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Doomsnite
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PostPosted: 14:45 - 09 Mar 2014    Post subject: Mirrors Reply with quote
What should you be able to see. Mine are angled so that i can see who is just behind me in either inside or outside lane if i am in the middle.

When overtaking on the dual carriageway today i found i couldnt see far back enough to see who is hairing up behind me when trying to overtake and i can never see who is directly behind me in my lane... Should i be able to?
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BG5067
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PostPosted: 15:18 - 09 Mar 2014    Post subject: Re: Mirrors Reply with quote
Doomsnite wrote:
What should you be able to see. Mine are angled so that i can see who is just behind me in either inside or outside lane if i am in the middle.

When overtaking on the dual carriageway today i found i couldnt see far back enough to see who is hairing up behind me when trying to overtake and i can never see who is directly behind me in my lane... Should i be able to?


that's why life savers were invented

mirrors won't get everything. you have to turn your head as well,

especially when overtaking
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Doomsnite
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PostPosted: 15:21 - 09 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
Yeah i do them but if im intending to overtake at 50 and someone is doing 70/80 behind me i will slow him down and may cause an accident lifesavers only see my blindspot
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BG5067
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PostPosted: 15:23 - 09 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
Doomsnite wrote:
Yeah i do them but if im intending to overtake at 50 and someone is doing 70/80 behind me i will slow him down and may cause an accident lifesavers only see my blindspot


Well Check ya mirrors 1st, then life saver, if it's clear over take.

plus if you check your mirrors regularly then you should see him coming
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mentalboy
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PostPosted: 15:36 - 09 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
BG5067 wrote:
Doomsnite wrote:
Yeah i do them but if im intending to overtake at 50 and someone is doing 70/80 behind me i will slow him down and may cause an accident lifesavers only see my blindspot


Well Check ya mirrors 1st, then life saver, if it's clear over take.

plus if you check your mirrors regularly then you should see him coming


On a dual carriageway or motorway, that's not manic with traffic, I tend to spend a lot of time keeping an eye in the mirrors so I know what traffic is coming up on me (read that as keeping an eye out for the blues and twos as there isn't much else that comes steaming past).

Are 125's so heavily restricted that they'll only do 50 nowadays if not I'd be looking to up the speed a little on National roads to lessen the chance of being rear ended.

Ideally your mirrors should be pulled in a little, it's helpful, especially on single carriageways, to know what's behind you. Unless you've got mirrors mounted on 70's style stalks or on your bar ends then you'll find that most of your mirror view consists of your forearm. With large shoulders I'm lucky if my forearms don't occupy 2/3rds of the view in my mirrors.
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Doomsnite
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PostPosted: 16:21 - 09 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
My question is about positioning of mirrors not how to use them. My mirrors only show who is just behind my blind spot not further up the lane. How far should i be seeing as it may mean i need to get longer stems but no point if thats the usual view. I also cant see directly behind me, can others?
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Doomsnite
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PostPosted: 16:24 - 09 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
mentalboy wrote:


On a dual carriageway or motorway, that's not manic with traffic, I tend to spend a lot of time keeping an eye in the mirrors so I know what traffic is coming up on me (read that as keeping an eye out for the blues and twos as there isn't much else that comes steaming past).

Are 125's so heavily restricted that they'll only do 50 nowadays if not I'd be looking to up the speed a little on National roads to lessen the chance of being rear ended.

Ideally your mirrors should be pulled in a little, it's helpful, especially on single carriageways, to know what's behind you. Unless you've got mirrors mounted on 70's style stalks or on your bar ends then you'll find that most of your mirror view consists of your forearm. With large shoulders I'm lucky if my forearms don't occupy 2/3rds of the view in my mirrors.

Top speed is 70 but if im stuck behind someone at 50 then I cant accelerate upto 70 that quickly
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Ste
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PostPosted: 16:30 - 09 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
The easiest answer is to remove the mirrors and then go fast enough that what's behind you doesn't matter. Mr. Green
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BG5067
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PostPosted: 16:34 - 09 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
Doomsnite wrote:
My question is about positioning of mirrors not how to use them. My mirrors only show who is just behind my blind spot not further up the lane. How far should i be seeing as it may mean i need to get longer stems but no point if thats the usual view. I also cant see directly behind me, can others?


Your mirros will never get everything.

I position mine so I can see behind and a bit into the next lane
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mentalboy
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PostPosted: 16:43 - 09 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
Doomsnite wrote:
My question is about positioning of mirrors not how to use them. My mirrors only show who is just behind my blind spot not further up the lane. How far should i be seeing as it may mean i need to get longer stems but no point if thats the usual view. I also cant see directly behind me, can others?


Quote:
Ideally your mirrors should be pulled in a little...


You said you could only see the adjacent lanes clearly, hence the above. Pull them in until you can see at least one third of the lane (on each side) you're in, at a distance of about two car lengths behind you.
This should give you clear indication of traffic immediately behind you, for everything else you'll have to squint harder.
(Any kind of vibration and you won't see much beyond 50 yards behind you.)
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Doomsnite
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PostPosted: 16:49 - 09 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
I dont think i can see anything directly behind me, elbows get in the way. Will have a play in the morning
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BG5067
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PostPosted: 16:56 - 09 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
Doomsnite wrote:
I dont think i can see anything directly behind me, elbows get in the way. Will have a play in the morning


You will never see everything behind you 100%.

but as above just position ya mirror so you get a bit of the lanes.

if you check your mirrors regularly then you should see things coming.

The Mirrors on the ER6f is shite.

I spend most of my time doing life savers lol
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mentalboy
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PostPosted: 17:00 - 09 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
Doomsnite wrote:
I dont think i can see anything directly behind me, elbows get in the way. Will have a play in the morning


I doubt if you'll ever get a clear view of stuff immediately behind you, the method above should give you an idea of what's there as you should be able to catch a glimpse.
Otherwise you'll have to get creative and start moving elbows in, tipping head, etc to better your rear view.
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Dave70
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PostPosted: 01:42 - 10 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
It took me a little while to find a position for my mirrors that I'm happy with. Well maybe happy's not the right word, more a case of spending ages before settling on a place and realising that was the best I'm going to get.

I still have to move my head and elbows to get the best all round view, as well as lifesavers but, have a reasonable view without doing so. As others have posted, you're never going to see everything from one position.
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Doomsnite
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PostPosted: 08:59 - 10 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
Comparing it to my car i can see right up each laneon each side to the horizon. Think im just not used to not having my middle rear view mirror. Never understood how van drivers live without it!
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Wafer_Thin_Ham
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PostPosted: 09:01 - 10 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
Doomsnite wrote:
Comparing it to my car i can see right up each laneon each side to the horizon. Think im just not used to not having my middle rear view mirror. Never understood how van drivers live without it!


Van mirrors are huge, and usually have another element below to give an even wider view.

Vans are piss easy to drive with no central mirror.
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ws4936
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PostPosted: 11:51 - 10 Mar 2014    Post subject: Re: Mirrors Reply with quote
Doomsnite wrote:
What should you be able to see?

Elbows. Just your elbows.
Doomsnite wrote:
Top speed is 70 but if im stuck behind someone at 50 then I cant accelerate upto 70 that quickly

You are obviously not dropping it down a couple gears fast enough then. This is why God invented red lining.

On a side note, it sounds like you don't know how to do lifesavers properly. Just sayin'.
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Doomsnite
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PostPosted: 12:35 - 10 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
So as long as there is no one in your blind spot when doing a lifesaver then you would pull out? Despite the fact doing so could cause someone to brake hard if travelling faster than you in that lane?
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BG5067
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PostPosted: 12:59 - 10 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
Doomsnite wrote:
So as long as there is no one in your blind spot when doing a lifesaver then you would pull out? Despite the fact doing so could cause someone to brake hard if travelling faster than you in that lane?


You have to Judge it.

Check ya mirrors, you see nothing come, Lifesaver. see nothing there then move.

if you don't feel safe doing it then don't do it
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mentalboy
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PostPosted: 18:37 - 10 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
You'll get used to it over time. And as Dave 70 said, it'll take a while to get the optimum position to suit you (and shortly after that you'll get a new bike and start the whole bleedin' process all over again!
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Furrybiker
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PostPosted: 19:30 - 10 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
Would something like this help?
https://www.tmart.com/2-Pcs-Car-Blind-Spot-Mirror-Circular-Convex-Black_p113966.html?cc=gbp&fixed_price=hk_intl&utm_source=baseuk&utm_medium=organic&utm_term=Q00989&utm_campaign=product&gclid=CK7R4ZHYiL0CFYQfwwod5ZcAhQ

Personally I have the right mirror positioned so that I can see behind me and a little of the outside lane the left one to show the inside lane. This is because I am usually in the outside or middle lane, you may find it better to run it the other way round.

This set up has saved me so far, but ALWAYS back it up with a lifesaver. The one time very nearly got caught out I was tired and almost didn't do the lifesaver, amazing how you can lose a large red car in a blind spot. Shocked
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janner_10
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PostPosted: 20:33 - 10 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
You have to actually move your head and body on a bike to get the best out of the mirrors - a simple movement of the eye like in a car is not enough.

You should also be using them enough to know what is coming up behind you well before its at your blind spot.
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Doomsnite
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PostPosted: 21:05 - 10 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
Yeah think im just used to glancing with my eyes
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ws4936
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PostPosted: 21:51 - 10 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
Doomsnite wrote:
Yeah think im just used to glancing with my eyes

If your putting in for a test, make sure you don't do this.
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Llama-Farmer
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PostPosted: 00:37 - 11 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
I've found on my bike the best position for the mirrors when I'm in a natural riding position is to have half the mirror full of arms & shoulders. That way, by moving slightly one way or another I can see most of what's behind me, and moving a bit more I can see the lanes either side of me.


You can get away without using mirrors, but wouldn't try getting about without doing your lifesaver checks.
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