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?!

Yes I do. Though often it just reinforces how hard it is to see! I check my mirrors a lot too.

I ve come across you on the Motorway several times, usually ends with you severing back into your original lane as you see me at the last moment.

No failing to check and then hitting another vehicle or killing a cyclist is far worse.

From the Institute of Advanced Motorists:

The "Shoulder Check" (Head Check)

• Physical Observation: Mirrors do not cover everything. Before changing lanes, merging, or making a turn, you must perform a quick glance over your shoulder to check the area not covered by mirrors.
• When to Check:
• Moving off from a stationary position.
• Changing lanes on a motorway or dual carriageway
• Turning at junctions (checking for cyclists/pedestrians).
• Parallel parking or reversing.

Like i said earlier, UK driving standards are shocking, so many people are hazard to themselves and others but argue they are not.

Can’t believe the rubbish on this thread. Well actually I can given the abysmal driving I often see on the motorway. Always check. Your blind spot may be minimal but where safety and potential loss of life is at stake, that minimal blind spot needs checking! You can’t rely on other road users to drive properly.

I agree. This thread has been both shocking and terrifying to read!

When my Father died I had his car and when changing lanes in the bright sun I used to see a flash of metal in the window and worry it was another car, my heart would race because I'd believed I had nearly pulled out in front of a car coming up my outside. In reality it was the reflection off a shiny dial on the dash board which gave the impression it was an approaching car. Horrible feeling!

I had wondered why this dial had a sticky black substance on it and then realised the same thing must have happened to him and he'd put tape on it to stop the reflection and over time the tape had come off.

I do. Once or twice I forgot over the years and saw a car and that put the wind up me

As I cyclist I’m finding this thread terrifying. @cucumber4745 this is what the Highway Code says. So yes you are advised to check. And definitely for moving off. I passed my driving test 14 years ago, so relatively recently but and definitely learned to check. I got - 100% in my theory test so know the rules pretty well. I always checked even when we had a car with a blind spot indicator.

I think a PP said that not if you’re turning right not to check and that would be wrong too, especially on urban roads where you’re likely to get cyclists and motorcyclists filtering right. It’s a small chance sure that someone will come up on your right when you’re turning but they’ll be seriously hurt or killed if you hit them.

The number of people on phones, not signaling and not checking mirrors I see daily is appalling. But I didn’t realise so many people thought they don’t have to check the blind spot.

@Runssometimes Scroll back! I posted that some time ago and people argued about glancing sideways! They argued that drivers should be looking over their shoulder. That is a longer and more deliberate look backwards and on a motorway it’s not safe! Pulling out from a parking space is entirely different. As a cyclist you won’t be on a motorway.

I’ve said repeatedly that being aware of others cars on a motorway is vital. How fast are they going, are they approaching quickly from behind, do you have time to overtake? Whilst travelling at 60mph plus a quick glance to the right is fine when you know where other road users are in relation to you. It’s poor driving not to know a vehicle has arrived in your blind spot! However checking by a glance sideways is vital before maneuvering.

If you are changing lanes you won’t be doing the same speed.

Bad assumption to make

You ignore that the driver behind you is looking at the same road ahead and may also be making the exact same decisions you are making except they have applied bigger acceleration rate than you have.

Dont Assume that the vehicles which are behind you will remain at the constant rate they are currently traveling.

This is why some cars just appear out of "nowhere".
Or why cars can move from the merge lane /lane 1 to lane 3 in one "sweeping" move

The extent of your shoulder check will also depend on the car you're driving, the position of your drivers seat (forward or back), the position/width of the door pillars, the shape of the side windows, etc.

Well you learn something everyday.

I'm sure my instructor told me if mirrors are correctly positioned (which is the thing you do need to check) there is no blind spot.

I've never looked over my shoulder in my life, and I'm not sure how I could comfortably and safely do that whilst driving.

And yet, I've managed to drive safely for 40 years.

I have a blind spot indicator on my car now which is brilliant, saves me looking if it is going off. But if it wasn’t going off I’d still check over my shoulder before pulling out.

I didn’t check well enough when I was a younger inexperienced driver and it was only the alertness of the other driver that prevented an accident. Never made that mistake again!

I regularly, perhaps once a week, see drivers starting to pull out then jerking back into their lane when they realise someone is there, sometimes at high speeds. Going by some of the lack of driving knowledge on this thread it is obvious now why. Accidents waiting to happen. ☹️

If that were reliable, I don't think the Highway Code would mention blind spots.

Not even at an awkward junction? I’ve been at junctions where you have to move in your seat and look behind/along your shoulder to see properly

No. Nobody talking about looking ‘over Your shoulder’ means a long peer at the passengers in the back. They mean a sideways head turn and eye flick to cover the blind spot - which isn’t directly behind but rather to the rear proportion of alongside. It’s you (and a few others) being a bit obtuse and insisting they mean they will turn right round and take ages.

I not only check my blind spot, I avoid returning to the second lane from the third lane into the blind spot of someone in the first lane in case they're about to pull out without having checked their blind spot.

Always drive defensively. Even if you're right that you're a good driver, you can't guarantee it in anyone else.

Yes I always check. And I tell my DH off for driving in other people's blind spots - it's so dangerous. My instructor was former police so he was very hot on safe driving, so I have a lot of awareness of how other drivers behave and I assume everyone else is an idiot/not paying attention.

I've never looked over my shoulder in my life, and I'm not sure how I could comfortably and safely do that whilst driving.

40 years of driving yet you never ever had a WTaFfffffk!! moment ?

True but i bet you've seen a few pile ups in your mirrors though...

I drove around 35k per year when i working, numerous company cars & a few driving courses, never yet had a car that can eliminate blind spots, all you need to do is turn your head 30 or 40 degrees and peripheral vision will do the rest.

Are you sure you're not leaving a stream of accidents or close calls in your wake?

I was beginning to wonder if I was the only person that also did this, especially on reasonably clear motorways but if it looks like they are coming up on something else. I'm beginning to wonder if it's a bit of a lost art, driving with anticipation and 360 awareness.

I'm glad I'm not the only one too!

@JarvisIsland I’ve been bleating on about knowing what is around you on a motorway and what’s coming from behind and at what pace. You should not be surprised by a blind spot. It can be that someone has manoeuvred into it but, as the highway code says, a sideways glance picks it up.