[Shades]

Have a mate who is part of our wider cycling gang; he’s taken early retirement and heard he was really frustrated with the Covid restrictions as he has a small holiday flat in Germany and can’t pursue his various plans.  My comment was why hadn’t he gone out on some long rides etc; then I was told he’d stopped, because he was sick of UK roads (safety), and was just going to cycle when he’s out in Germany (which he always raves about).  I was initially bemused but then, having almost being totalled on 2 rides recently (oncoming driver speeding on a lane and another speeding/not paying attention whilst I was trying to turn right off an A road; I’ve really lost my nerve when trying that manoeuvre), I kind of sympathised.  Realised that pre-WFH etc a lot of my miles were commuting on the Bristol/Bath bike path and quiet urban roads, so I was probably slightly cossetted.  I generally steer clear of A roads but, mid-week especially, the roads are like the wild-west post lockdown.  Apart from group rides I’ve now got front/back cameras so I could hardly criticise my mate for just being aware of his own mortality.

Topic

[TallestTim]

Yes. 
Me.
 

Yes, me.

Used to cycle to work, have done so for approx 5 years. Continued impact of this assault, with driver hitting my elbow (still going through the insurers),  has meant that I’ve given up, bought a car, and now drive to work. Every time I get an email /call from the my solicitor (driver is denying all liability) about it I relive the assault while having to get ready to explain another piece of it…  which makes me sick.

 

[kil0ran]

Sorry to hear that – road

Sorry to hear that – road cycling for my son was ended by a 4×4 driver squeezing us into a hedge and then brake testing us – he was on a tagalong so experienced the assault first.

[Captain Badger]

Tom_77 wrote:

I have one of these, which is quite useful for getting a rough idea of what’s behind you.

Rubber strap seems to be holding up well so far, although I expect it will eventually snap.

I see, so attaches closer to teh stem, on teh inside of the shifters?

[BadgerBeaver]

Me.

Me.

I feel very apprehensive about going on the roads now. Last summer I found people were gettingmuch more aggressive, or maybe I felt more vulnerable due to the pandemic. I ride v quiet loops, and try and go off road where possible (around our local lake). I have a Fly 6 and wouldn’t dream of riding without it.

The daily Near Miss feature hasn’t helped. 

[HoarseMann]

Captain Badger wrote:

Thanks, the slightly bigger diameter is quite attractive, might give that a go

I thought Sriracha’s mirror photo was quite good, so I’ve taken one of the B&M, with a still from thre rear Fly6 camera for comparison…

I was mulling over your point about a mirror reducing an adrenaline spike and I think you’re spot on with that. It buys that little bit of time for a better chance of making a considered response, rather than an emotional reaction.

[Tech Noir]

Last year, my son (age 11)

Last year, my son (age 11) and I took advantage of the quieter roads to go out on the tandem. He’s not that into cycling, but he enjoyed riding the tandem, especially up Holme Moss, until two incidents.

In the first, we were descending a gentle hill and I saw taxi approaching on a side road to the left. The driver looked straight at me and then pulled out. Thankfully, I managed to stop in time, about an inch from the back of his taxi. He just drove off. The sudden stop terrified my son.

Then, we were approaching a crossroads junction where we wanted to turn left. A bloke in a van was coming the other way, he wanted to turn right into the same road. My son was signalling from the stoker’s seat, and I gave a quick left-turn signal as well, then slowed and prepared to make the turn. The bloke in the van then floored it and turned in front of us; he then had to immediately stop as someone was coming the other way and parked cars meant they had to use the “wrong” side of the road. This gave me nowhere to go, and I ended up bumping into the side of the van, luckily at a slow speed. This caused my son to slip off his saddle and graze his shin on a pedal.

After that, he no longer will go out on the tandem, and I don’t blame him

[Captain Badger]

Kapelmuur wrote:

I’m glad I started cycling about 5 years before I found this site, had I read it earlier I’d never have bought a bike.

Admittedly my cycling probably isn’t typical as I’m retired, ride at quiet times and mostly on rural roads.

My positive experiences with motorists far exceed negative ones.

This is true – the vast majority drivers are fine. and you don’t even notice them. Just takes one…

[maenchi]

 ”Know of someone who’s

 ”Know of someone who’s packed in UK road cycling due to safety concerns?” 

NO

[Captain Badger]

HoarseMann wrote:

I have this exact setup, but the 60mm B&M mirror, which is almost identical to the cateye and also recommended. Field of view is good with the convex lens, no vibration, stays put but still easy to tweak the position by just moving it if needed.

Thanks, the slightly bigger diameter is quite attractive, might give that a go

[Kapelmuur]

I’m glad I started cycling

I’m glad I started cycling about 5 years before I found this site, had I read it earlier I’d never have bought a bike.

Admittedly my cycling probably isn’t typical as I’m retired, ride at quiet times and mostly on rural roads.

My positive experiences with motorists far exceed negative ones.

[wtjs]

Rubber strap seems to be

Rubber strap seems to be holding up well so far, although I expect it will eventually snap

I thought that too!- about the rubber straps on my Aldi lights. But they’re still working well years later so rubber straps don’t have to fail

[HoarseMann]

I have this exact setup, but

I have this exact setup, but the 60mm B&M mirror, which is almost identical to the cateye and also recommended. Field of view is good with the convex lens, no vibration, stays put but still easy to tweak the position by just moving it if needed.

[Tom_77]

I have one of these, which is

I have one of these, which is quite useful for getting a rough idea of what’s behind you.

Rubber strap seems to be holding up well so far, although I expect it will eventually snap.

[Sriracha]

It is just big enough to let
It is just big enough to let you see that it’s not clear behind, but not enough to confirm that it is clear. So it saves a lot of head turning, but you still need to look properly before you kill yourself. Also useful to see if you’ve dropped your mates yet…

You don’t get binocular vision since the eyes’ views don’t overlap. You end up just seeing through it with your dominant eye.

Also it’s only enough for one hand position. I’ve got mine set for when I’m on the hoods, and so it’s no use when I’m on the tops of the bar.

The pic gives a fair account of it.

[Hirsute]

Ok. Bit of trial and error to

Fine to use. Bit of trial and error to find the best spot. There will always be a bit of knee in the way but nothing that stops a good view. Easy to give a small adjustment as HP says.

I did find my arm in the way on the flats but a quick ‘chris froome elbows out’ allows a view.

[Author]

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