This weekend I had another experience that reinforced the value of a mirror to me -- I was northbound on PCH on the 4000 meter stretch at Bolsa Chica. It was busy and I was passed by literally hundreds of motorists at speeds ranging from 50 to 85 mph. I knew how close each one was going to be well before every pass. My mirrorless fellow cyclists did not -- none of them were consistenly rotating their heads to look at each car before it passed.

The closest passes happen when there are two wide vehicles traveling abreast. Sure enough, I saw a bus next to a truck coming up behind me at about 60 mph, right hand mirror over the white stripe. Call me inferior, but I moved well to the right. At 5+ feet clearance, the pass was a non-event for me. The cyclists ahead of me, not so much -- they got the 10 inch buzz job, leaving them swerving and gesturing.

Of course, I looked more like a Fred.