Indicating bike wing-mirrors - a Mercedes wing mirror for a bike

[Crankarm]

Is this an April Fool? It's not April still is it even if the weather feels like it is? Basically this is a seriously crap idea. I would be embarrassed dreaming up such a crap idea then telling the world. Do people have no common sense or shame? What's wrong with a normal bike mirror such as the one I have - a small Zefal Spy mirror? This does for me what it is supposed to fine.

 

[Kookas]

OP. am I missing something? Why would you need an occasional mirror in a frankly daft place in that you cannot use it as a mirror without losing 50% of your control and braking and which is useless as a rear view mirror when it is helpful to have constant rearward vision i.e. when ones arm is stuck out indicating, with the added potential to inadvertently direct blinding light into the face of a driver close behind you in sunny weather.

There are many many mirrors on the market, some of them are actually very good and being fixed onto the bike give both rearward vision and full control of the bars simultaneously & there is at least one already marketed that incorporates an indicator into the casing of the mirror.

The point was that it does give you full rear-view when indicating, and you've still got at least basic peripheral vision of what's going on ahead of you.

By the way, I came upon some 'Helios' handlebars when I was looking through some of the links here. Why does the 'bike of the future' have no brakes, gears or bar tape?

 

[CopperCyclist]

The act of turning and looking over your shoulder often gives a clearer indication to drivers behind that you are about to turn than signalling itself. I'm not sure removing this non verbal communication would be the safest thing to do.

 

[roadrash]

yet another (non) solution looking for a problem. your time would be better spent trying to work out why you come up with stupid ideas

 

[sheddy]

Lash up a prototype and report back.
I think it will just take too long to get an image of the car behind.

 

[BentMikey]

Tried it, rearwards facing camera with screen showing whats behind. Too distracting. Also there's the legal aspect to consider, not concentrating on whats on the road in front of you.

I'm not sure how it'd be different to a more conventional mirror. How would you tell the judge "It's too distracting to use my rear view mirror when I'm driving"?

 

[BentMikey]

For the topic in general, I'm not sure that indicators or mirrors are required on most bicycles. As per CopperCyclist, that looking behind is a big part of negotiation for us, and missing out on that isn't so great.

One exception might be velomobiles, where you need a mirror to look and indicators to signal since you're in an enclosed shell. Mirrors are useful on my recumbent, too, but there are caveats.

 

[jarlrmai]

Rear camera to screen has a few other issues besides becoming distracted and over using it. Possible latency introduced by any processing, the screen would be hard to see in bright light, weight and robustness in bad weather etc.

Overall I think it's best to learn how to correctly do shoulder checks (they also let the car know you are checking) and ride in strong positions when required. I can see how mirrors are a good idea on velo's and 'bents where you can't easily do the lean left while you look over your right shoulder thing.

I rely a lot on hearing and shoulder checks and I have this feeling that if practically silent electric cars take off i'm going to get a few more startling overtakes.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

The point was that it does give you full rear-view when indicating, and you've still got at least basic peripheral vision of what's going on ahead of you.

By the way, I came upon some 'Helios' handlebars when I was looking through some of the links here. Why does the 'bike of the future' have no brakes, gears or bar tape?

How does it give you full rear view when indicating? My outstretched arm is on the same plane as my head, to see something on the back of my hand I'd be craning my head back and round at 90 degrees seriously compromising my natural position and innate balance on the bike, when already 50% down on control and braking. I'm also really not that keen on restricting myself to a basic peripheral vision of the direction in which I'm going.

I'm not trying to be funny, I genuinely cannot comprehend how it could possibly work safely or as a sensible alternative to a bar mounted mirror which sees you balanced, allows your head and arms to work independently on doing their own part of the turn manoeuvre as well as giving you far more effective front and rearward vision simultaneously.

What problem do you perceive with currently available bits of kit and how will this idea provide an appreciable improvement in functionality and my safety? In addition to my other observations that you seem to have scooted past.

 

[Kookas]

How does it give you full rear view when indicating? My outstretched arm is on the same plane as my head, to see something on the back of my hand I'd be craning my head back and round at 90 degrees seriously compromising my natural position and innate balance on the bike, when already 50% down on control and braking. I'm also really not that keen on restricting myself to a basic peripheral vision of the direction in which I'm going.

I'm not trying to be funny, I genuinely cannot comprehend how it could possibly work safely or as a sensible alternative to a bar mounted mirror which sees you balanced, allows your head and arms to work independently on doing their own part of the turn manoeuvre as well as giving you far more effective front and rearward vision simultaneously.

What problem do you perceive with currently available bits of kit and how will this idea provide an appreciable improvement in functionality and my safety? In addition to my other observations that you seem to have scooted past.

When I indicate, my hand is forward of my body, and I can see the back of my hand. I haven't really got the means or the inclination to knock up a prototype and truly qualify the improvements, but theoretically the back of the hand means you can have a larger mirror (without adding drag or hindering filtering ability) and have it at head height without something sticking precariously from your helmet.

To be honest, the real solution would be bike-mounted indicators, so we don't ever have to take our hands off the bars. It's a shame those haven't taken off.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

For the topic in general, I'm not sure that indicators or mirrors are required on most bicycles. As per CopperCyclist, that looking behind is a big part of negotiation for us, and missing out on that isn't so great.

One exception might be velomobiles, where you need a mirror to look and indicators to signal since you're in an enclosed shell. Mirrors are useful on my recumbent, too, but there are caveats.

Indicators serve much the same purpose as an ice cream scoop would on a bike IMO unless there is an arm mobility issue, but mirrors are a godsend for those of us with damaged necks or backs who would find our cycling significantly compromised or exceptionally painful without a solid and stable rearward view that significantly augments (but doesn't necessarily eradicate ) rearward looks.
TBH though my lifesaver look nowadays is little more than a courtesy / head cue to a following vehicle that my direction change is imminent, I'm utterly confident that I know what is there already and ~20 years on mirrors hasn't seen me caught out yet.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

When I indicate, my hand is forward of my body, and I can see the back of my hand. I haven't really got the means or the inclination to knock up a prototype and truly qualify the improvements, but theoretically the back of the hand means you can have a larger mirror (without adding drag or hindering filtering ability) and have it at head height without something sticking precariously from your helmet.

To be honest, the real solution would be bike-mounted indicators, so we don't ever have to take our hands off the bars. It's a shame those haven't taken off.

Sticking from the helmet? Not my query- i wouldn't give those the time of day, I've referred to bar end mirrors throughout. As for filtering, I commute the Manchester rush hour without a problem, drop bar mirrors are flush to the bars and even the brilliant zefal dooback only adds an inch & half to one side of the bars, if I'm that close to another vehicle, one of us has been seriously incompetent and the mirror will be the least of my worries at that moment. My panniers can protrude further out.

Can I have a photo of how you use your arm to indicate if it isn't in the same plane as your head, I've just tried, it is very uncomfortable and my forearm obscures the back of my hand unless I'm twisting and contorting my hand into a far from natural upward arc.

 

[Kookas]

Sticking from the helmet? Not my query- i wouldn't give those the time of day, I've referred to bar end mirrors throughout. As for filtering, I commute the Manchester rush hour without a problem, drop bar mirrors are flush to the bars and even the brilliant zefal dooback only adds an inch & half to one side of the bars, if I'm that close to another vehicle, one of us has been seriously incompetent and the mirror will be the least of my worries at that moment. My panniers can protrude further out.

Can I have a photo of how you use your arm to indicate if it isn't in the same plane as your head, I've just tried, it is very uncomfortable and my forearm obscures the back of my hand unless I'm twisting and contorting my hand into a far from natural upward arc.

I'd need to take Yoga classes to get a photo like that. I have no idea how your forearm obscures your hand, though.

When I said that bar-end mirrors would stick out, I meant if they were the same size as what you could comfortably fit onto the back of your hand.

 

[Cyclopathic]

Tried it, rearwards facing camera with screen showing whats behind. Too distracting. Also there's the legal aspect to consider, not concentrating on whats on the road in front of you.

The genius of my idea is that it can be extended. A front facing camera on the bike connected to another screen will show the rider what is in front of him in a way that will compete for his or her attention from the rear facing screen.

 

[classic33]

The genius of my idea is that it can be extended. A front facing camera on the bike connected to another screen will show the rider what is in front of him in a way that will compete for his or her attention from the rear facing screen.

I'd much rather have be looking at what is in front of me, as it is, not via a small screen.