I am amazed being an ex biker
Discussion
it will probably uset some but I hope not. Just saw a learner on a small motorbike coming up to lights on our dual carriageway and he was behing a lorry and just swerved into my outside lane. It's a good job I was well behind otherwise he would nor be flat as
a pancake. I saw he had no mirrors but I am astounded to see that is legal in the UK.
How the bloody hell does a motorcyclist now what is behind him with cars these days up evry ones arse?
I would bet there have been instances where bikers have been killed by not having mirrors before making a quick manovre that they are very capable of performing & I nknow very well about that because my mechganic mate & I used to swap a T110 his for my car when we were ton up kids + rock & roll in the 50ties.
Those who think it appropriate to have no motorways hard shoulders must be the same ones who said it's ok to have no mirrrors
on motorcycles and I see long ago the post now closed many motorcyclists still have their heads screwed on say they hate bikes without mirrors and so they fit them to any bike that is without them......
The learner suggested I'm a w
ker by his actions but I think he is more of one than me and espectially so with my well earned 60 years NCD s been there done that but still keep an open mind and still capable of learning especially death can decend on any driver who think it cvan never happen......... Murphy knew didn't he?
a pancake. I saw he had no mirrors but I am astounded to see that is legal in the UK.
How the bloody hell does a motorcyclist now what is behind him with cars these days up evry ones arse?
I would bet there have been instances where bikers have been killed by not having mirrors before making a quick manovre that they are very capable of performing & I nknow very well about that because my mechganic mate & I used to swap a T110 his for my car when we were ton up kids + rock & roll in the 50ties.
Those who think it appropriate to have no motorways hard shoulders must be the same ones who said it's ok to have no mirrrors
on motorcycles and I see long ago the post now closed many motorcyclists still have their heads screwed on say they hate bikes without mirrors and so they fit them to any bike that is without them......
The learner suggested I'm a w
ker by his actions but I think he is more of one than me and espectially so with my well earned 60 years NCD s been there done that but still keep an open mind and still capable of learning especially death can decend on any driver who think it cvan never happen......... Murphy knew didn't he?I find it bizarre people ride without mirrors too. Seems to be more popular in the US. All because it looks better I can only assume?
I did it once after I crashed my bike at Silverstone. A very kind gentleman let me ride his bike home, whilst he put my wreck on his trailer. He obviously had the mirrors off for the track, where it does make sense.
I did it once after I crashed my bike at Silverstone. A very kind gentleman let me ride his bike home, whilst he put my wreck on his trailer. He obviously had the mirrors off for the track, where it does make sense.
My first bike hadn't mirrors, I knew what was behind me by turning my head and looking. I still turn my head and look today, even though I have pretty good mirrors. Hell I even do it in the car sometimes.
Learner rider has poor observations, surprised? Perhaps some of that 60 years experience could have helped anticipate a faster vehicle might pull out from behind a slower one..
Learner rider has poor observations, surprised? Perhaps some of that 60 years experience could have helped anticipate a faster vehicle might pull out from behind a slower one..
Generally and motorcyclists are no exception the head is connected to a cylindrical device called a neck which you can turn to look over your shoulder... It sounds as like he lacked decent road craft and failed to perform the necessary lifesaver before changing lanes. st hapoens nobody died, move on. If he had of had mirrors no guarantee he'd of used them...
I have mirrors but I choose to fold them in for some sections of the commute: they have saved my life on one occasion this year ( I was doing about 120, car overtook doing probably in excess of 160 - with just a lifesaver and no mirrors i would have been atomized).
Some mirrors on bikes are totally useless either through vibrations or they are difficult to position in a away to see past the rider.. f serious I would suggest just passing a law to ensure bikes have mirrors wouldn't go far enough. The no mirror brigade would put tiny tiny stick on mirrors.
t hapoens nobody died, move on. If he had of had mirrors no guarantee he'd of used them... I have mirrors but I choose to fold them in for some sections of the commute: they have saved my life on one occasion this year ( I was doing about 120, car overtook doing probably in excess of 160 - with just a lifesaver and no mirrors i would have been atomized).
Some mirrors on bikes are totally useless either through vibrations or they are difficult to position in a away to see past the rider.. f serious I would suggest just passing a law to ensure bikes have mirrors wouldn't go far enough. The no mirror brigade would put tiny tiny stick on mirrors.
Edited by MDUBZ on Thursday 29th May 14:59
John D. said:
I do life savers on the bike and in the car. I'd still like mirrors.
I agree, and good ones too please. But poor rear observations are just that. There's plenty of cars with great rear mirrors, some even have lights to let the driver know something is close/in a blind spot, but it doesn't matter if the driver doesn't look. Lifesavers you're taught that at day one/CBT and it's there for this exact reason.
I've had bikes I've tracked and fitted track bodywork with no mirrors and then ridden them on the road after bolting the numberplate back on. I have to say it's horrible as you instinctively look for the mirror then end up having to switch to a lifesaver quickly for every little check.
Sounds like said youth forgot the basics.
I've had bikes I've tracked and fitted track bodywork with no mirrors and then ridden them on the road after bolting the numberplate back on. I have to say it's horrible as you instinctively look for the mirror then end up having to switch to a lifesaver quickly for every little check.
Sounds like said youth forgot the basics.
I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been riding along, using my mirrors like a good little chappy, looked to move lanes or perform some other movement where I deviated in some way, and my lifesaver has saved me from hitting a car that was in my blind spot or I just hadn’t noticed.
It was literally drilled into me during my CBT and direct access years ago, never to be forgotten. It’s something that is vital for every single road rider. If the lad in the OP’s post is riding sans mirrors and not doing full 120 degree lifesavers, then I pray for them.
It was literally drilled into me during my CBT and direct access years ago, never to be forgotten. It’s something that is vital for every single road rider. If the lad in the OP’s post is riding sans mirrors and not doing full 120 degree lifesavers, then I pray for them.
I have 2 bikes without mirrors. One is a dirt bike, I took them off before they broke off the other is a 60’s Vespa which never came with mirrors.
I just turn my head and have a look, it’s not that hard and something I do regularly with bikes that do have them.
I also have a Tzr, the mirrors generally point at my shoulders so are pretty useless anyway.
I just turn my head and have a look, it’s not that hard and something I do regularly with bikes that do have them.
I also have a Tzr, the mirrors generally point at my shoulders so are pretty useless anyway.
I find mirrors indispensable - at least the right-hand mirror - because whenever I got off my bike I like to remove my helmet, do a hair flip, and say "you da man" into the mirror while winking at myself. Nobody else is going to compliment me so I might as well do it myself.
And perhaps one day I might be riding through Peru, and I run out of fuel and need to signal a passing aircraft. Can you light a fire with a flat mirror? It wouldn't magnify the light, would it? It would just redirect the light.
And perhaps one day I might be riding through Peru, and I run out of fuel and need to signal a passing aircraft. Can you light a fire with a flat mirror? It wouldn't magnify the light, would it? It would just redirect the light.
OutInTheShed said:
It amazes me how many pedal cyclists don't look back.
I've ridden lots of bikes without mirrors.
And a fair few with useless mirrors.
Re cyclists: Me tooI've ridden lots of bikes without mirrors.
And a fair few with useless mirrors.
But on a push bike you are much more aware of whats behind you than when on a motorbike. One of the best reasons to look back when cycling is that it gives you more room, by making the drivers realise your a person i think.
My motorbikes mirrors are so crap I look back a lot. I do try and always do a lifesaver, but sadly bad habits from cycling get carried over.
ZetecTDCI said:
OutInTheShed said:
It amazes me how many pedal cyclists don't look back.
I've ridden lots of bikes without mirrors.
And a fair few with useless mirrors.
Re cyclists: Me tooI've ridden lots of bikes without mirrors.
And a fair few with useless mirrors.
But on a push bike you are much more aware of whats behind you than when on a motorbike. One of the best reasons to look back when cycling is that it gives you more room, by making the drivers realise your a person i think.
My motorbikes mirrors are so crap I look back a lot. I do try and always do a lifesaver, but sadly bad habits from cycling get carried over.
A full rearward eyeball doesn't hurt occasionally though; "I'm about to manoeuvre and I'm really paying attention to what you're doing" sort of thing.
AmyRichardson said:
ZetecTDCI said:
OutInTheShed said:
It amazes me how many pedal cyclists don't look back.
I've ridden lots of bikes without mirrors.
And a fair few with useless mirrors.
Re cyclists: Me tooI've ridden lots of bikes without mirrors.
And a fair few with useless mirrors.
But on a push bike you are much more aware of whats behind you than when on a motorbike. One of the best reasons to look back when cycling is that it gives you more room, by making the drivers realise your a person i think.
My motorbikes mirrors are so crap I look back a lot. I do try and always do a lifesaver, but sadly bad habits from cycling get carried over.
A full rearward eyeball doesn't hurt occasionally though; "I'm about to manoeuvre and I'm really paying attention to what you're doing" sort of thing.
I like mirrors, I like to know what's behind me, I even have a bar-end mirror on my road going push-bike.
Life savers are good but my neck isn't the most flexible and on sportbikes where you're leaning forward, they're not so easy anyway which makes my 916 the worst for rearward visibility due to the mirrors not being of much use and the riding position making looking back harder.
That said, in true Italian style "why do need mirrors, you only need to know what's ahead"
Life savers are good but my neck isn't the most flexible and on sportbikes where you're leaning forward, they're not so easy anyway which makes my 916 the worst for rearward visibility due to the mirrors not being of much use and the riding position making looking back harder.
That said, in true Italian style "why do need mirrors, you only need to know what's ahead"
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