Is Rear Observation A Dying Art?

[Twilkes]

I look before doing any kind of turn/lane change/pothole avoidance, but on a continuous road there would be more risk from imbalancing myself by looking over my shoulder all the time than just looking forward and hearing what's behind me. I figure it makes overtaking me easier if I'm concentrating on cycling a dead straight line than wobbling around trying to see what's coming - because it's coming whether I like it or not.

The ones where shoulder checks are really important are where the distance between me and a right turn, and me and the approaching car from behind, would result in the car overtaking me just as I wanted to turn right (the distance is 'just short of a length', if you ever played cricket). So I end up slowing a little, playing it with a straight bat and hoping I don't get bowled a yorker from the New Road end.

 

[the reluctant cyclist]

Yeah I notice this too. I was following a woman on a bike who had overtaken me closely and when a bus was already overtaking me on a too narrow road for that sort of shananagan!

Because she had done this I took an interest in her and watched her more than I normally would.

I noted that every single time she overtook a parked car she pulled out really sharply into the traffic and then pulled back into the side of the road - not once looking behind her to make sure that nothing was going on.

Then at the end of the road she pulled out to overtake the line of waiting traffic (again no glance behind) then turned right against the flow of oncoming traffic while the lights were red!

I was going to follow her and tell her off for overtaking me when I was being overtaken but I figured that Darwin would sort her out pretty soon so carried on home!

I like a check behind me at regular intervals even if I am not doing any sort of maneouver! ... but no way will I pull out without a) looking b) sticking my arm out and c) to be honest I like to get eye contact with the driver and even then I give a little thumbs up which I hope indicates that I really am going to do my maneouver so make sure you are clear on this!!!:O

 

[2Loose]

Shoulder checks are a fantastic way of letting faster traffic know that you are about to do something...I often find an outstretched arm to be unnecessary if I already have eye contact with the driver of the following vehicle.

 

[Scruffmonster]

In the same way that I can't even move a car in a car park without putting the seat belt on, by autopilot... I check my shoulders constantly. It's also the only thing I advise other cyclists to do if I see they've overtaken a parked car etc and not done so.

To be filed in the same loosely asociated annoyances.... Cyclists that overtake at 20mph+ within 6 inches handlebar to handlebar.

 

[Herbie]

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.

its something you should do all the time without thinking

 

[gbb]

Shoulder checks are a fantastic way of letting faster traffic know that you are about to do something...I often find an outstretched arm to be unnecessary if I already have eye contact with the driver of the following vehicle.

its something you should do all the time without thinking

Agree on both counts. Ive become a habitual shoulder checker..any junction, any pinchpoint, any time i'm going to manoever anywhere, i check first., and give a small hand signal.
Its biggest advantage (IMO) is that you get the drivers attention behind you...it lets him know you know he's there, like a bit of unspoken communication. Drivers do seem to respond positively.

I wonder if its a bit of psychology. A driver sees you as an inanimate (although moving) object. You're not a person....then you make eye contact, you become a person again to that driver.
Maybe cobblers...but ...