Extended mirrors on pickups-now another hazard

[Instant Karma]

I was out walking today, facing traffic about 3-4 foot away from the side of road, when some yahoo with a regular pickup with extended mirrors at least 2 to 3 feet long came very close to clipping me. I know semi trucks have them but they're way up high and if you're not an NBA player not much too worry about on those. But regular pickups with 'necks driving them probably don't even realize how close the mirrors are to hitting things on either side. There must be some kind of law regulating the length of these mirrors, isn't there? If you're riding on a bike with traffic, unless you're looking at your rear view mirror, you wouldn't even know what hit you if one these morons with extended mirrors smacked you. Probably right in the head too.

 

[Rassy]

I agree thats a real hazard. I don't remember or have any links, but there have been several deaths on Oregon rural roads over the past 10 years or so when bikers were clipped by mirrors.

The recumbents would be below any normal pickup mirrors.

State laws normally allow a mirror to extend up to 6 inches beyond the width of a truck body, even if the truck body is already at the maximum allowed width.

The problem now is a lot of the new pickups have built in "trailer" mirrors and clueless people leave them extended even when they don't have a trailer in tow. Of course if they were pulling a trailer they would be even more dangerous!

 

[dnmun]

you are kidding yourself if you think they don't know the mirrors are able to hit you. those people really don't care and they can always tell the cop it was an accident that you caused. that's how those people think and they would run over you if they could do it for free. they don't think you should even be on the same highway as their fat truck, and they can say it was your fault and when their friend the cop agrees, it is just free murder, and it does happen a lot. i once watched a guy in a camper take out a bicyclist with his mirror and then ran over his bike too. i doubt if the boy ever got any money for his hospitalization from their insurance company since they claimed he ran into them. still makes me sick to think about it. along with the drunk who killed my technician, doubt if he ever served a day in jail.

frocking alcoholics, why they can't tax alcohol at a decent rate of 2-3 bucks a bottle when it is so destructive is beyond me. putting all the black kids in jail for smoking pot and let all the drunks drive forever. 39% of all fatal accidents are caused by drunks, totally innocent people killed for free.

 

[velowatt]

Several years ago my wife & I were riding our tandem on an organized ride (Ride from Seattle to Vancouver and party = "RSVP") when we saw a pickup with extended mirrors hit a woman in front of us and keep going. She went down, had a scalp laceration and a concussion, checked out at hospital and was OK, but she was done with her ride. Other riders chaed and got the license # and called the pilice, but I don't know if they ever caught up with the driver. First time I thought about mirrors as a hazard. Since then I have noted truck mirrors whike riding and try to keep out of their range.

 

[Reid Welch]

agreeing with dnum, and I have read every post of this new thread five times over.

we, here in Miami, do not yet have this trouble.

but, by god, dnum is correct! I can offer no solution but to right a wrong, in advance, with a sharp, spring-deflecting scratch stick with bright yellow-green fluorescent flag camoflaging (sp) the deadly-to-paint, arrow-tip.

Not only will most any super-wide murderer try to miss that flag, but if he does not: his vehicle will be damaged.
only difference: you may still die. But he will have learned a lesson and not frock with cyclists.

oh, I am so upset I could go key a cop car, right now. Our Miami cops are brutal liars and thugs, three quarters of them.
No worry. I won't key a cop car, but I can dream.....and I will NOT be made victim of a clip-and-run killer vehicle "driver".
They will suffer big time if they so much as tap me. I'm armed.

 

[v_tach]

So... I have one of those trucks with the factory extendable tow mirrors. Because of that, I'm now a drunk redneck driving a deathmobile?

Damn drunk rednecks and their giant trucks. Damn The Man.

 

[Cackalacka]

So... I have one of those trucks with the factory extendable tow mirrors. Because of that, I'm now a drunk redneck driving a deathmobile?

Do you leave the mirrors extended for no apparent reason?

 

[v_tach]

No but that circumstance was not included in the assessment of such vehicle owners. Beside, having owned such vehicles for many years, I'd have to say driving with the mirrors unnecessary extended must be the exception. Such large vehicles are already challenging enough to navigate in tight quarters for daily driving. Bank drive-through's, parking garages, and even parking lots do not accommodate them well at all.

A particular vehicle doesn't make a driver irresponsible anymore than and irresponsible cyclist makes everyone on a bicycle irresponsible.

Tow mirrors have been around for decades and I've had the factory installed version on various trucks for years. They're nothing new.

 

[julesa]

A cyclist in a small town near me got hit in the back with a truck's mirror. The guy took off -- a hit and run. The cyclist later spotted the truck parked in its driveway...

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009735337_webbikechase25m.html?syndication=rss

 

[dogman dan]

I had one flick my ear once, back in the 70's. That woke me up out of the reefer haze Nowdays, with the reefer 20 years in the past, I ride very very, VERY aware, of every single one of cars that approach from behind, and check out each and every one in case I want to swerve into the ditch or somenthing. 99% of my riding route is pretty safe, with a wide bike lane on a little traveled frontage, or the bike trail. I get hyper alert when on a narrow two laner in the country.

 

[spinningmagnets]

I hate to see blatant assumptions and stereotypes, but if a pick-up truck with extended trailer mirrors is assumed to be an ultra-conservative redneck, May we conversely assume that the truck driver is assuming that a bicyclist is an anti-oil "stop development so we can save the mosquito" liberal?

Stereotypes become stereotypes because they are seen often enough to become a common point of conversation. I am reminded of a comic I saw just after 9-11 with a turbanned and bearded liquor-store owner with a T-shirt that said "Don't shoot, I'm Hindu, we hate Muslims TOO!".

On other bike forums, "cagers" (riding in a car is like living in a cage) and car drivers injuring/killing bicyclists are a frequent topic. Many have taken to having their cell-phone mounted on the handlebars "at the ready" to take a picture of cars that have thrown objects at the bikers (can of soda? ouch!).

It doesn't make me feel any better if a mirror hits me, and then the driver pulls over to apologize instead of laughing and driving off. Though I do have to wonder what percentage of biker injuries are done on purpose (assault, reckless disregard, involuntary manslaughter,...) partially because the truck drivers are pretty certain there will be no punishment. I wonder, whats the smallest paintball gun that has good range?...

 

[dogman dan]

Pretty sure the truck that flicked my ear swerved towards me, at least I think so, since they swerved back onto the road after, and I could hear em laughing. This was back in the days when a ponytail definitelly got stuff thrown at you by cowboys and farmers. Too bad they didn't stop, I carried numchucks in those days.

Now the big worry is just passing the local high school, where they drive 20 mph over the speed limit while texting. Or the morning ride, where they might be shaving or putting on make up while driving.

 

[diver]

anyone that rides a bike without mirrors is just plain crazy IMHO

 

[dnmun]

put three foot wide mirrors on your bike too. load the tip with exploding paint balls so when they get that close it blows paint all over the hood. maybe mount it on back sticking out from the rear rack.

maybe put an 'explosives' warning sign on the back to meet DOT regulations. pointed to the paint ball grenade on the end of the wand sticking out there. wouldn't that be nice?

sometimes in traffic i see people cut so close to bicyclists i wanna just stop them and yell at them about how inconsiderate and dangerous it is. but the cops would arrest me and charge me with harrassment.