Truck! Horn! Mirror! Truck! Adrenaline!!!!!
06-10-16, 07:25 AM
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Truck! Horn! Mirror! Truck! Adrenaline!!!!!
A mirror saved my life...again!
A mile into my commute home there is a long traffic light I must always stop and wait for. On the far side of the intersection a narrow bike lane begins and a third of a mile down the road is a heavy constuction company which is home to big dump trucks and those long gravel trucks.
I wait for the light at the pedestrian crosswalk, and when it changes I cross in the crosswalk which then funnels me into the clearly marked, but narrow bike lane. This means there is a line of traffic to my left that had built up at the light.
For the third of a mile leading up to the construction company there are four or five side streets. I am always anticipating cars driving up to the corner and about half the time I will encounter at least one, but because of the line of traffic that has now passed me, the side street traffic has stopped, or is slowing.
Well, yesterday afternoon, despite the traffic on my left, there was a large pick-up truck that came out of the side street at about 50mph. I hit my horn and my brakes, but the bike lane had gravel and loose dirt (thanks in part to the construction trucks) The pickup must not have anticipated stopping at the stop sign, nor the possibility of cross traffic, and hit his brakes.
In just an instant I had three thoughts. First, he is going to slide into traffic and hit a car. Second, he will hit me first. Third, I must swing left.
Fortunately I reflexively checked my take-a-look mirror which was filled completely with the grill of a gravel truck coming up behind me on my left. So I didn't veer left. I was still carrying too much speed and past the point of turning right into the side street and I honestly don't know what happened, but I came to a stop in the bike lane just past the street. I looked back and the pickup truck was stopped over the bike lane and partially into traffic.
Had I veered left I would have surely been run over by the gravel truck. But the mirror stopped me. And it allowed me to continue looking forward at the same time as well.
In the future, after the long light I will cross the street at the light but then stop and wait the 10 to 20 seconds for traffic to pass me, then I can just take the lane and be further out from the side streets. I have a couple of other narrow points on my commute where if I see traffic coming up behind me in my mirror I will stop before the road narrows for a few seconds to let them pass.
A mile into my commute home there is a long traffic light I must always stop and wait for. On the far side of the intersection a narrow bike lane begins and a third of a mile down the road is a heavy constuction company which is home to big dump trucks and those long gravel trucks.
I wait for the light at the pedestrian crosswalk, and when it changes I cross in the crosswalk which then funnels me into the clearly marked, but narrow bike lane. This means there is a line of traffic to my left that had built up at the light.
For the third of a mile leading up to the construction company there are four or five side streets. I am always anticipating cars driving up to the corner and about half the time I will encounter at least one, but because of the line of traffic that has now passed me, the side street traffic has stopped, or is slowing.
Well, yesterday afternoon, despite the traffic on my left, there was a large pick-up truck that came out of the side street at about 50mph. I hit my horn and my brakes, but the bike lane had gravel and loose dirt (thanks in part to the construction trucks) The pickup must not have anticipated stopping at the stop sign, nor the possibility of cross traffic, and hit his brakes.
In just an instant I had three thoughts. First, he is going to slide into traffic and hit a car. Second, he will hit me first. Third, I must swing left.
Fortunately I reflexively checked my take-a-look mirror which was filled completely with the grill of a gravel truck coming up behind me on my left. So I didn't veer left. I was still carrying too much speed and past the point of turning right into the side street and I honestly don't know what happened, but I came to a stop in the bike lane just past the street. I looked back and the pickup truck was stopped over the bike lane and partially into traffic.
Had I veered left I would have surely been run over by the gravel truck. But the mirror stopped me. And it allowed me to continue looking forward at the same time as well.
In the future, after the long light I will cross the street at the light but then stop and wait the 10 to 20 seconds for traffic to pass me, then I can just take the lane and be further out from the side streets. I have a couple of other narrow points on my commute where if I see traffic coming up behind me in my mirror I will stop before the road narrows for a few seconds to let them pass.
06-10-16, 09:57 AM
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Wow, that's hardcore! Good job doing whatever you did to survive that situation, and thank goodness for mirrors!
06-10-16, 11:04 AM
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Speaking as a part-time cager: Never trust a cager or a road with cagers on it. The lunatics and the drug-addicted and the raging drunks have car keys just like everyone else.
06-10-16, 11:26 AM
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Hopefully you would have already known that the gravel truck was there because you constantly scanned your surrounding with the help of the help of the mirror and had decided ahead of time going left was not an option which narrowed the choices for you and you were able to act quickly and decisively to avoid incident. 
06-10-16, 12:46 PM
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Hopefully you would have already known that the gravel truck was there because you constantly scanned your surrounding with the help of the help of the mirror and had decided ahead of time going left was not an option which narrowed the choices for you and you were able to act quickly and decisively to avoid incident.
06-10-16, 05:33 PM
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YOUCH!
Glad you are still standing.
I do not ride without my mirror.
For those of you that do not use a mirror, or have not tried a mirror I encourage you to do so.
fat biker
Glad you are still standing.
I do not ride without my mirror.
For those of you that do not use a mirror, or have not tried a mirror I encourage you to do so.
fat biker
06-10-16, 11:37 PM
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TL/DR the nonsense. On a bicycle, mirrors are not safety equipment. And what is the point of trying to sell someone who has been getting home safely everynight without a mirror on the idea that they should buy one? I suspect that unlike other bike accessories one might own, there are likely more cyclists riding without mirrors than with. Safely for the most part.
06-11-16, 12:01 AM
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Really how do you expect anyone to ever take anything you say seriously when you start out with too long didn't read? And I really don't understand the hate for mirrors. I don't personally use one either but why rant against someone that says they had a good experience with one. By the way if you had read it you would have already known that no where in the post did he say everyone must go buy a mirror today or they're morally repugnant.
06-11-16, 01:03 AM
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And I really don't understand the hate for mirrors. I don't personally use one either but why rant against someone that says they had a good experience with one. By the way if you had read it you would have already known that no where in the post did he say everyone must go buy a mirror today or they're morally repugnant.
06-11-16, 05:21 AM
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One could say that without a mirror you spend more time looking behind you. I like'm, but don't feel a need to convince anybody that they need to cleanse their souls by attaching a mirror. To me, it helps to have one. You don't like or want one? Great! Enjoy the ride. OP recommends a mirror...based on his recent ride. Never said anything (or implied) that suggest mirror -less riders are baddies.
06-11-16, 06:44 AM
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Really how do you expect anyone to ever take anything you say seriously when you start out with too long didn't read? And I really don't understand the hate for mirrors. I don't personally use one either but why rant against someone that says they had a good experience with one. By the way if you had read it you would have already known that no where in the post did he say everyone must go buy a mirror today or they're morally repugnant.
Saying you didn't read something and yet having the gall to comment negatively on it anyway says a lot about a person.
06-11-16, 07:46 AM
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I agree with @Leisesturm. It's over the top to claim "a mirror saved my life again." Kind of like coming here and saying "my taillight saved my life again" because a car didn't hit me. You might like mirrors or lights or helmets, but making such claims to advocate the use of a certain piece of equipment is, frankly, absurd.
06-11-16, 09:19 AM
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LOL commence the parade of grumpy uncles!
OP is obviously not selling mirrors, he's simply relating a positive experience with one. Youse guys reacting so negatively and defensively says more about your perspective than his!
It seems perfectly valid to me to assert that the mirror saved his life, because he was considering swerving left (would have been the easiest route of avoidance), but because he saw the oncoming truck in the mirror, he didn't.
I don't always ride with a mirror either, but usually. Just this past week I discovered 1/4mi into my ride that I didn't have my mirror, I didn't turn back to get it. I survived. But the whole ride I was reflexively trying to use my phantom mirror to look back, and it wasn't there, so I had to turn around -- which is awkward and uncomfortable for me.
Leisersturm, if mirrors are so nonessential, maybe you should petition the board that governs auto safety and get them to strike down the rule that cars must have rear- and side-view mirrors. All those stupid whiny cagers with their mirrors all the time, they should stop being so lazy and just turn around and look for stuff if they need to see it...
OP is obviously not selling mirrors, he's simply relating a positive experience with one. Youse guys reacting so negatively and defensively says more about your perspective than his!
It seems perfectly valid to me to assert that the mirror saved his life, because he was considering swerving left (would have been the easiest route of avoidance), but because he saw the oncoming truck in the mirror, he didn't.
I don't always ride with a mirror either, but usually. Just this past week I discovered 1/4mi into my ride that I didn't have my mirror, I didn't turn back to get it. I survived. But the whole ride I was reflexively trying to use my phantom mirror to look back, and it wasn't there, so I had to turn around -- which is awkward and uncomfortable for me.
Leisersturm, if mirrors are so nonessential, maybe you should petition the board that governs auto safety and get them to strike down the rule that cars must have rear- and side-view mirrors. All those stupid whiny cagers with their mirrors all the time, they should stop being so lazy and just turn around and look for stuff if they need to see it...
06-11-16, 09:27 AM
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A mirror saved my life...again!
A mile into my commute home there is a long traffic light I must always stop and wait for. On the far side of the intersection a narrow bike lane begins and a third of a mile down the road is a heavy constuction company which is home to big dump trucks and those long gravel trucks.
I wait for the light at the pedestrian crosswalk, and when it changes I cross in the crosswalk which then funnels me into the clearly marked, but narrow bike lane. This means there is a line of traffic to my left that had built up at the light.
For the third of a mile leading up to the construction company there are four or five side streets. I am always anticipating cars driving up to the corner and about half the time I will encounter at least one, but because of the line of traffic that has now passed me, the side street traffic has stopped, or is slowing.
Well, yesterday afternoon, despite the traffic on my left, there was a large pick-up truck that came out of the side street at about 50mph. I hit my horn and my brakes, but the bike lane had gravel and loose dirt (thanks in part to the construction trucks) The pickup must not have anticipated stopping at the stop sign, nor the possibility of cross traffic, and hit his brakes.
In just an instant I had three thoughts. First, he is going to slide into traffic and hit a car. Second, he will hit me first. Third, I must swing left.
Fortunately I reflexively checked my take-a-look mirror which was filled completely with the grill of a gravel truck coming up behind me on my left. So I didn't veer left. I was still carrying too much speed and past the point of turning right into the side street and I honestly don't know what happened, but I came to a stop in the bike lane just past the street. I looked back and the pickup truck was stopped over the bike lane and partially into traffic.
Had I veered left I would have surely been run over by the gravel truck. But the mirror stopped me. And it allowed me to continue looking forward at the same time as well.
In the future, after the long light I will cross the street at the light but then stop and wait the 10 to 20 seconds for traffic to pass me, then I can just take the lane and be further out from the side streets. I have a couple of other narrow points on my commute where if I see traffic coming up behind me in my mirror I will stop before the road narrows for a few seconds to let them pass.
A mile into my commute home there is a long traffic light I must always stop and wait for. On the far side of the intersection a narrow bike lane begins and a third of a mile down the road is a heavy constuction company which is home to big dump trucks and those long gravel trucks.
I wait for the light at the pedestrian crosswalk, and when it changes I cross in the crosswalk which then funnels me into the clearly marked, but narrow bike lane. This means there is a line of traffic to my left that had built up at the light.
For the third of a mile leading up to the construction company there are four or five side streets. I am always anticipating cars driving up to the corner and about half the time I will encounter at least one, but because of the line of traffic that has now passed me, the side street traffic has stopped, or is slowing.
Well, yesterday afternoon, despite the traffic on my left, there was a large pick-up truck that came out of the side street at about 50mph. I hit my horn and my brakes, but the bike lane had gravel and loose dirt (thanks in part to the construction trucks) The pickup must not have anticipated stopping at the stop sign, nor the possibility of cross traffic, and hit his brakes.
In just an instant I had three thoughts. First, he is going to slide into traffic and hit a car. Second, he will hit me first. Third, I must swing left.
Fortunately I reflexively checked my take-a-look mirror which was filled completely with the grill of a gravel truck coming up behind me on my left. So I didn't veer left. I was still carrying too much speed and past the point of turning right into the side street and I honestly don't know what happened, but I came to a stop in the bike lane just past the street. I looked back and the pickup truck was stopped over the bike lane and partially into traffic.
Had I veered left I would have surely been run over by the gravel truck. But the mirror stopped me. And it allowed me to continue looking forward at the same time as well.
In the future, after the long light I will cross the street at the light but then stop and wait the 10 to 20 seconds for traffic to pass me, then I can just take the lane and be further out from the side streets. I have a couple of other narrow points on my commute where if I see traffic coming up behind me in my mirror I will stop before the road narrows for a few seconds to let them pass.
The negative mirror riders are just trolling and they know that.
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06-11-16, 01:44 PM
#15
Cycle Year Round
+1
But it would be more accurate to say a mirror saved me from a collision rather than saved my life. No need to be too dramatic.
Not having a mirror contributed to me being in a collision once. Having a mirror has kept me from getting hit from behind at least five times.
But it would be more accurate to say a mirror saved me from a collision rather than saved my life. No need to be too dramatic.
Not having a mirror contributed to me being in a collision once. Having a mirror has kept me from getting hit from behind at least five times.
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06-11-16, 04:02 PM
#16
Senior Member
My helmet light saved me from being killed eight times in the last year. A car would have pulled out and run me over if I hadn't flashed my light in their eyes and temporarily blinded them.
Last edited by alan s; 06-11-16 at 04:08 PM.
06-11-16, 09:59 PM
#17
Cycle Year Round
OK joker, go ahead and jest, but with a bright light at night on the helmet, the flash at motorist does stop them from pulling out in front of you, preventing a collision.
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06-11-16, 10:34 PM
#18
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My helmet saved me from concussions 3 or 4 times this year. There's a really awesome trail called "The Tunnels" with lots of low-hanging branches, and I regularly 'use' my helmet going through there...
06-12-16, 04:37 AM
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Truck! Horn! Mirror! Truck! Adrenaline!!!!!
On one of my many replies to mirror threads (”Close friend hit by pick-up truck”), I recently wrote,
I use mirrors and I don't. The mirror lovers stop short of saying you are morally repugnant if you don't use one... they imply it. That's just as bad. …
This is not the first thread in this vein today. As I understand it, almost half of cycling injuries is when a cyclist collides with a fixed object! Cyclists need to spend less time occupied with what is behind them and much more being concerned with what is up ahead. Lead, follow or get out of my way.
This is not the first thread in this vein today. As I understand it, almost half of cycling injuries is when a cyclist collides with a fixed object! Cyclists need to spend less time occupied with what is behind them and much more being concerned with what is up ahead. Lead, follow or get out of my way.
Thanks for your reply...When I was hit from behind, it was on a wide, low-volume, well-lit residential road at about 9 PM in June, by a “distracted driver.” The route was so calm that I was not closely monitoring my rearward view…
Obviously that’s the ultimate use of a mirror, and now I monitor rearwards more frequently. So hopefully being aware of the situation behind, even when not in immediate danger, allows the rider to avoid a dangerous situation, even by pulling off the road. And other than my accident, I’ve never had the need to bail out.
IMO, besides routine monitoring rearwards with the mirror, a most important use is to make quick decisions when encountering an obstacle in front of you, such as a car door, pothole, car entering your path, etc. Can you immediately veer left?
Mirror threads are often popcorn threads, and I’m always dismayed when subscribers blithely write, often directed towards newbies, that you don’t need a mirror and it doesn’t help anyways. Why discourage such a simple piece of equipment? I’ve tried to think of the dangers of a mirror, and the best I’ve come up with is poking your eye with an eyeglass or helmet mounted mirror; or being too distracted by it, for example if you can’t really get used to it.
Personally, I use an eyeglass mounted Take-a-Look mirror that allows me to maintain a forward-looking head position with just a sideward glance to see the rear. I really don’t want to turn my head for an over shoulder glance away from the line of travel when speeding downhill on a pothole-strewn road with heavy traffic to my left and parked cars to my right. Furthermore, wind noise can sometimes obscure the sound of a passing car.
I find mirrors so easy to use, and so helpful that I wear both right and left.
Obviously that’s the ultimate use of a mirror, and now I monitor rearwards more frequently. So hopefully being aware of the situation behind, even when not in immediate danger, allows the rider to avoid a dangerous situation, even by pulling off the road. And other than my accident, I’ve never had the need to bail out.
IMO, besides routine monitoring rearwards with the mirror, a most important use is to make quick decisions when encountering an obstacle in front of you, such as a car door, pothole, car entering your path, etc. Can you immediately veer left?
Personally, I use an eyeglass mounted Take-a-Look mirror that allows me to maintain a forward-looking head position with just a sideward glance to see the rear. I really don’t want to turn my head for an over shoulder glance away from the line of travel when speeding downhill on a pothole-strewn road with heavy traffic to my left and parked cars to my right. Furthermore, wind noise can sometimes obscure the sound of a passing car.
I find mirrors so easy to use, and so helpful that I wear both right and left.
Last edited by Jim from Boston; 06-12-16 at 04:44 AM.
06-12-16, 06:36 AM
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I consider a mirror an essential piece of safety equipment and always ride with mine. Screw the evangelistic haters.
Last edited by Medic Zero; 06-12-16 at 06:40 AM.
06-12-16, 04:17 PM
#21
Cycle Year Round
The other possibility is that the contact of the tractor trailer wheel with your your rear bicycle wheel, will through you off your bicycle to the right. It has happened before. So adding to the helmet death crowd drama queens is not really helpful.
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06-12-16, 06:38 PM
#22
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When the "collision" is going under the wheels of a tractor trailer rig carrying gravel I think it's fair to say it saved your life. Heck, every day on my commute I past a ghost bike where another commuter was killed in similar circumstances.
I consider a mirror an essential piece of safety equipment and always ride with mine. Screw the evangelistic haters.
I consider a mirror an essential piece of safety equipment and always ride with mine. Screw the evangelistic haters.
06-12-16, 08:23 PM
#23
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I use a take a look mirror. I can't say it has saved my life. I use it to see if it is safe to veer. If I don't have the mirror, I assume it is not safe until I can turn and look. With the mirror I can look more quickly and veer when I otherwise can't. So it is more convenient. I might argue it lets me go faster.
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Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
06-12-16, 08:31 PM
#24
Cycle Year Round
So did your brakes saver your life or not. First you make the claim they did. Then you state it is a ridiculous claim.
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