? I think I was once told about 20 feet or more, though I recollect my habit is to look ahead for a lesser distance. Maybe that's why I'm subject to Jim's Law. :o I'm leaving shortly for a ride and I'll have to focus on that habit.

Subsequently:


... I noted that it took conscious effort to look well forward rather than at about 10 to 20 feet onto the road surface. I found that when I looked far ahead there is a wide field of vision and more distractions, so I had to purposefuly look for the road surface. In a steep down hill on a crummy road with upcoming traffic and parked cars, I just focused on the path immediately ahead. I think I will try to look farther ahead from now on.

Any comments about how far ahead to look, or how far back for that matter?

The whole survey is skewed - there is no comparison between the usefulness of head mounted and bar mounted devices. Start over.

"I don't have a mirror, but thanks for the option to vote for something"

Finaly a fair voting system.

I do my best. :O)

FWIW, I found a local store selling small blind spot mirrors for cars. On a lark, I bought one and attached it to my bike. The view was tiny, but it was interesting actually being able to see behind me. I've only taken one ride with it, but I liked it. I'm probably going to buy another for the right bar in the next few days. I can finally check off all three of the A&S trifecta--helmets, headphones, and mirrors!

I look back less when riding with a mirror (which I always do now). I like the mirror on my eyeglasses. I check behind me in the mirror on a regular basis - more often than I looked back before I started using a mirror - and only look back over my shoulder when I'm changing lanes to turn or moving into the traffic lane for some reason.

I might add that thanks to my mirror I look back way, way less.

I voted before reading the instructions.

Riding with a mirror I look back often, but use the mirror to accomplish it.

Part of the problem with the poll, is it does not distinguish mirror types. With a bar mounted mirror, you need to make more head checks than with a helmet mirror.

The helmet mirror has little to no blind spot behind (small movement of the head covers the whole area). With a helmet mirror, the biggest thing you need to turn your head for, is to make sure the guy 2 lanes over is not changing lanes into the same lane you are trying to move into.

I have a bar end mirror. I use it for quick checks behind if I hear traffic coming up. Always check the mirror first when merging, then the look back. Mirror has been well worth it on my rides.

I have a bar end mirror. I use it for quick checks behind if I hear traffic coming up. Always check the mirror first when merging, then the look back. Mirror has been well worth it on my rides.

For me, I'd amend that to say that I use the mirror to check when I don't think that I'm hearing traffic. Sometimes, I simply can't hear very far back behind me, and certainly not far enough to become aware of a vehicle that would be a concern. Sure, I can hear the Harley half a block behind me, but its noise masks the hybrid SUV that's come up just off my flank.

Additionally, mirrors are a boon for high-prescription glasses wearers like myself. For me to get a decent look when only turning my head, I have to really crank around so I can see through my glasses lenses. If I only look out the corner of my eye and outside the frame, all I see is a blur.

...Additionally, mirrors are a boon for high-prescription glasses wearers like myself. For me to get a decent look when only turning my head, I have to really crank around so I can see through my glasses lenses. If I only look out the corner of my eye and outside the frame, all I see is a blur.

1+ So true.

For years, I shied away from using mirrors due to the styles that were available at the time. Today, I have quite the variety of mirrors to choose from, for me, the bar end works the best due their being similar to the ones on my motorcycles.
I like mirrors since I can see a vehicle approaching from behind at much farther distance, and make any necessary maneuvering decisions that much further in advance.

Any comments about how far ahead to look, or how far back for that matter?

I think it's important to be aware of what the cars up ahead are up to. I ride a few roads where traffic can go from smooth sailing to bumper-to-bumper in a moment. All that takes is a school bus stopping on a 2-lane, a squad car pulling someone over, or somebody parked at an intersection waiting to make a left turn. While I want to be wary of road hazards immediately ahead of me in the 20' <= range, it's a mistake to get tunnel vision and miss the bigger picture. There are instances, such as when I'm chugging uphill, or if I've got rain dripping off my helmet, that I have to remind myself to stick my head up and look around, and I ride with straight bars on my hybrid.

As for how far back to look, that depends a lot on the terrain. In hilly country, it's real important to see that semi that should have switched into low gear before descending a half mile back of you.

Kevin

i always (100% saddle time) ride with a mirror because it is attached to my helmet. never leave home with-out it! (VB)

who drives their car with-out rear view mirrors (or safety belt)?

choices! i drive belted/mirrors adjusted, ride domed/mirrored 100%! (habits now)!

Which are the safest...helmet or handlebar mounted mirrors? I've got a road bike w/ drop bars....

Even with 3 rearview mirrors all motor vehicles have blind spots. Cyclists don't have this problem.

I do a shoulder check a lot less with a mirror than without. But I don't rely solely on the mirror when changing my road position with other vehicles present. Same for in the car.

Always looking back, even with the mirror.

Not enough options; I've never ridden without a mirror. I look back often enough that I can not only see, but keep track of what every car approaching me from the rear is doing. Probably about every 3 to 5 seconds if there's traffic, every 15 or so if not. It takes a fraction of a second to look behind me with a mirror.

Most cars and trucks have three mirrors.

Which cover more area without moving your head.

If you can look at all three mirrors without moving your head, your eyes must be on stalks.

If you can look at all three mirrors without moving your head, your eyes must be on stalks.

If you can't look at all three mirrors without moving your head, perhaps you need a professional fitting session. :p

Even with 3 rearview mirrors all motor vehicles have blind spots.

If you haven't already set up your mirrors the way described here, you should (and tell all your motorist friends to do it, too):
http://www.yrp.ca/erase/Video.htm

I won't say more or less, but when I turn my head now, it's to look at definite objects that I already know are there, or to confirm there's nothing hiding in a blind spot. Before I'd have to ride looking back for a second or two and sometimes had trouble maintaining a line. Now I know what I'm looking for before I turn. It's two totally different worlds.

How often does one look back when driving a car. About that often. Why would there be a difference. ?

Most cars have the mirrors set so that you can see if someone has stolen the back doors, in other words they have the mirrors set too close. Car mirrors should be set so that as something leaves the centre mirror it's already visible in the side mirror, and as it becomes invisible to the side mirror you can see it in your peripheral vision.

Because bicycles don't have pillars to block the view, a single mirror on the traffic side is usually sufficient. The idea of the mirror is to be able to remain aware of what is behind or beside you before it becomes an issue.

Most cars have the mirrors set so that you can see if someone has stolen the back doors, in other words they have the mirrors set too close. Car mirrors should be set so that as something leaves the centre mirror it's already visible in the side mirror, and as it becomes invisible to the side mirror you can see it in your peripheral vision.

Yup. I set up my car's mirrors as described in the videos I linked to (actually, I was doing it a long time ago, but he demonstrates it really well). The setup works well enough that, while I can still see the rear corner of a car just to my left rear, its front bumper is almost right next to my door. At least some part of the car is always in my field of view.

I don't understand anymore why someone would fill up half their side mirrors with the side of the car. As Pierre Savoy, the instructor in the videos, says, "If the side of your own car is no longer following you, you have bigger problems to worry about."