My view of mirrors might work for you or not, but as a retired truck driver with over two million accident free miles I have seen my share of crazy drivers in the mirrors of trucks I have driven and my conclusion is that mirrors are incredible. Looking back at the sunset, or checking for a bug in your teeth, or fixing your hair before you go into a restaurant is only part of the uses of the multi functioning incredible mirror. Using mirrors as part your driving/riding skills can have a tremendous effect on your safety. Mirrors supply as much information about your surroundings behind you as does looking forward or to the side while you’re tooling down the road.

Mirrors will help you maintain a safe and steady following distance in a group of bikes rolling down the highway on a major run like the Legacy Run, or just you and a buddy gliding down the road in a staggered formation. You have probably heard me mention following distances for individuals in a group; keep your eyes peeled about 12 seconds of distance out to your front, while keeping 2 seconds of following distance for the motorcycle directly ahead of you, and 1 second of following distance to the bike on your left or right in a staggered formation. The bike staggered to your left or right ahead of you should be close enough for you to see the riders face in their mirror. This will automatically put you close to the correct 1 second following distance. Never ride so tight that the rear tire of the bike ahead is parallel with your front tire. They can’t see you in their mirror and if they need to swerve they will take out your front tire and toss you to the ground like a salad.

Mirrors tell much about traffic behind you such as, are they gaining on you quickly, or has that car following you crossed the center line once or twice. They could be drunk, or might be having a medical problem making it difficult for them to drive. You foresee the problem behind you with the incredible mirror and take action not to become part of their world. The same goes when you are waiting at a stop light or sign, check your mirrors constantly for a vehicle behind you that didn’t see the stop sign. Check your mirrors when you slow down before stopping, if someone in your mirrors has been following you a little closer than you care for slow down early before the stop, that way you can control the speed of the tailgater vehicle behind you. They might not like the slow approach to the stop sign, but this will bring the upcoming stop to their attention early as well.

Riding on two lane blacktop like we do most of the time, in most weather, the wonderful incredible mirror has even another roll. When the temp is dropping and the road is wet, or the rain is increasing, check your mirrors for your tire print on the pavement. When you don’t see your tire track any longer on a wet road in a heavy rain it’s time to slow down and/or take a break.

John ‘Hammer” Hanzlik

ALR Road Captain

Chapter 1 Post 1 Omaha

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