Be honest: do you check your blind spot?

[Blueeberry]

I check mine (by quickly looking over my shoulder) religiously anytime I’m changing lane, especially on the motorway. Was speaking with a family member today however who seemed to think that blind spots were some sort of urban myth and insisted that you can see everything by just looking in your mirrors…

When I kindly informed her that no, you can’t see everything in your mirrors she told me that my idea of checking over my shoulder is ridiculous and dangerous, there’s no way that she’d feel comfortable doing it whilst driving. AIBU to think WTF?!

I check my blind spot as a matter of course but, tbh, my car would tell me if I was moving out of a lane before I did it.

It explains a lot, too, if people are no longer being taught to look over their shoulder. I've had a few near misses from people moving into my lane (having clearly not seen me) over the last few years, whereas it used to be a rare occurrence. The last time it happened really shook me; I was lucky that there was generous space between my car and the central reservation, so I could manoeuvre out of danger and get back into the lane (3 young children in the car, travelling at 70 mph, I don't like to think of the possible alternative outcome).

Before anyone asks, I was overtaking in the outside lane but not speeding, so not like I "zoomed up out of nowhere" (for e.g.).

This can’t be real!

It sure if anyone has mentioned it but where it is so extremely important is if you are driving in a city and there are cyclists, particularly at night. Many come up the inside when you are turning left and they have right of way. I always check, and double check my blind sport as so often there is one speeding down and if I made the turn I would have taken them out. I have seen quite a few near misses.

I was lax about it once years ago & had a near miss on the motorway so now always, always check.

It's shocking that people don't know about the blind spot or don't believe it exists!

That knowledge has now added to my fear & hatred of the ridiculous smart motorways & made motorway driving feel doubly scary!

I wonder if those being taught not to turn their heads are in cats with blind spot cameras? My car doesn't have such things, but I would expect an instructor's car to be more modern.

I had a similar experience while still learning, while out with a relative. I went to change lane, looked to my right and there was a bloody great van in my blindspot. I had no idea it was there, and vowed never to be caught out like that again.

You should not be driving if you think that's acceptable.

If a person cant hold their steering they should not be driving.

That is failure to drive with any due care or attention.

And driving instructers should explain that to the people who think they cant hold their steering when they choose to move their own body because if they are involved in a crash their whole body moves.

a good idea of what is around you anyway on a dual carriageway or motorway.

Speed and blind spots

Muti-lane driving and blind spots
Mult-lane driving including merging lanes and filter lanes and blind spots

If driving instruction is ignore blind spots why not just tell new drivers to watch the road via mirrors before pulling out from a stopped parked position into moving traffic

You should be checking your blind spot to ensure it’s clear before you put your indicator on. The fact your car gives you an alarm is just a failsafe for if you miss something.

If your mirrors are set correctly and you check them on a motorway, you really do know what is around you. Fast approaching cars are coming along and you can see them from some distance away on a motorway. If you have to actually look backwards to see them, you haven’t checked your mirrors.

There’s no evidence of more motorway accidents but a check when pulling out of a parking slot is very different and a glance behind is useful. However cyclists weave in and out of traffic at speed and they appear suddenly as a result of that. Car drivers and cyclists need to take care.

Always, there have been a couple of times where a car was just in the wrong spot and had I not checked, there would have been a collision.
Can happen easily if you're on a multiple lane motorway like the M25 with lots of traffic all constantly changing lanes ahead and behind you.

No wonder there are so many accidents on fast moving roads where vehicles go in to the back of each other.

Stopping speeds
Merging speeds
Appropiate for conditions speeds
Blind spots checks
And other road awareness

If one rear end one need to ask was one driving taking account of all the road conditions

Those of you looking over your shoulder, do you realise how quickly things can happen in front of you?

Due care and attention

If the second it takes to blind spot check makes one fail to stop

One was
too fast and
too close and
not properly risk assessing the road ahead.

How quickly fast moving traffic can come to a standstill?

One was

too fast and
too close and
not properly risk assessing the road ahead.

How quickly someone can move in to your lane in front of you then brake?

Someone going
too fast and
too close and
not properly risk assessing the road?

An Asshole who did not read the road ahead or blind spot or mirror check?

Or

An Asshole who did read the road ahead and ignored safety to change lane with no blind spot or mirror check?

To look over your shoulder long enough to actually take in what's going on is in my opinion hugely dangerous and something I was never taught 30 years ago when I passed my test.

....

If you're driving with due care and attention you should be checking your mirrors constantly, aware of what is happening around you, aware of erratic drivers in front or behind, double checking before you indicate to make your manoeuvre and checking during it.

Blind spot is a mirror control fail if other road users match ones speed and path

Eyes everywhere, facing forwards.

Mirror work requires the brain to switch from this space is forward to that space is backward

For reference a vast part of my job involves driving on motorways and in order to protect my cargo any sudden braking/swerving is a big no no so I am very well versed in safe and smooth driving at higher speeds. is failure to drive with any due care or attention.

You drive a motor vehicle which has a blindspot and choose to believe that you have 360° awareness 100% of the time in a space where you know others drive like assholes or idiots.

Case in point:

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-59016595

Dear God this thread is terrifying, and confirms that the scariest thing about driving is in fact other people.

If a person will follow their eyes while driving they will end up driving into something they are looking at.

Eg parked car ahead.

^ It is why you get Everybody Out and behind the crash barrier beside (or behind not in front) of your car on a motorway or any area where you cant flag traffic to slow/stop

And why it is a bad driving discipline to rubber-neck at traffic incidents or distractions.

I hope that is a lazy way of saying
My car has a crash detection system

Not

I use other people as my crash detection system
🙈

Driving standards are shocking in the UK, i think one of the most dangerous place to cycle or ride a motorbike in most of Europe, not helped by terrible road conditions.

UK death rates may be low (very congested, so speeds are lower) but overall accident rates are very high

No regular eye sight testing, a piss easy driving test, almost no active road policing (thanks Austerity) and pathetic sentences for killing people

[(Edit) to add the reply was to @EBearhug ]

The instruction should be based on a motor car not a motor car with computer aids installed.

People should remember that part of rules is to understand and be able to use hand (out the window) siginals because bits break.

People are relying in
• the sensor detection unit
• the wire to the cpu
• the cpu
• the softwear
• the wire to the mirror
• the wire to the dash
• the wire to the sound speaker
• the sound speaker
all to be working and provide a warning

This thread has made me nervous. I know some idiots forget to check their blindspot but there are people who think it's WRONG to check your blind spot?!! God help us all!

"Driving - the essential skills", the DSA book for learners, professional drivers and instructors, says on page 68 (2009 ed.):
"Checking blind spots on the move
There will be occasions when it will be necessary to check blind spots on the move. These blind spots will be to either side, and should not require looking round, but rather a quick sideways glance.

Looking right round to check blind spots on the move is unnecessary and dangerous, especially when driving at high speeds; in the time it takes you'll lose touch with what's happening in front.
.....
.....
Take a quick sideways glance

• before changing lanes
• before joining a motorway or DC from a slip road
• before manoeuvring in situations where traffic is merging from left or right"

My DD is learning to drive and she's told to check her blind spot. How can you not? If someone is in your blind spot, especially on the motorway you're going to cause an accident. It's called a blind spot for a reason.

If one is

Looking right round to check blind spots on the move is unnecessary and dangerous, especially when driving at high speeds; in the time it takes you'll lose touch with what's happening in front.

They need to understand how the (minimum of 3) mirrors work and what space/sightline is (or is not) being captured.

Blind spots should only be checked when the vehicle is stationary and never on the move.
Some drivers feel that it is necessary to check their blind spots when they are planning on changing lanes especially whilst driving on faster roads with many lanes like a dual carriageway or a motorway as there could be a vehicle in their blind spot. The best way to check here is to lean forward towards the steering wheel and then check the door mirrors. This will also give you a similar view of what the blind spot would show you without making the movement of looking over your shoulders which is considered not safe whilst driving especially when you’re driving at high speeds.

Blind Spots | Earlier Driving Test

The fact that you’ve had to go to a dodgy, non official website to find this nonsense ‘advice’ says it all.. The official UK Highway Code states that you ‘must look round to check your blind spot before moving off, changing lane, turning or overtaking’.

Some people really shouldn’t be allowed on the roads.

"Driving - the essential skills", the DSA book for learners, professional drivers and instructors, says on page 68 (2009 ed.):
"Checking blind spots on the move
There will be occasions when it will be necessary to check blind spots on the move. These blind spots will be to either side, and should not require looking round, but rather a quick sideways glance.
Looking right round to check blind spots on the move is unnecessary and dangerous, especially when driving at high speeds; in the time it takes you'll lose touch with what's happening in front.

Take a quick sideways glance

• before changing lanes
• before joining a motorway or DC from a slip road
• before manoeuvring in situations where traffic is merging from left or right"