Like most of us, I’m sure that if every time you turned your head and there was nobody there you got 20p you could probably go on holiday. But don’t drop that habit just yet.
Today I had an experience that really made me realize that. I turned my head for the 285th time in my 10-hour day and gee wiz, THERE WAS A CAR THERE I had no idea about. At full clip on the North Circular, in the fast lane. If I wouldn’t have done that shoulder check it could have gotten really ugly.
But someone should tell the car driver coming down Embankment this morning that when you turn your head to check before pulling away, you need to at some point turn it back again to face the front - especially if you are travelling on the wrong side of the road towards an approaching motorcycle!
yeah its a important check to keep up, the number of times ive been lazy and just used my mirrors! lets all keep using them!! lifesavers and mirrors!!!
You can always spot motorcyclists around town as they do life savers when walking along
Important point regarding life savers is to actually look & see when you turn your head - a mate looked but didn’t see the other week when changing lanes; could have been v nasty…
I think I do that! I even caught myself nodding at another biker walking along the pavement carrying his helmet whilst I was on the way to a meeting… fully suited up city style. He gave me a rather odd look and I slinked off to look for a cab
I have done this a few times in the car and on the bike. Its very easy done and it really makes your sh1t your pants when you start to move across after looking in your mirrors then seeing a car right next to you!
Also useful when turning left from stationary at a set of lights. A few cyclists like to think that as they are in a cycle lane they have the right of way even though you are ahead of them.
Always do me life-savers, as there have been plenty of occasions where they have been very useful. It’s not only nutty car drivers and cyclists you have to look out for, but the suicidal work-suited scooter commuters that just dart up either side of you at perfectly stupid points.
Me too lol!
It was rammed into us so much throughout training I was, and still do, find myself doing it in Tescos!
Most important, its shocking how quickly vehicles suddenly appear after first checking.
