GrasB
Veteran
- Location
- Nr Cambridge
You need look behind to a visual picture on frequent intervals. Yes you can use your hearing to constantly survey the situation behind you in a general sense but it certainly shouldn't be used as your primary observation means.
I often find that I hear cars before I can see them (hedges etc. are much better at completely obscuring light than sound), it gives me a chance to have a idea at the situation before I can gather information visually (is it a large or small vehicle? Are they going quickly? etc). That said it's also the trigger to increase my rear obs frequency, normally it's every 4-5s but when I'm aware of an vehicle behind it's about half that until I can see them. Around town I find hearing far less useful as there's to much going on to get good information so it's more frequent rear observations.
I also agree with the 'human' aspect of looking behind. Often even when a car is a fair way back, 50m or so, you can see an instant change in the way the driver behaves when you look behind.
I often find that I hear cars before I can see them (hedges etc. are much better at completely obscuring light than sound), it gives me a chance to have a idea at the situation before I can gather information visually (is it a large or small vehicle? Are they going quickly? etc). That said it's also the trigger to increase my rear obs frequency, normally it's every 4-5s but when I'm aware of an vehicle behind it's about half that until I can see them. Around town I find hearing far less useful as there's to much going on to get good information so it's more frequent rear observations.
I also agree with the 'human' aspect of looking behind. Often even when a car is a fair way back, 50m or so, you can see an instant change in the way the driver behaves when you look behind.