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Mirrors are a terrible idea on a cycle. They breed a false sense of security as you think its clear, but they dont provide a complete view of the road behind. As such you must always look and shoulder check, you're trained to do that in a car which has 'car quality' mirrors, you fail your driving test (for good reason) if you only use mirrors, so why bother having them on a cycle?
Jameo
We are, and I had to do it (unwillingly) on my advanced test. But I'm fairly certain that the rule was brought in decades ago as a failsafe because some motorbikes have useless mirrors. A few years back they were all rubbish, except the BMW ones.
If you have a motorbike with car-quality mirrors, and you check them often, it's not possible for anything to get into your blind spot without you seeing it on its approach. Mirrors need to be used well.
I find that a bike without a mirror is as awkward as a car without a mirror. (I mean the centrally mounted mirror, paired with a clear rear window.)
Round the world cyclist Heinz Stucke, the world's most travelled man (or something) used to say that a mirror is more important than a helmet. But mirrors will never be something that the cool cyclists use. I've never seen a full size mirror on a posh racing bike. Not once. Except on my bike. They go in the same category as the reflectors and pie dish on a Halfords kids' bike.