Is Rear Observation A Dying Art?

[BSRU]

Seems to be very rare to see another road cyclist, of any type, looking behind to see what is going on.
Many a time I have caught up with a cyclist and the first time they knew I was there is when I have gone past.
Saw two roadies on Saturday morning out for a ride, the road went from one lane to two with the right lane for turning right at the approaching set of lights. The roadies, swerved to their right, then stuck out an arm then decided it was a good time to have a look behind, on a busy 40mph main road. Luckily for them they did not end up under the wheels of the car overtaking them, safely when the overtaking manoeuvre started.

 

[Miquel In De Rain]

No,I do tend to draft a few nice rears.(boom tish)

 

[MrJamie]

Yeah I hardly ever see people shouldercheck, it means i can take my time catching them up casually and save energy for the overtake and silly race

 

[fossyant]

I actually made sure I looked behind a few times riding the Trans Pennine this morning, cos I'm slow at the moment and was watching for any big bumps that might batter my undercarriage. Not that there is many cyclists on the section I use. Going to he hard on the way home as it's up hill, and I can't coast stood out of the saddle as much Extra hard turning round.

 

[jonny jeez]

I got hit on the shoulder by a rider once who threw out her arm without even the slightest glance to her right or her rear.

Observation- Signal- manoeuvre

 

[BSRU]

it means i can take my time catching them up casually and save energy for the overtake and silly race

A very good tactic, last thing you want is to overtake someone and immediately run out of steam.

 

[numbnuts]

Mirror

 

[BSRU]

Mirror

They are not very popular/common.
As a mirror owner myself I still look behind, without the aid of the mirror, when changing direction or position or slowing down/stopping.

 

[thefollen]

I always do the shoulder check when changing course. Also handy if you overtake someone and move back in to the left- you never know if they've taken it as a challenge to put their foot down ;-)

 

[biggs682]

i shoulder check quite often just to make sure no lazy cyclist is having a free draft

 

[400bhp]

Mirror

Ghey

 

[Maz]

I got hit on the shoulder by a rider once who threw out her arm without even the slightest glance to her right or her rear.

It was your glance at her rear that got you the slap!

 

[Teuchter]

As a former motorcycle instructor, I'm borderline OCD about shoulder checks and do them religiously on both the motorbike and bicycle when about to turn or change lane on the road. I'll agree that I hardly ever see the same from other cyclists. They aren't referred to as "lifesavers" for nothing.

There is of course a balance to be struck between checkin behind you enough and not taking too much attention away from what's happening in front of you.

 

[fenlandpsychocyclist]

Many cyclists wearing all the clown gear and sitting on £1000+ bikes assume nobody could possibly
be following on another bike (unless they're in a group), and besides ... they don't want the aero
drag from a mirror because it'll knock 0.1mph off their average speed.

 

[byegad]

As a recumbent rider rear checks have to be done by mirror. I have two on the bars of the trike and a glasses mounted one for covering blind spots. I do turn my head if a vehicle is behind me and cannot pass but only to reassure the driver I know they are there, all I can see by turning my head is the road surface!