Originally Posted by
genec
I think that "through the mirror" thing is the problem... the eyes keep trying to focus ON the mirror... I'll give it some time... Thanks... I had a feeling it was something like that.
It'll probably suddenly "click," like those magic vision posters.
Originally Posted by
banerjek
This will definitely prevent you from seeing anything.
Mirror placement is important. Glancing into it needs to be a natural process or else you'll find yourself looking for (and then at) it. If the image reflected back needs to be interpreted because the mirror angle is weird, that could also throw you off.
Originally Posted by
Jim from Boston
Not to one-up, but
I use both right and left review mirrors [link), and I don't recall much difficulty with first the left one.
IMO, eyeglass mounted (since I wear prescription eyeglasses) are the most useful. I kept knocking off handlebar and helmet mirrors and the eyeglass (or helmet mirror) is in view when you rise from the saddle.
[u]The main drawbacks I think are the possibility of eye or face injuries, and as you have described, fiddling with it and not paying attention to traffic and the road.
I could relate to the magic vision posters. I took a long time to see what others saw.
Originally Posted by
noisebeam
I put a significant effort to try and get an eyeglass mirror to work . Even used one for 2mo straight on my daily commute
. But in the end that mirror was too much of a peripheral vision distraction for me that never went away - like that feeling someone has their hand next to your head and may slap you any second, or on a bicycle the feeling of a car approaching from the left when there wasn't one.
But also and equally problematic is I could never adjust it so I could glance at it and see behind me without contorting my head each time to see over shoulder. I was told it was not usable when in low position, so what is the point if I need to sit up right to see behind me?...
Originally Posted by
banerjek
I experimented with a number of different mirror configurations before settling in on a glasses mirror (specifically, the Take-A-Look).
The biggest advantages of the glasses mirror was greatest control over mirror placement/configuration and least susceptible to vibration. I tried helmet mirrors for quite awhile, and they never worked quite as well.
I like flat glass. Zero visual distortion is incredibly useful for judging distances, especially when making tight decisions on space. With helmet and glasses mounted mirrors, there's no reason to go convex because you can see anywhere behind you, including the opposite side of the mirror.
With regards to injury and distraction concerns others raised, I find the mirror prevents distraction as I can look in front and behind at the same time. I have crashed a few times with my mirror, my experience is it comes off in a way that doesn't lead to you getting speared.
This morning while riding I scrutinized my usual comfortable mirror viewing on my well-placed mirrors, and I could not detect any change in in visual accomodation as I glanced from the road to the mirror.
I seemed to focus on the mirror. When I look at those magic vision posters, I do have to conscientiously vary my focal planes to achieve success.
When I suggested drawbacks to an eyeglass-mounted mirror, these were speculative considerations, though subscriber @
ItsJustMe has posted about a facial injury. I’ve never felt threatened by my mirror, though I do admit that my right hand mirror position is a “blind spot” on my right to sideways traffic, but it’s easy to look forward of it, as it continuously changes its relative position.