Why do commuters ride with folded or no mirrors?
Discussion
It's something that baffles me -- aren't wing mirrors imperative for awareness of surroundings, particularly in a complex urban traffic environment (such as London, where I live)?
Can anyone enlighten me into pros/cons or perhaps the mentality that informs this curious decision? It can't all be bad boy race rep-chic, shirley?!
Can anyone enlighten me into pros/cons or perhaps the mentality that informs this curious decision? It can't all be bad boy race rep-chic, shirley?!
bolidemichael said:
It's something that baffles me -- aren't wing mirrors imperative for awareness of surroundings, particularly in a complex urban traffic environment (such as London, where I live)?
Can anyone enlighten me into pros/cons or perhaps the mentality that informs this curious decision? It can't all be bad boy race rep-chic, shirley?!
Presumably wing mirrors restrict filtering a bit ? Can anyone enlighten me into pros/cons or perhaps the mentality that informs this curious decision? It can't all be bad boy race rep-chic, shirley?!
My wife used to drive quite a bit in central London and always said it's a mistake to look in your mirrors, as once you start being influenced by what's behind/alongside you you'll never get anywhere
I've seen it largely due to people filtering but I can't help but think if you're so close to the car you need to pull in your mirrors the gap is too small or your aim for the space isn't very good.
I don't fold my my mirrors in, generally have no problems (on a VFR800 coming down the A41 past swiss cottage where i need it most)
I don't fold my my mirrors in, generally have no problems (on a VFR800 coming down the A41 past swiss cottage where i need it most)
I'm probably not as gung ho as I used to be re filtering in London but I've never folded my mirrors.
Dispatch rider in the 80s on a GPz900R amongst others. Was one of the top earners at my company.......it became a competition
If the two cars are positioned exactly opposite each other in the jam it may involve slowing to walking pace in order to jiggle your bars to make sure there's no contact but otherwise you're good to go.
I was following a chap on a fully faired large touring BMW complete with big panniers last week.
I came up behind him on my little Ducati Monster thinking that'd he'd slow me down.
Jams going out of town on the A316.
Boy! was I wrong. He was carving through the traffic at a pace that was getting me worried. He managed widths that I would have second guessed.
It was true artistry.
Dispatch rider in the 80s on a GPz900R amongst others. Was one of the top earners at my company.......it became a competition
If the two cars are positioned exactly opposite each other in the jam it may involve slowing to walking pace in order to jiggle your bars to make sure there's no contact but otherwise you're good to go.
I was following a chap on a fully faired large touring BMW complete with big panniers last week.
I came up behind him on my little Ducati Monster thinking that'd he'd slow me down.
Jams going out of town on the A316.
Boy! was I wrong. He was carving through the traffic at a pace that was getting me worried. He managed widths that I would have second guessed.
It was true artistry.
The mirrors on mine match the height of van mirrors and as they are generally wider than most cars it’s a double whammy when it comes to filtering through restricted space.. I fold mine in just as I reach the end of the A1M at borehamwood on every journey into London (am) because traffic is usually at a standstill and then pop them back out again when I get to Finchley rd where I can use bus lanes. I am aware, and probably more alert as a result, to the fact that I don’t have the visibility of what is behind me, but as the traffic isn’t moving at the same speed it isn’t an issue, and less of an issue than if my mirrors were reducing my ability to make progress. when traffic opens up a bit I’ll compensate by turning my head more frequently..
MDUBZ said:
The mirrors on mine match the height of van mirrors and as they are generally wider than most cars it’s a double whammy when it comes to filtering through restricted space.. I fold mine in just as I reach the end of the A1M at borehamwood on every journey into London (am) because traffic is usually at a standstill and then pop them back out again when I get to Finchley rd where I can use bus lanes. I am aware, and probably more alert as a result, to the fact that I don’t have the visibility of what is behind me, but as the traffic isn’t moving at the same speed it isn’t an issue, and less of an issue than if my mirrors were reducing my ability to make progress. when traffic opens up a bit I’ll compensate by turning my head more frequently..
How does turning you head more frequently compensate for not being able to see what is behind you? (I assume you are not an owl)No exorcist style head turning required. I don't really care what is directly behind me tbh, if you position the bike to hinder the progress of others or risk being rear ended you're doing it wrong. I'm pretty sure my mirrors don't provide that view anyway due to the width of the rider. Even with mirrors you still need to look around and know where the space is incase you need an escape route.
If traffic is at a standstill it's single file for bikes anyway, you just keep pressing on, its not like you can let faster filterers through most of the time anyway, If you need to change lane in traffic, whether it's moving or not, then a shoulder check/life saver is good idea anyway mirror's or not.
If traffic is at a standstill it's single file for bikes anyway, you just keep pressing on, its not like you can let faster filterers through most of the time anyway, If you need to change lane in traffic, whether it's moving or not, then a shoulder check/life saver is good idea anyway mirror's or not.
MDUBZ said:
No exorcist style head turning required. I don't really care what is directly behind me tbh, if you position the bike to hinder the progress of others or risk being rear ended you're doing it wrong. I'm pretty sure my mirrors don't provide that view anyway due to the width of the rider. Even with mirrors you still need to look around and know where the space is incase you need an escape route.
If traffic is at a standstill it's single file for bikes anyway, you just keep pressing on, its not like you can let faster filterers through most of the time anyway, If you need to change lane in traffic, whether it's moving or not, then a shoulder check/life saver is good idea anyway mirror's or not.
We must come down the same bit of road in the mornings, that bit down to Morrisons on the A1 is always backed up. If you see an old bloke with a single pannier on a Black SV give me a wave. Must say the SV is an easy filterer in that it is narrow, my V7 is more of a painIf traffic is at a standstill it's single file for bikes anyway, you just keep pressing on, its not like you can let faster filterers through most of the time anyway, If you need to change lane in traffic, whether it's moving or not, then a shoulder check/life saver is good idea anyway mirror's or not.
becasue some facist in the EU decided the wing mirros in cars/vans/lorries ought to be huge, a % of the vehcile i think
so even when there appears to be room there might not be, so mirors get folded in
some will say that if there isn't room with mirors out you shoudln't be filtering but there is if the mirrors weren't so bloody huge
role on the day when they are all cameras like top spec german cars/lorries
so even when there appears to be room there might not be, so mirors get folded in
some will say that if there isn't room with mirors out you shoudln't be filtering but there is if the mirrors weren't so bloody huge
role on the day when they are all cameras like top spec german cars/lorries
GSA_fattie said:
becasue some facist in the EU decided the wing mirros in cars/vans/lorries ought to be huge, a % of the vehcile i think
so even when there appears to be room there might not be, so mirors get folded in
some will say that if there isn't room with mirors out you shoudln't be filtering but there is if the mirrors weren't so bloody huge
role on the day when they are all cameras like top spec german cars/lorries
When I’m driving it the big mirrors on my truck are brilliant given the pointless rear view mirror, handy having leccy ones too so I can fold them in for you lot and they don’t get knocked.so even when there appears to be room there might not be, so mirors get folded in
some will say that if there isn't room with mirors out you shoudln't be filtering but there is if the mirrors weren't so bloody huge
role on the day when they are all cameras like top spec german cars/lorries
As for ‘if you need to fold the mirrors in, the gap’s too small’, well, that’s b**locks really.
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