Originally Posted by jfowler85

We're talking fractions of a second here, it's not that big of a deal. If a vehicle is right next to you, then you don't need to look over your shoulder unless you need to know what's behind said vehicle. You should be keeping up with traffic, regardless. If you're in traffic and riding so freakin slow that the 1/4 second penalty could potentially kill you, then you need to find a route with a lower speed limit. Besides, even with a mirror you can only focus in one direction; just like in a car, putting your eyes on the rearview requires that you take your eyes off the road.



You put yourself in a bad situation there. Firstly, if you are riding on the edge of the pavement, you are wrong. When you squeeze yourself onto the right edge of the road you are giving cars permission to stay in the lane and buzz you. This is the purpose of taking the lane. Perhaps I am reading that wrong.

Second, you assumed. This will get you hurt. It boggles my mind when cyclists around here complain about getting buzzed by farm trucks and diesel cowboys on smaller state highways. If you're not prepared for this, then that's your fault. Using a mirror does not negate route planning and preparation.

Here's a mirror anecdote for you - I was rolling on the left to pass a slow commuter on the MUP a few weeks back. He heard me shifting and saw me in his mirror - he gave the telltale head movement in the direction he was looking - and then proceeds to try and pull out in front of me anyways. It was too late for me to hit the brakes at this point, and he tells me "hey, take it easy" as I pedal by. I flipped him off. Using a mirror does not preclude the need for good judgment, and looking over your shoulder is not that hard.