View Full Version : Drivers and wing mirrors. Today's odd experience.
So this is a bit weird, I see a fair few cars driving around with their wing mirrors folded in. And I try to be nice and let them know and for the most part it works, usually when they are able to safely do it themselves or sometimes I do it for them. No problems.
However today was the most bizarre thing ever. Riding home I was filtering past traffic and noticed a car with the driver side mirror in. I pulled in behind to try and get her attention which I failed to. Despite the fact that she was in fact doing mirror checks! Left rear right. Fairly frequently as well. So I tried waving at her, did she see? No. Tried blipping the throttle, did she notice? No. When the on coming traffic cleared I pulled to the side to try and get her attention by waving and blipping throttle. Again nothing. All the while she was doing mirror checks!
Now at this point I gave up and pinned it to get away from her as she is clearly oblivious to the outside world.
What REALLY gets me, is I can kinda understand not noticing the mirror if you aren't a frequent mirror checker. But she was! I mean full on looking at where the right hand mirror should have been!
Plus the fact she couldn't see me behind, beside and probably in front of her!
Anyway, kind of a rant but I needed to share.
Matt-EUC
27-03-14, 07:13 PM
I've frequently had a similar situation. I just do it for them and pin it to make a point.
kaivalagi
27-03-14, 07:36 PM
Just goes to show how little people are actually observing even with the "routine" in check aye...
Red ones
27-03-14, 09:09 PM
Sure it wasn't a female version of Stevie Wonder?
Mrs DJ Fridge
27-03-14, 09:58 PM
Maybe it was automatic and broken, ours broke on the Feista, I 'encouraged' it manually, it now makes very funny noises every time I lock the car, it has been like that for the last year but it still works, just makes funny noises.
PuggledPrune
28-03-14, 08:33 AM
Scary how little folk see. I alwasy think if folk don't spot the big white van I drive at work how will they see me on a bike?
Like this: LINKY (http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=d2b_1395935374)
I agree that the mirror checking was weird and shows how people just learn a routine rather than actually doing something useful. It's something that annoys me too.
But, could it have been that she had seen you and was ignoring you as there was a "nasty biker type" blipping their throttle and waving at her. Maybe she felt a little intimidated?
Matt-EUC
28-03-14, 09:49 AM
**** em. What does she think we'll do? Smash her windows if she doesn't move over??
Possibly, yes or kick her car or well, whatever really. People have strange imaginations. All I'm saying is that it might not be as bad we think.
Sid Squid
28-03-14, 10:00 AM
I tried to tell a driver she had a flat tyre, properly flat too not just a bit low - although the way she was driving I think she hadn't realised - she locked the doors and gave me the finger.
Now if it had been dark, and we were in the middle of nowhere I might understand her reticence, but it was broad daylight in the middle of town with hundreds of people around, I don't know what she thought I was going to do.
Dicky Ticker
28-03-14, 10:01 AM
That is probably the make-up mirror you stupid boy.
Thing is allot of people are intimidated by motorcyclists.
So just ignore you and hope you go away without ripping off the mirror or pillage and rape there villages.
Just move on and don't scare the horses
Matt-EUC
28-03-14, 10:19 AM
I've probably told the story, but I had occasion to remove a mirror once.
I've probably told the story, but I had occasion to remove a mirror once.
So did Red 675, and paid a pretty heavy fine and a record for the privilege
http://www.675.cc/675/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=20481&hilit=volvo
Matt-EUC
28-03-14, 11:52 AM
He tried to hit me. Or at least tried to make me hit him.
I'd say it comes under self defence and that I used reasonable and not excessive force.
He shan't be doing it again anytime soon I'd imagine.
No video evidence it's just a fine upstanding car driving word against the nasty hells angle motorcyclist.
Who's the magistrates going to believe
Matt-EUC
28-03-14, 12:31 PM
I got away clean.
Littlepeahead
28-03-14, 12:45 PM
I removed a mirror casing this morning from a taxi on Finchley Road. Oops. Must remember how wide those GS bars are.
This include any of you two
Motorcycle Road Rage Compilation 2014: http://youtu.be/D9ctUQGTeVA
D9ctUQGTeVA
shiftin_gear98
28-03-14, 02:54 PM
Might have done it a couple of times riding through town on a pushbike, but no number plate then.
They soon see you when you have taken part of their car with you... funny how they don't normally.
Even clad in nasty lycra..
Bit older now, more chilled.
Mrs DJ Fridge
28-03-14, 11:18 PM
I once removed a wing mirror when a car got too close to my horse, I suspect that they were too terrified by a teenager on a large horse to complain. I am sure people are scared of people on bikes, my Mum definitely is even though my Dad and I both ride bikes, she is sure that we are all going to push past her and somehow send her off the road, I have no idea how.
To be fair most of what has been said could explain it. Could have been faulty, she could just be dumb.
Personally I'm going with stupid and not paying attention.
And to add I have not as yet taken a wing mirror off. I have however had a very heated and semi physical discussion with one numpty who tried to take me out on a roundabout.
Red ones
30-03-14, 09:35 PM
The best wing mirror incident I have ever seen was a rider filtering in front of me. Filtering between lanes he had tried to get past the same car probably 5 or 6 times. Each time the driver moved to the left and blocked him. The driver I don't think knew what they were doing - too busy sending emails on her BB.
In the end the bike draws level with the passenger window and taps on it. The driver turned to look and then could only watch as he extended one finger and .....
...
...adjusted the passenger mirror so it looked straight at the ground.
Sheer class. Cool. Calculated. No damage. But we all know how bloody annoying readjusting a passenger side mirror is.
Some people just live in their own little microcosm.
Sat can back from Mersea via peldon got a right turn to get to Tiptree.
3 cars in front not moving . They are trying to do same. So i slip up the inside looking into the junction there's a car stopped on the wrong side of the road. So I pull up and get along side. Tap on the window.
Me.You Ok?
Her.Yes
Me.You realise that your blocking the road.
Her. It's ok.
????
I just left her to it.
Weather the car drivers got out and explained her future I don't known
Entropy
31-03-14, 07:12 AM
I have played with the idea in my mind on occasions when a ride has been more stressful than the day that I was trying to shrug off by going for a ride in the first place. For all the drivers who purposely try and run you off the road - a front and rear mounted paintball gun mechanism (hidden by the registration plate and one tucked in nicely at the front).
GlosGambit
31-03-14, 07:49 AM
Scary how little folk see. I alwasy think if folk don't spot the big white van I drive at work how will they see me on a bike?
Like this: LINKY (http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=d2b_1395935374)
That link should come with a warning - graphic. I never want to see that vision first-person!
Luckypants
31-03-14, 10:31 AM
Like this: LINKY (http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=d2b_1395935374)Hmmm, I don't see lane markings so that appears to be a single wide lane. To be fair to the car driver, how many of us would check for a bike overtaking us on the INSIDE on a single lane urban street? That was a bit of a dodgy manoeuvre by the biker and it put him in danger.
Regardless the outcome doesn't bear thinking about.
Red Herring
31-03-14, 11:46 AM
Some people really need to grow up and get a life. Most of the clips on this thread started of with someone just making a simple mistake that any half competent rider would/should have seen coming, to then go on and behave in the way some of those individuals did is just plain wrong, no matter how justified they thought they were.
With regard to the OP plenty of people out there don't bother looking in their mirrors, at least if it's folded back it's a good clue that you can spot and allow for.
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