CramCycle wrote: » My experience of the mirrors available for bikes are that they provide a very limited view range. Looking around gives far more info. The blind spots on pedal bike mirrors are enormous and if that all you are using, you are just asking for an accident IMO. Even MCs and motorists use life savers and check over there shoulder for a range of manoeuvres.
cython wrote: » At 2 bar you don't need any suspension My tyres are (and need to be!) typically pumped to 4x that, which means they transmit a lot more vibration. Not to mention that as mentioned, looking over your shoulder to check your surroundings communicates a lot more about your potential intentions to other road users around you than an imperceptible movement to look in your mirror.
steamengine wrote: » I don't have any suspension and tyres are pumped to 2 bar. I've never had any vibration problems - just a clear focused view to the rear, and as continuous as I want it to be.
Shep_Dog wrote: » +1 I find that when I turn my head look behind me before signalling a turn, drivers will often react and often back off and allow me to move out to make my lane change. Good drivers and cyclists read each others intentions. It's about negotiation. There's a lot about common sense road usage not covered in the RoTR.
cython wrote: » Your bike looks to have MTB tyres, and if there is any suspension in the fork then you are going to get much more damping of vibration than many cyclists on road bikes. As a result your mirror is probably more stable than a lot of cyclists could hope to get. I know on my bike on a lot of the roads around Dublin I'd nearly get motion sickness trying to look in a mirror at the end of that long an extension. Not to mention trying to focus on a vibrating mirror would take my focus from the rest of the traffic around me too much.
beauf wrote: » One of the suggested practices is to make eye contact with the drivers around you. Make sure they've seen you. Turn your head and look at them.
On behalf of the secret league of cyclists, I would like to apologise for every slight you have ever perceived on the roads. Much like Babe the movie, if you shout "Baa Ram Ewe" as we pass we will instantly stop and do anything you want as we are all sheep and in no way individuals. Sincerely Conor Faughnan General Secretary of the secret league of cyclists
steamengine wrote: » I disagree, you get a totally focused view to the rear, flicking your eyes to the front or rear is much faster than head rotation. Plus you still have peripheral vision to the front, whilst using the mirror. Vibration isn't a factor for my handle bar mounted mirror at all. Link to the mirror I use.http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=86194485&postcount=41
Pinch Flat wrote: » Yeah some cyclists use mirrors, you see some on the ends of handle bars or (rarely) helmet mounted - they have their uses but can be limited by range of vision and vibration on roads which will make them impossible to view.You'll never get the range of vision from a mirror over turning your head - motorbike helmets prohibit this, whereas a cycling helmet doesn't restrict the vision or range of movement as much. I would look back extremely frequently when in traffic, over my right for other vehicles and (more increasingly) over my left for a cycling coming inside when I'm moving or turning left - a common problem.
Burning Bridges wrote: » So its a bit of a winge for motorists caught in traffic? Cyclists make mistakes, motorists make mistakes, pedestrians make mistakes. BTW cyclists who "break the law" are less likely to be killed , ironically. I am not allowed to post a link.
steamengine wrote: » Thanks for the link, Burning Bridges - here it is so everyone can read it.http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-450353/Women-cyclists-risk-death-dont-jump-red-lights.html
Sheldons Brain wrote: » As a law abiding motorist I welcome law enforcement and education measures for motorists who break the law. One would expect that law abiding cyclists would welcome law enforcement and education measures for cyclists who break the law, but they mostly engage in whataboutery.
Sheldons Brain wrote: » The merit or otherwise of this thread is entirely independent of the actions of motorists or pedestrians. You can start as thread on those issues if you wish.
steamengine wrote: » Mirrors are very useful, but for some reason cyclists seem to thing that looking behind is sufficient. I really learned about using mirrors from my motorcycling days, self preservation again and being fully aware of what's going on around you. Assertive is fine, but for those left turns I'll only take up two positions, ahead or behind, never abreast of a vehicle.
Grandpa Hassan wrote: » Its not independent of the actions of motorists. It can't be. More often that not it is because of cyclists protecting themselves from bad drivers that they annoy motorists. It is the behaviour of motorists (eg. passing too close, not looking at their inside) that make me cycle at all times at least 2 feet away from the side of the road, normally more. That irritates the cr*p out of drivers, but if I did not, they would crowd me out - push me into the kerb. Which is scary and happens often (bus drivers are the worst). Making yourself big and visible keeps you safer, if at the expense of being hated by drivers. I'd rather be safe than popular. There are idiots like the guy on this thread, who no-one defends - not even other cyclists. But my behaviour on the road, and that of many others, is to keep myself safe (pulling in front of the cars at red lights so that I get off first, riding out from the kerb so cars have to pull out into the adjoining lane to get past me) because there are some really really clueless drivers out there. I think that it is this kind of thing that leads to the constant irritation and undercurrent of tension between drivers and cyclists.But that is not the cyclists fault.....it is the fault of the infrastructure[
Pinch Flat wrote: » Well yeah there's wishing up or learning from mistakes - both times I've been knocked off my bike have been from the rear, with the motorist overtaking me to turn left. Both times I've had extremely bright flashing led lights on my helmet and bike. This thought me to ride more assertively - so if I get a sense someone is going to try pull the same stunt, I'll take the lane. Might p!ss off a few who have that sense of argent where I clearly don't matter, but what the hell
steamengine wrote: » All the more reason for cyclists to wise up, it is interesting to note how even on this thread cyclists won't own up to any mistakes, just blame motorists the whole time. If you don't mind me saying so, I know what I'm talking about as I currently cycle on average 3000 miles a year.
Burning Bridges wrote: » I work in the emergency services regularly see cyclists ...............seriously injured or even killed by motorists. I have not seen a motorist or even a pedestrian injured or even killed by a cyclist. I don't cycle often , but when I do I am always aware that I can be killed in a moment, I always have a traffic camera running .
steamengine wrote: » So it's ok for cyclists to make mistakes because motorists and pedestrians do likewise ? Have you any stats for cyclists running red lights ? My own reckoning is 90% at least - positively shocking. Buy hey !!! motorists do it too, and pedestrians (red man). :rolleyes: Unfortunately, I know of an incident last year where a cyclist collided with a pedestrian who was crossing on the green man. The pedestrian pushed him forcibly out of his way and the cyclist wound up in a heap on the road and on picking himself up, got very stroppy with the pedestrian in question. The pedestrian suggested they both proceed to the Garda station nearby, but the cyclist suddenly changed his tune and peddled off. But hey sure it's ok - motorists and pedestrians do the same thing. :rolleyes:
Pinch Flat wrote: » Oh wow another cyclist hating thread - seem to be a daily occurrence o boards at the moment. They will make sense when we've impeccable motorists and pedestrians, but cyclists like others break the rules.
