Fastfingaz

I took a short ride today about five miles while I was riding I got this thought it may become an issue maybe not , I was thinking about how while riding you can hear and pretty much know what's coming up behind you by the sound cars and trucks make , well do you all think that once there's a significant e-cars on the streets of May present a problem for cyclists ? Just an observation ......

wolfchild

Just use a mirror and then you know for sure what is coming from behind you even if you can't hear it.

10 Wheels

Scan you mirror every 3-5 seconds.

DeadGrandpa

If you want to be aware of cars coming from behind, don't rely on hearing. Get a Garmin Varia rear blinkie/radar, and a compatible gps. Wahoo has a few compatible models, and of course, most Garmins pair with it, also.

The radar display tells you something is coming. To know whether or not it will hit you, you have to use a mirror.

Cougrrcj

I tend to hear the noise the car/truck tires make as they come up behind me more than the engine/exhaust sound.

Same with dogs chasing after me - I hear the claws scratching on the pavement as they run if they don't bark...

rsbob 

Unless the vehicle has a noisy exhaust, I can hear the tire noise behind me. Most car engines are quite quiet and are well muffled. Have never been surprised by an e-car and there are quite a few about. For me it’s a non-issue, but understand people have different hearing levels.

Quite a few excellent suggestions above.

Bigbus

I wear buds just so I can't hear all the noise of traffic. I never go for a ride without my mirror which is attached to my helmet, and like mentioned earlier, check it all the time. It's referred to as situational awareness.

OldTryGuy

Electric manufacturer's add noise to car >>>

https://www.greencarreports.com/news...and%20cyclists.

Eyes and ears rely on mirror for me

Fastfingaz

,,,,,,,,, good information !!!!! Thanks

MattTheHat 

I’ll trust them to pass me safely like I do every other vehicle which passes me on the road.

AlmostTrick

I want to know where exactly in the lane the cars are, and if they are shifting position and/or slowing down. That's why I constantly monitor my mirror.

If I was ever hit or had a close call from behind and didn't see it coming I'd consider that a failure on my part.

JohnDThompson 

My experience is that when motor vehicles move at anything over about 20mph, the tires make as much or more noise than the engine, regardless of whether the engine uses fossil energy or electricity, so you can still hear them coming.

BobbyG

I saw something about this some time ago and my first thought was that some people will try to personalize these tones for better, or most likely for worse.

Rolla

I think we'll have plenty of time to festoon our bikes with mirrors and cell-phone radar systems before it becomes an issue. I plan to have a drone follow me and announce any conceivable threat through a loudspeaker.

wphamilton

Engine noise is something that we tolerate because we have to, and we've had to acclimate to our whole lives. A silent fleet can't arrive too quickly IMO.

In urban or suburban traffic we're getting passed constantly. The noise adds no helpful information.

Charliekeet

I like it!
I’m looking forward to employing one of those cyborg dogs; it can gallop just behind me to my left and emit flashing lights and sirens to ensure my safety!

Fastfingaz

Some of these solutions are unacceptable , some people can't afford drones and radar receivers ,,, there's got to be a better way ,,,, I guess going back to the Antiquated Mirror device,,,,

rsbob 

I know this statement will be controversial, but what the H. Have often wondered how effective a rear view mirror or radar or sensors are at actually preventing a collision between an inattentive driver and a cyclist. If the driver has his eyes off the road and is heading towards the shoulder at 45 and the cyclist is doing 15, with a couple of second closing speed and a relative distance of 50 feet, can a cyclist actually get off the shoulder and into a ditch in time? What are the chances that the cyclist is not monitoring their device at that time?

I used a mirror when I first started cycling because to be honest, I was inexperienced and fearful of being hit. After, in all likelihood of 100,000 miles, I have yet been run down from the back which means, TO ME, that the odds are relatively small of that event occurring. That’s the way my brain works is looking at the odds of an event and the risk versus reward. Can I get off the road fast enough when a vehicle bearing down on me at 3 to 4 times my speed heads towards me? Personally I doubt it, especially if they go off the shoulder too.

I can hear the rebuttals, of why not take every precaution, why not be safe than sorry, I just feel better, but I would rather relax rather than constantly be monitoring that there is a remote chance. Cycling is inherently risky and I accept that risk, remembering that I like my odds.

The only time I would fine a mirror handy is on a couple of rural roads that are so rutted and broken up that the only comfortable place to ride is the center of the lane and it would give me time to see oncoming cars, so I can get over, rather than looking over my shoulder every 10 seconds.

So how many can definitively state their life has been saved by a mirror, radar, or what have you?. My sample size is one, so please educate me. Or does peace of mind over rule the odds?

Litespud

IME unless the car is accelerating hard, the rolling/tire noise of an EV is pretty much the same as that of a gas vehicle. Slow-moving EVs are certainly close to silent

JohnDThompson 

We just have to have Marketing come up with a catchier name for a mirror, maybe "optical radar sensor unit" or something.

Ferrouscious 

As per above, you can hear the tires at higher speeds. You can also hear the aerodynamic drag on large fast-passing vehicles. If that's not enough, then look back or use a mirror. Varia radar if you've got money, very nice.

AlmostTrick

Thinking people use the mirror as a last second "bail out to save their life" tool is not the correct way to look at it. (even though it most certainly would help in this situation compared to only using ears and limited head checks)

It's about being close to 100% aware of what exactly is going on behind me, in order to avoid issues before it becomes too late.

I always default to the lane for a multitude of reasons, and then move right if it is safe and reasonable to do so when faster overtaking traffic approaches. Many times it is not safe or reasonable to move right so I hold the lane. What I see behind are drivers moving left or slowing to my speed. Anyone not doing so would be apparent early on. I've never had a need to "get off the shoulder and into a ditch in time". Like you, I found issues from behind to be rare. But I still consider it my responsibility to be aware of it. The mirror just makes it so much easier to monitor all this quickly in real time, as you have noted.

It also aids in planning maneuvers ahead of time.

Fastfingaz

Here's a thought have a bike built for two but have the rider in the back seated backwards and constantly being vigil of all the action coming up from the rear ....??

epnnf

Ive never used a mirror. How does it change your behavior? How do deaf ppl ride? Practice vehicular cycling. I turn my head around to look back a lot- its an undistorted view & cars know I can see them.

wolfchild

I think a silent cyclists coming from behind you would be much harder to hear than an EV car...Just imagine riding along and having to swerve to avoid some pothole or other obstacle and next thing you know you're getting hit by some silent cyclists. This has actually happened to me many years ago when I was still new to cycling and that's one reason why I put a mirror on my bike...Lucky form me that it happened on an MUP and not on the road..