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?!

When I did my bike test my instructor had me stationary on the bike in the compound. He said keep looking forward, don't turn your head, look in the offside mirror. When you see me approaching (from a fair way down the compound) let me know.

The next thing he had his hand on my shoulder, I was totally oblivious.

I always check, both offside and nearside, every time.
Even when turning into other roads.

Always. I was a biker in my youth and it was known as the lifesaver for a reason.

Im really surprised that people are saying they are taught not too look.

I nearly hit someone who was in my blind spot. I checked my mirrors, the road was busy, I thought I had a gap. The road is a bit awkward in that people joining from the left tend to want to swap to the right and visa versa due to leaving the motorway, otherwise youd be driving back the way you came. But I always check now regardless after that instance.

Repeatedly checking mirrors is what I was taught to do.

I personally find it feels safer to look over my shoulder quickly though, and I do that now. I don’t see how you’d drift, but that was the instructor’s rationale.

The Highway Code actually shows a picture of a driver looking right over her shoulder!

I am sure this poster is telling the truth about what she was told by her instructor- I am just so horrified that instructors are not just failing to equip learners to drive safely, but actually telling them to drive in a way that means they are a danger to themselves & other road users!

My partner rides a motorbike & it is awful to think there are people driving so dangerously - and even worse, so defensive & unwilling to take this on board and change.

I saw this too when I googled.

I also saw advanced driving instructors arguing over it and reference to ‘the latest guidelines’ saying no shoulder check. But I couldn’t find which guidelines these actually are 🤔

I was hit on the motorway by a vehicle who changed lanes without checking their blind spot. They sent me spinning and only was not killed by no car being in the inside line at the moment I crossed its path, up an embankment and into a ditch. Check. your. Blindspot.

The high way code says:

Using the road - General rules (159 to 161) - THE HIGHWAY CODE https://share.google/jvnGEoQ4YUWaTK1rL

And yes, I check mine, particularly after an incident many years ago where a car appeared at speed that I didn't see in mirrors and was undertaking me as I was about to pull in. Didn't crash, but scared the bejeezuz out of me!

Edited to add, a lot of new cars have blindspot software that notifies you via wing mirrors, are some suggesting this maybe is why mirrors only?

My own eyes will never be an 'out of date' way of checking it's safe to move off/change lanes.

any instructor saying that would soon be replaced with one who isn't such an idiot & reported.

relying on mirrors & technology gets people killed. Especially bike riders.

I look but I also have a camera that shows a view as soon as I indicate and a little light that comes on by my mirror to tell me if it’s safe to move. They’re useful but wouldn’t stand up in court.

Had a biker in my blind spot today while sat at traffic lights. He came up on my right in the same lane and I was turning right, he wasn’t visible in my mirror due to how he was positioned and I wouldn’t have seen him prior to making the turn had I not physically looked at what was next to me.

Im amazed that there is so much questioning from other posters about what people like me and you were taught. I was absolutely taught the same as you and by doing so, nothing should be a surprise, I think he said something along the lines that my eyes should never be still, should be moving all over between mirros all the time.

Professionals of all colours and stripes disagree on all sorts of things, its not a surprise that there are differences of opinion on this. It doesnt make people wrong.

My husband is also a motorcyclist. I always check.

Yes about 10 times if not more. It takes a second to kill someone in a car. I lost three friends when I was 17 as the driver didn't look. I wasn't there but the news the next day at school killed us all.

She would have passed if she had looked over her shoulder too.

The fact that some mirin's are teaching mearnsmers not to LOOK us fucking frightening & another reason our rusds have become so dangerous. Teach her to LOOK. If she drifts. Practice.

By looking over my shoulder? No. Because our 'car' is a bloody great big van with zero vision (except the pillar) if I look over my shoulder. I do check both the main mirror and the blind spot mirror (although it took me a while to fully trust what I was seeing in it). I can't use the rear view mirror either because all that shows is our wheelchair ramp (and the little cherub in his wheelchair behind me).

Religiously! Was cocky when younger and nearly shat myself driving into someone at 70mph which cured it

Absolutely eye opening thread isn't it?😲

Yes I do, well now I do. I didn’t for a long time as my car had an alarm (and boy was it sensitive!) if there was something in my blind spot. However, I changed my car last summer, car doesn’t have a sensor and I had a near miss on the motorway recently.

Absolutely terrifying, so I now always have a quick glimpse over my shoulder

Always always always. I'm even more vigilant now my husband rides a motorbike but I have always been a blind spot checker.

That’s a bit bonkers. As then there could be another speedy/hidden danger as a third for the second look 🫣

why does your whole body move? I wonder if you need an adapted car of some sort. I think some newer cars have special mirrors for blind spots.

I definitely always check. Just to be sure. My mirrors don’t tell me enough and I’ve almost been caught out a few times. If I hadn’t of checked I would have had a crash/near miss. I find it especially important in bad weather and the dark when some lights can be so bright (cars) and distort the view a bit.

Which is what Dd was taught to do. But what of the person in your blind spot isn’t over taking but has caught you up and then matches your speed while sitting in your blind spot? They could potentially be in your blind spot on both checks.

It’s terrifying actually. I thought it was common sense!!

I know lazy journalists from the Daily Mail sometimes pick up Mumsnet threads. I think this is one thread that deserves - NEEDS! - to be picked up & covered nationally. Because there are obstinate people on here who are a terrifying danger to others and should not be on the road - and no doubt many many more, too many, in the country at large.

People need educating about this - which absolutely should not be the case.

I hate to think of my DP on his bike being injured or killed by one of these people ranting about how if they move their head right to look in the blind spot they will have to move the wheel right too. Just crazy.

Always