Blind spot mirrors

[AKsuited]

"Shoulder Check"?

I prefer the nomenclature I first read in a Stu Munro column many years ago in Rider Magazine. Spitfire pilots during WWII learned the "Messerschmitt Twitch" to stay alive in battle...

And I still feel like I'm in battle on the highways and byways, so I use the "Messerschmitt Twitch" faithfully.

I've got the Brit book "Motorcycle Roadcraft, a Police Rider's Handbook of Safe Riding" or whatever the title is.

The term they use for "head check" is "lifesaver," and for good reason.

Harry

[SeabeckS]

I've got the Brit book "Motorcycle Roadcraft, a Police Rider's Handbook of Safe Riding" or whatever the title is.

The term they use for "head check" is "lifesaver," and for good reason.

Harry

I'm in TOTAL agreement...!

[SeabeckS]

Back OT, I use blind spot mirrors on all our 4 wheeled vehicles, and have done so for many years. But still use a head/shoulder check in all cases before changing lanes.

Tried some blind spot mirrors on a bike once, but they were so small that it was distracting trying to see the adjacent lanes. So gave up with them on my bikes...maybe this maxieview thing (or whatever they're called) is okay, but my ability to retrain myself at this advanced age is VERY limited.

So, I'll just keep doin' it the old fashioned way...

[barryg]

On bikes with frame mounted rearview mirrors such as K100RT,LT,RS,1100LT,RS and many others. Try the Hercules blind spot mirrors. The ones made for smaller cars is about right. They fit on top of the mirror housing so they do not take up any of the view of stock mirror. They give a large view of the object so you believe what you see. Since they sit on top of the stock mirrors, you can moniter both mirrors simultaneously. Fairly easy install. Do a search for Hercules blind spot mirrors. Pretty cheap and they work.

[BCKRider]

Don't shoulder checks take MORE TIME than using good mirrors?

Believe I stated that a "shoulder check" takes quite a bit more time than a glance at the left side mirror where you get 1. a view of what is behind you (main mirror for most,) 2. what is in your blind spot (good properly adjusted blind spot mirror attached to the OEM mirror,) and 3. any vehicle leaving your "blind spot" is now in you peripheral vision. This is the sort of quick information we need in traffic. My take is that all of us should do this OFTEN - like every 7-8 seconds - even when we are not in heavy traffic.

MOST of the things that threaten us are ahead of us. So we need frequent but very brief glances at what is behind and beside us, but most of our attention should should be a wide-angle view of what is up-front.

As another poster commented, it DOES TAKE TIME to trust your mirrors. But I believe good mirrors, properly adjusted, and frequently used are a real aid when you encounter a "sudden decision" situation.

[lmo1131]

[BCKRider]

Thanks, very entertaining video!

Anyone else want to comment on some practices demonstrated not currently encouraged? The one thing that jumped out at me is the spacing between the four bikes on the group ride - certainly didn't look like a 2-second following distance!

And the video (plus my comments) may have little to do with this thread.