Shoulder Checks

[sussex2]

I people are taught to 'always shoulder check, they will (potentially) look away from the cyclist stopped to wait for a space on the roundabout, or the child standing on the edge of the kerb...

back in RAC/ACU days, one trainee had no mirrors. "It would be a good idea if you had a check over your shoulder every few seconds so you're aware of what's behind you".

He was stopped two days later for 'riding in a suspicious manner' . . .

riding the Monza

I had a V50 III

The old Ducati bikes didn't have mirrors because 'What's behind you is not important and too far away'..

[Ancient]

I people are taught to 'always shoulder check, they will (potentially) look away from the cyclist stopped to wait for a space on the roundabout, or the child standing on the edge of the kerb...

back in RAC/ACU days, one trainee had no mirrors. "It would be a good idea if you had a check over your shoulder every few seconds so you're aware of what's behind you".

He was stopped two days later for 'riding in a suspicious manner' . . .

riding the Monza

I had a V50 III

The old Ducati bikes didn't have mirrors because 'What's behind you is not important and too far away'..

I remember an occasion commuting home at 01:00, around H'smith Broadway and down FP road, being very glad of the single bar-end mirror which showed me the pair of headlights following me off the one-way system. I slowed down to , then saw a single blue flash, causing me to slow down some more and pull over in a safe place.
Mirrors can be remarkably useful!

[Zebedee]

New Ducati bikes may have mirrors, but you'd be lucky to see much more than a vibrating image of your elbow.

There's nothing like a V-twin for good vibes

[superplum]

There's nothing like a V-twin for good vibes

4WD and a flat-six made in Germany do it for me!

[WhoseGeneration]

Devil's advocate mode, why would you, as an AD motorcyclist, put yourself in a car driver's blindspot?

Unless the rider maintains a constant position relative to the car (that's angular, not nec. distance), then negotiating a blindspot is likely.

Otherwise, it would be practically impossible to ever pass (or be passed by) another vehicle.

Now, I appreciate that motorcyclists tend to ride offside, however what's wrong with a move to centre to reveal, especially as most use lights at all times, that being default on many modern motorcycles too?
Then, having made the car driver aware of one's prescence, an overtake could be considered.

[Horse]

Devil's advocate mode, why would you, as an AD motorcyclist, put yourself in a car driver's blindspot?

Unless the rider maintains a constant position relative to the car (that's angular, not nec. distance), then negotiating a blindspot is likely.

Otherwise, it would be practically impossible to ever pass (or be passed by) another vehicle.

Now, I appreciate that motorcyclists tend to ride offside, however what's wrong with a move to centre to reveal, especially as most use lights at all times, that being default on many modern motorcycles too?
Then, having made the car driver aware of one's prescence, an overtake could be considered.

Really?

Lulled into a false sense of security, perhaps? I've heard riders say "He must have seen me, I had my headlamp on!"

[WhoseGeneration]

Unless the rider maintains a constant position relative to the car (that's angular, not nec. distance), then negotiating a blindspot is likely.

Otherwise, it would be practically impossible to ever pass (or be passed by) another vehicle.

Now, I appreciate that motorcyclists tend to ride offside, however what's wrong with a move to centre to reveal, especially as most use lights at all times, that being default on many modern motorcycles too?
Then, having made the car driver aware of one's prescence, an overtake could be considered.

Really?

Lulled into a false sense of security, perhaps? I've heard riders say "He must have seen me, I had my headlamp on!"

I said "could", I'm merely trying to provide some ideas to avoid that blindspot problem.
That said, I'm a car driver who often goes nearside to facilitate a motorcyclist's progress. Meaning I use all my mirrors.

[Horse]

It's not the position aspect of your post I was commenting on, but the comment that the driver would now be aware of the bike.

[Astraist]

If the cars side mirrors are aimed so the sides of the car are not seen - the blind spots become much smaller. In fact, it can be so small that only a very subtle shoulder check will be required for the majority of maneuvers, especially when other precautions like frequent mirror checks, double mirror checks upon lane changes and very prolonged lane changes - are used.

There is no need to crank the head around and to the back during a lane change in a small car. A slight tilt of the head to the side - will cover the areas not covered by the mirrors. In bigger cars, leaning gently foward while looking in the mirror will do the job.