In recent years, the use of motorcycles and similar two wheeled vehicles has increased tremendously. "Bikes" as they are referred to in the vernacular, are used for recreation, such as trailriding; sport, such as racing and hill climbing; and last, but not least, as a basic economical mode of transportation.
Bike riding, however, whether for sport, or pleasure or necessity, subjects the rider to substantial danger of personal injury because in the event of a collision or loss of control of the bike, for any reason, the odds are that the rider will be thrown from the vehicle. Statistically it has been determined that a cyclist, who is thrown, will suffer severe, if not fatal head injuries unless some type of head protection is worn. Accordingly, most States have passed legislation requiring bike operators and passengers to wear protective head gear or suffer the penalty of fine or loss of operators license.
As a consequence of the noted events, protective head gear has been devised and marketed by many manufacturers and in general may be described as a high impact resistant plastic helmet shell covering the head except for the facial area and provided interiorily with some type of cushioning or suspension system whereby the helmet is firmly attached to the wearer's head but in the case of accident the cushioning or suspension system prevents violent impact from being transmitted from the impact resistant shell to the head.
Concurrently with the problem of head protection for bike operators another safety problem has evolved and that is the problem of providing adequate rear view vision for bike riders. Obviously rear vision is just as much a necessity for a bike rider as it is for the operator of a four wheeled vehicle in order to enable maneuvering of the vehicle with safety during lane changes, turning, or taking evasive action to escape possible rear end collision from a following vehicle. To date the provisions for rear vision have been unsatisfactory and in and of themselves constitute a safety hazard in the event of an accident. In general, rear vision is provided by one or more mirrors clamped to the bike handle bars and having an elongated standard which projects upwardly and outwardly to position the reflecting surface, i.e., the mirror in such a position as to provide the most wide spread field of rear vision. Since the mirrors or mirror are mounted ahead and to the side of the operator it is obvious that the operator himself or herself, as the case may be, blocks at least some of the viewing area to the rear of his trunk. Secondly, vibrations from the road and the bike engine are transmitted at least in part through the handle bars and the standard to the mirror itself with the result that, many times, the mirror or mirrors are vibrating so badly as to be substantially useless in providing any comprehensible rear vision. Additionally, in times of inclement weather exposed mirrors become so streaked or wet that the viewing area is practically obliterated.
Finally, should the bike operator be unfortunate enough to become involved in an accident, the mirrors, particularly the standards, become potentially lethal instruments should the operator be thrown forward so that his or her body comes in contact with them.