Jimidh
Veteran
- Location
- Midlothian
No it’s not dangerous unless you can’t turn your head to look - that’s the only reason to have a mirror.
Should mirrors be mandatory?
- Thread starter Cronorider
- Start date
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Threevok
Growing old disgracefully
- Location
- South Wales
I;m sorry, but are you suggesting my commute isn't dangerous without it ?
Jimidh
Veteran
- Location
- Midlothian
Yes unless you are physically incapable of turning your head then you don’t need a mirror - if you want one fine but your not any more or less in danger if you have / don’t have one.
Threevok
Growing old disgracefully
- Location
- South Wales
Try filtering into the fast moving traffic along my commute without one and you would looking behind you all the time. Hardly safe. I know, I've done it.
mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
One last try to get clear answers: why's it matter if there's overtaking cars? Would you turn right without shoulder-checking if some nobber's overtaking?
Randy Butternubs
Über Member
It doesn't need to be high but it does need to be far enough out. I find directly attached to the end of fairly short (flat) handlebars is fine and I'm not slim. Yes, it does make them annoying as I said in my earlier post; that's the trade-off (although I've never had an issue with bouncing).
If you are going to have them further in so that they don't give you a good picture of what's behind you then why bother with them at all? I've found having them further in makes them worse than useless - it becomes quicker and more reliable just to look behind me.
Edit: Re - 'I'll bite': my post wasn't intended to be bait.
oldwheels
Legendary Member
- Location
- Isle of Mull
All my bikes have mirrors and I would not feel safe without one. Having said that I am not for compulsion.
I actually think that having a mirror and not shoulder checking is actually dangerous. Apart from the fact that a mirror gives a very restrictive view it also gives no indication to following vehicles that you have seen them and no indication that you may be about to perform a manoeuvre.
Profpointy
Legendary Member
A work colleague had a tiny mirror on a stalk attatched to his helmet. Seemed quite a neat ide with some considerable potential. Not enough to make me wear a helmet, but for the liddites might be worth a go. Not tried a bike mirro but can't imagine where it could sensibly go
the snail
Guru
- Location
- Chippenham
Perhaps you could come and sort out the mirrors on my van then. Two big wing mirrors with wide angle thingies on, and I have blind-spots such that I have to be really careful pulling out of junctions or changing lanes. No such problems on the bike with no mirrors.
Randy Butternubs
Über Member
Hey, I totally get why people don't use them and totally agree that they aren't necessary as on a car and that they shouldn't be mandatory.
My point was just that a) a mirror should show the road behind you clearly otherwise what's the point? and b) if you can see the road is clear then it's clear and you don't need to check your shoulder (unless you want to indicate to the driver behind without removing your hands from the bars).
Vantage
Carbon fibre... LMAO!!!
- Location
- Behind everyone else, Bolton
Depends on the mirror and it's positioning.
I use a Cateye BM300 which if set correctly, will show both lanes of pretty wide roads. The only times I've felt the need to shoulder check are at night due to headlight glare and when it's covered in rain drops.
Indicating is done by sticking my arm out.
The mirror allows me to signal, manoeuvre and keep an keep an eye on what's happening behind me.
I'm sure there are some lucky individuals who can do all that whilst shoulder checking, but when I try, the bike tends to wander quite a bit.
mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
It felt like you were implying that those who have tried and dismissed mirrors had misused them. The mirror has to be so far out that the reflected line of sight clears the rider's arm, shoulder and hip. Mirrors on extension arms nearly all get criticised in reviews for various types of distortion, which was my experience too. Shorter flat handlebars like yours may well help - only my folding bike has that, with porters and drops on my most-used bikes.
Plenty of the most popular mirrors are on or below the bar end like the Zefal Spy which means you can't see much on the opposite side of the bike unless it's a long way back and I think it's not the stuff a long way back you have to worry about. I've seen plenty of people with mirrors like the Spy or the between-the-legs-but-can't-use-longflap-saddlebags-or-racktops Bike Eye spend far longer peering down and wobbling around than they would have with a quick look behind if they were physically capable.
mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
Do you mean the potential to stab the wearer in the face when they have another one of those falls that seem to happen so often to people using that headwear?
Profpointy
Legendary Member
At the risk of being serious (sorry) it's a question of balance. There is perhaps a small chance of injury from the little bracket in a freak accident, but conversely the mirror could give you a bit more awareness of what's around you.
If you have an off whilst wearing glasses they would clearly increase the risk of facial or (worse) eye injury, but this is balanced against the safety benefit of being able to see where you are going.
I have no pariticular bias in this as I don wear my (reading) glasses to cycle nor have a mirror, nor a helmet
