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Turning your head means not looking forward. You might think it is safe to operate a multi-ton death machine at death speeds while closing your eyes or looking

Turning your head means not looking forward. You might think it is safe to operate a multi-ton death machine at death speeds while closing your eyes or looking backwards or whatever you're doing except looking forward. But it is not. Learn to use mirrors, so your peripheral vision remains on the most important thing: where you are going. "Turning your head" is an unsafe way to avoid having properly set mirrors. With properly set mirrors, one does not need to "turn your head" and stop looking where your car is going. Frankly, "Turning your head" is just another excuse for unsafe drivers. Eyes forward and on the road my friend!

deleted 8y ago
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wcarron 8y ago
Turning your head is completely safe, with one caveat: Proper Following Distance. A quick, over-the-shoulder check is not dangerous at all if a driver gives the car in front proper following distance. Too many people follow WAY too closely, especially at highway speeds. Lastly, safe driving includes both actions. Step 1 is to check your mirrors (first rear, the side views). Step 2 is to quickly check over the shoulder. Step 3 is to make the maneuver. As a motorcyclist, I have to be vastly more aware and defensive than cagers, because a little fender-bender for drivers means injury and even death for riders. It is hammered into you, at any motorcycle safety course (by Moto Police no less, who spend all day riding motorcycles, every day) that you should always check over your shoulder before making lane changes, turns, etc. This is always done after you have already checked your mirrors.
- justapassenger 8y ago
  What about debris falling off a car in front of you? Or driving on a city streets, with people randomly running onto the street? Proper following distance isn't universal remedy for not looking forward.
- criley2 8y ago
  As a driver, my primary focus MUST be in the direction I travel. I am simply not responsible for what is occuring behind me or in lanes adjacent to me. When moving between lanes it's important to have no blind spots and to ensure safety before moving: which is what this article and anyone basically competent with mirrors does. It's rank irresponsibility for me to stop focusing on the direction in which I am operating a multi-ton death machine simply because I am afraid of trusting the equipment I have. As a motorcyclist, you should also know that being rear-ended by inattentive drivers is a huge and dangerous risk that is nearly impossible for you to prevent. While you can see and move out of the way of a bad lane change, it's vastly more difficult for you to see and move out of the way of a car that isn't stopping. This, and so many other reasons, are why it is so important for car drivers to NEVER LOSE ATTENTION TO THE FRONT. Ever, for any reason.
jdietrich 8y ago
What you're suggesting directly contradicts the recommendations given in Roadcraft, the official police driver's handbook in the UK. Use all your mirrors, and consider a shoulder check when it’s not safe to rely on your mirrors alone – for example, to check any blind spot when reversing, moving off from the kerb, joining a motorway or leaving a roundabout. It is physically impossible to achieve all-round visibility using only the mirrors. The coverage angle of your mirrors and your effective field of view do not sum to 360 degrees. You will have at least two blind spots to the side, two A-pillar blind spots to the front and in many cars additional rear blind spots. Try it for yourself - sit in the driver seat of your car in a safe open space, then ask someone to slowly walk around the car in an outward spiral. It should become readily apparent that at certain angles and distances, they disappear from view entirely unless you turn your head.
- criley2 8y ago
  It's shocking that you have never learned to adjust your mirrors properly. It sounds like this article was made for you! In my car, I have properly set my mirrors and there is no functional blind spot. When a vehicle is leaving my rear view, it is entering the side view. There is no gap between these two events. I'm always gobsmacked that the vast majority of drivers are literally incompetent at mirror use. It's shocking that you would claim that it's impossible to not have a blind spot when this article and simple testing would prove you wrong. I would urge you to try your OWN experiment AFTER reading this article, digesting it, and practicing it.
adrianN 8y ago
Not turning your head means not seeing the bike next to you.
- criley2 8y ago
  Turning your head means not seeing the pedestrian in the street in front of you.

deleted 8y ago

[deleted]

wcarron 8y ago

Turning your head is completely safe, with one caveat: Proper Following Distance. A quick, over-the-shoulder check is not dangerous at all if a driver gives the car in front proper following distance. Too many people follow WAY too closely, especially at highway speeds. Lastly, safe driving includes both actions. Step 1 is to check your mirrors (first rear, the side views). Step 2 is to quickly check over the shoulder. Step 3 is to make the maneuver. As a motorcyclist, I have to be vastly more aware and defensive than cagers, because a little fender-bender for drivers means injury and even death for riders. It is hammered into you, at any motorcycle safety course (by Moto Police no less, who spend all day riding motorcycles, every day) that you should always check over your shoulder before making lane changes, turns, etc. This is always done after you have already checked your mirrors.

justapassenger 8y ago
What about debris falling off a car in front of you? Or driving on a city streets, with people randomly running onto the street? Proper following distance isn't universal remedy for not looking forward.
criley2 8y ago
As a driver, my primary focus MUST be in the direction I travel. I am simply not responsible for what is occuring behind me or in lanes adjacent to me. When moving between lanes it's important to have no blind spots and to ensure safety before moving: which is what this article and anyone basically competent with mirrors does. It's rank irresponsibility for me to stop focusing on the direction in which I am operating a multi-ton death machine simply because I am afraid of trusting the equipment I have. As a motorcyclist, you should also know that being rear-ended by inattentive drivers is a huge and dangerous risk that is nearly impossible for you to prevent. While you can see and move out of the way of a bad lane change, it's vastly more difficult for you to see and move out of the way of a car that isn't stopping. This, and so many other reasons, are why it is so important for car drivers to NEVER LOSE ATTENTION TO THE FRONT. Ever, for any reason.

jdietrich 8y ago

What you're suggesting directly contradicts the recommendations given in Roadcraft, the official police driver's handbook in the UK. Use all your mirrors, and consider a shoulder check when it’s not safe to rely on your mirrors alone – for example, to check any blind spot when reversing, moving off from the kerb, joining a motorway or leaving a roundabout. It is physically impossible to achieve all-round visibility using only the mirrors. The coverage angle of your mirrors and your effective field of view do not sum to 360 degrees. You will have at least two blind spots to the side, two A-pillar blind spots to the front and in many cars additional rear blind spots. Try it for yourself - sit in the driver seat of your car in a safe open space, then ask someone to slowly walk around the car in an outward spiral. It should become readily apparent that at certain angles and distances, they disappear from view entirely unless you turn your head.

criley2 8y ago
It's shocking that you have never learned to adjust your mirrors properly. It sounds like this article was made for you! In my car, I have properly set my mirrors and there is no functional blind spot. When a vehicle is leaving my rear view, it is entering the side view. There is no gap between these two events. I'm always gobsmacked that the vast majority of drivers are literally incompetent at mirror use. It's shocking that you would claim that it's impossible to not have a blind spot when this article and simple testing would prove you wrong. I would urge you to try your OWN experiment AFTER reading this article, digesting it, and practicing it.

adrianN 8y ago

Not turning your head means not seeing the bike next to you.

criley2 8y ago
Turning your head means not seeing the pedestrian in the street in front of you.