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?!

People aren't taught how to drive on motorways when they're learning, which is 1. Insane IMO and 2. When you're most likely to need to check your blind spot.

Yes I do check my blind spot.

No way?? I'm only just learning g now and mine says I need to look 🙈

Except when it doesnt of course

I don’t always check. I’m a very conscious mirror checker, I don’t drive on busy roads, and my car has blind spot detectors (which to be honest I hate). But if I’m driving on a busier road I will. To be honest I’m a wimp and wouldn’t overtake unless I was absolutely sure there wasn’t anything anywhere near me.

Your relative is completely clueless. So many thick-as-shit people around (with driving licences).

Yes, because I ride a motorbike ... But I ride it as if no driver does. It's why you'll often find motorcyclists overtaking you quite quickly, i.e. to get out of your blind spot.

I wonder if he could & would be willing to raise the issue with the authorities that SOME driving instructors are teaching NOT to look & telling people they'll fail their test if they do.

So you never go round a roundabout or simply have to change lane to get onto your route? You don’t check your left blind spot when turning into side streets incase of cyclists? It’s not really about overtaking.

It’s perfectly safe. Not checking the area not covered by your mirrors before changing lane, on the other hand, is unsafe.

And for people who don't ... It's called a 'lifesaver' for a reason. A motorcylist will kind of auto-dismount - as my husband did a few years back when he was side swiped by a driver who hadn't checked his blind spot. Both were travelling at speed on a dual carriageway. The bike was totalled. He bounced about 50 yards down the road but was wearing full gear so just got up and walked away (he scratched the back of his hand). However, the driver and his car weren't so lucky. No crumple zones on the side of a car. No airbags in the door. Luckily the kid was sitting on the opposite side of the vehicle to the impact. Because half a tonne of motorcycle sure does make a considerable dent.

I mean people still block others from zip merging so I just drive as though everyone else is an idiot
total accidents - 2. Both because I was rear ended. I didn’t hit the cars in front as I left plenty of room too

Yes-once nearly knocked over a motorbike - in my blind spot. I also have tiny little stick on 'blind spot' mirrors.

Yes every single time but then it’s my job and I teach kids to drive

Driving instructor here. Always check blind spot by looking over when moving away from the side of the road. However when lane changing on dual carriageway/motorway check to the right as well as mirrors, but don’t look over your shoulder, reason being you can lose your steering that way, which obviously would be catastrophic in that situation.

You should be mirror checking enough to have a good idea of what is around you anyway on a dual carriageway or motorway.

As for the ‘my driving instructor said this so it’s proof responses’ - instructors never stop rowing about how to do things properly, we are renowned for it!

I saw a television programme a few years ago where they showed poor drivers what dangers they missed by not checking the blind spot. It was an eye opener (pun intended!). I had got lazy and relied on my mirrors and general awareness. I now always check the blind spot.

This is wrong.

I had to do an advanced driving skills test for work that included motorway driving, they said I braked too hard, accelerated too hard and stopped too close to the cars in front at junctions. They did however praise my blind spot checks, apparently I was the only employee that did them enough.

Humans don't have the 360 vision and you simply cannot be fully aware of the traffic situation around you at all times, not least because you cannot account for the actions of other road users.

Anyway I took their advice on board and drive more gently now and always try to make sure I can see when the tyres of the car in front of me touch the tarmac when stationary at a junction to ensure there's plenty of gap.

You should always check your blind spot when changing lanes.

Always. I’m a cyclist too

That’s exactly what Dd was told.

No wonder there are so many accidents on fast moving roads where vehicles go in to the back of each other. Those of you looking over your shoulder, do you realise how quickly things can happen in front of you? How quickly fast moving traffic can come to a standstill? How quickly someone can move in to your lane in front of you then brake? 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. Eyes everywhere, facing forwards.
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.

My nephew was killed by someone who didn’t see him riding his motorbike, 6 years ago. I think of him every single time I get in my car.

You know what’s around you - except for your blind spot. It’s not covered by mirrors

Yes, every single time. A particular incident soon after I passed my test, really cemeted it in my brain for life. I was on the motorway alone, checked all my mirrors, and couldn't see anything, hadn't noticed anyone for a while but just before moving out to overtake, I checked my blind spot and right there was a massive BMW. Until you've experienced that "omg the instructor was not lying! You can fit an entire car in a blind spot!" experience, I think it's possible to always slightly doubt it. Luckily for me, it wasn't an actual incident, and was just a potential one but it blew my mind enough that I've always remembered it.

You'll know it's worthwhile the one time, you think: "Where the fuck did that come from. How the hell did I miss that?" And spend the next ten minutes in an adrenaline rush knowing that old people are right.

If you haven't had that moment yet, it will come.

It’s a quick glimpse before changing lanes or pulling away, not gawping out of the window whilst driving at speed waiting for something to happen. If you sat staring at your mirrors for more than a second by your logic the same thing would happen, but you don’t, quick glimpse and eyes back in front.

People go into the back of each other usually because they’re on their phone, staring at something else, were driving up someone’s arse or just didn’t brake enough.

Yet.

it's perfectly safe, I'd argue if you can't do it. You shouldn't be driving.