One thing I don't understand

[young Ed]

a mirror, my god! have you ever thought of your aerodynamic profile and wind flows over you and your bike?
joking aside, it is a bit more weight if you are that conscious of weight, it's another part to get damaged and is fairly likely to get damaged, i always do 'life saver checks' over my shoulder (i even do them when just getting out of a chair!) and i am always looking all around
whilst driving tractors on the roads and off road i never use mirrors because most of them are broken or folded back to avoid damage and i am always moving my head to check all round which allows to to see both the areas mirrors can see and those they can't. the only time they are really useful is when reversing a car or reversing larger vehicles (such as tractors) with a trailer especially in confined/tighter spaces
Cheers Ed

 

[Ihatehills]

a mirror, my god! have you ever thought of your aerodynamic profile and wind flows over you and your bike?

So THAT'S why I'm so slow :-)

 

[Banjo]

For a few months after a neck operation i was totally reliant on mirrors.

I survived so they must work but feel better having a proper look behind.

 

[wam68]

Mirrors are bound to cost me an increase in grms. So it's the bin for them. My rubber neck is equally as efficient.

 

[Dayvo]

Have you tried one on your cap/helmet? I really want to know if anyone has and if it works well - having seen this bloke sculling with one on the Thames.

I reckon it worked really well as I doubt he got mowed down by an artic turning left!

 

[Ganymede]

I reckon it worked really well as I doubt he got mowed down by an artic turning left!

He didn't, you know....

 

[JMAG]

I'm glad I'm not the only one, when walking with someone they always ask why I keep looking over my shoulder.

i always do 'life saver checks' over my shoulder (i even do them when just getting out of a chair!) and i am always looking all around

 

[RichardB]

40 years of motorcycling means that the left and right shoulder checks are totally ingrained. Like others, I even do lifesavers while walking, and it has saved my bacon more than once in the car.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

I use a Zefal Spy mirror attached to my right brake hood, and have been using them for years. I still do the occasional head-turn also, though, when necessary. I'm used to using it, just like a competent motorist can use his/her mirrors without losing track of his/her surroundings. I have no issue with those who think they're unnecessary: each to his/her *** own.

*** English badly needs a third-person gender-neutral singular pronoun! Don't even suggest the pronoun 'one', as it's only used in limited contexts, and sounds odd outside those.

 

[classic33]

I use a Zefal Spy mirror attached to my right brake hood, and have been using them for years. I still do the occasional head-turn also, though, when necessary. I'm used to using it, just like a competent motorist can use his/her mirrors without losing track of his/her surroundings. I have no issue with those who think they're unnecessary: each to his/her *** own.

*** English badly needs a third-person gender-neutral singular pronoun! Don't even suggest the pronoun 'one', as it's only used in limited contexts, and sounds odd outside those.

How about "their" being used?

 

[RichardB]

How about "their" being used?

To some of us crusties, 'their' is and will always be a plural. Using 'their' to refer to a singular person grates, no matter how widespread its use is.

I'm from the days when schools taught grammar, and we were told that 'the male embraces the female, ho ho', i.e. that if referring to an individual whose gender is unknown, the masculine pronoun is understood to include the feminine. Each to his own, as it were. I know I am swimming against the tide here. In the end, usage rules, and whatever people say is what the language is. But I don't have to like it.

I do a lot of report and manual writing, and I am quite happy to use his/her as a gender-neutral pronoun. Not too cumbersome, and upsets no-one.

 

[RichardB]

I do a lot of report and manual writing, and I am quite happy to use his/her as a gender-neutral pronoun. Not too cumbersome, and upsets no-one.

Just to add ... I once read an article which used his/her and her/his (and their equivalents, such as him/her, her/him) alternately. A Gold Star for gender-neutrality and fairness, but it was a nightmare to read. As George Orwell wrote, "Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous."

 

[earlestownflya]

sorry simon,you could never rely on a rear view mirror on a bicycle...it would be suicidal...maybe ok on a canal tow path .never on the public highway

 

[earlestownflya]

and don't tell me you can judge speed through it,cause you can't

 

[RichardB]

sorry simon,you could never rely on a rear view mirror on a bicycle...it would be suicidal...maybe ok on a canal tow path .never on the public highway

and don't tell me you can judge speed through it,cause you can't

I don't think anyone is suggesting that people use a mirror exclusively, to judge the speed of overtaking traffic or whether or not it is safe to turn right. That would be stupid. But as a way of keeping a picture of what is going on behind and planning moves in advance (with confirmation from a proper look behind when needed) I think they are very effective. I wouldn't like to ride a motorbike without at least one mirror, and that's when you are faster than most traffic, not slower. I'm thinking of getting a mirror on the commuter bike, not to rely on but as way of getting advance warning of what is going on in my blind spot. True, in a mirror you can't judge speed accurately, but that's not what they are for. They tell you things are there and approaching you - useful stuff to know. You can get that from a glance behind, but you can check a mirror every few seconds if needs be. Harder to look over your shoulder every few seconds and keep aware of what is going on ahead. I wouldn't rely on one, but I wouldn't dismiss it either.