Using a shiney thing to get cagers to look at them seems bad
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/20...odle-makes-toronto-streets-safer-for-him.html
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/20...odle-makes-toronto-streets-safer-for-him.html
Target Fixation for Bicyclists making themselves Targets
- Thread starter Butch
- Start date
ctwo
Merely Rhetorical
I face bicyclists daily with high intensity full on strobe headlights in the dark. I mean full on/off high intensity lighting at several hertz. Most dangerous. That needs to stop.
A half serious question is if I can bolt that onto my MC helmet?
Bicyclists already have a 6 foot snowflake zone around them so I don't care about the pool noodle. I worry more about mothers and their baby strollers, which have no such protection.
A half serious question is if I can bolt that onto my MC helmet?
Bicyclists already have a 6 foot snowflake zone around them so I don't care about the pool noodle. I worry more about mothers and their baby strollers, which have no such protection.
thepretender
Well-known member
I give bicyclist the full 3 feet of space, I do however use lizard feet for measurement so it might seem a little close.
Lifelong cyclist here. Like others, I hate seeing those front-facing strobes on other cyclists, and I don't use them. I also have no idea why anyone would want to ride in the dark with their light going on and off like that. The most people can tell me is they are not concerned about seeing as much as they are about being seen.
sckego
doesn't like crashing
The reason for strobing lights is battery life - since the light is operating at a reduced duty cycle, batteries will last several times as long compared to solid-on. And since on a bicycle the light is mainly to alert others of your presence, rather than illuminate the road, strobing still works fine.
More than battery life, the strobe is used so that their light doesn't blend into the sea of traffic lights. The issue is that most cyclists don't bother to check the aim of their lights and have no idea it's a problem. Each morning I commute by bicycle, I take 10 seconds to point my bike at the garage door and make sure it's not pointing too high. Since most of us remove the light to charge it before each use, you have to check the aim every single time.
ThinkFast
Live Long
Disagree entirely. First of all, a pool noodle isn’t any shinier than anything else on a bicycle. Secondly, the first time I saw this my first thought was, “That’s brilliant.”
Why? Because as a bicyclist and motorcyclist, one of the challenges we face in a shared road environment is making ourselves appear larger than we actually are so vehicles don’t take unsafe liberties in trying to sneak by us in the same lane we’re in. Sometimes there’s room for that, sometimes there is not. Road racing taught me a lot about riding, including learning how to make myself appear larger on the track than I actually was by using lane position and riding line. As a defensive ploy this is something I’m guessing all racers learn how to do to some degree at least.
And it translates directly to street riding, where we’re so vulnerable on two wheels to multi-ton vehicles we share the road with. The pool noodle is brilliant because it creates the illusion of size, forcing others to give the cyclist the leeway they are legally entitled to, but that is often compromised by careless drivers.
(As for those of you complaining about the strobing headlight on bicycles, I take it none of you has or is in favor of Moto headlight modulators, right?)
chickenfried
Super Noob
I always confused by the disdain some motorcyclists have for bicyclists. They should be kindred spirits as vulnerable users of the roads rather than enemies.
One simple reason for that, idiots that open their doors without looking first to see if it's safe, something that's actually illegal in Ca but still happens all the time. You either give room for people to do this without warning, or risk a pretty serious head injury as you go OTB into the door or through the window.
True... good point. :thumbup
I can tell ya this after commuting by bicycle for a few years now. It's pretty much dog-eat-dog out there. Not only are you worried about cars crowding you but other cyclists. I don't "do the noodle" but I've seen it. It's effective. I don't blame anyone for doing whatever it takes to stay safe. Cyclists face the same hazards we do without the benefit of leathers, noise, good brakes, good traction, or a throttle.
295566
Numbers McGee
As a moto rider, I think it's our responsibility to know where we fit in traffic, and be able to avoid cars. This is because we are faster and more nimble than most cars. Not so much the case with bicycles. They are the ones slower than traffic, so being seen is a much larger issue for them.
Also, headlight modulators are not legal at nighttime.
ctwo
Merely Rhetorical
I feel pretty nimble on my bicycles, at same speed more so than on my motorcycle. I can't accelerate as fast, but can huff it pretty good to the bicycle's speed, and stop faster.
Acceleration seems a little bit of false security though.
Is there anything about full-on/off, high intensity strobe lights for bicycles? They are like lasers.
Acceleration seems a little bit of false security though.
Is there anything about full-on/off, high intensity strobe lights for bicycles? They are like lasers.
I'm not aware of any specific laws regarding lighting on bicycles, just reflector placement.
FWIW, 'good' lights don't simply flash, they modulate and don't use steady patterns. My fav brand in Light and Motion (in Monterey), here's an example of their flash pattern. Vis 180 tail light The headlight has the same pattern.
I only use front flash during the day so that cars are less likely to pull out in front of me, something that happens way too often (smidsy maybe?). Tail light is on brightest setting during the day and dimmest setting at night. And like I said, taking the time to check the aim before rolling out 'should' be part of your pre-ride check, but I'm sure we all know at least one careless rider,,, on either style of bike.
I dont know about laws but here in Muricuh its not about whats legal or illegal, its about what’s enforced, and unless you live in a bike town like davis theres no requirements to have lights on your bicycle. Davis police definitely will write you a ticket if youre riding at night with no headlight or tail lights.
I dont know whos beaconed by a fun noodle or a light to commit vehicular manslaughter, but if you are please pm me with your name, address, social security number etc.
I dont know whos beaconed by a fun noodle or a light to commit vehicular manslaughter, but if you are please pm me with your name, address, social security number etc.
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Do you have discs on your bicycle? not sure ive ever felt like i could out brake a motorcycle on a bicycle with two pieces of rubber rubbing against a wheel that i pulled together with a metal wire. my bicycle may be light but Im still a buck eighty with two quarter-sized contact patches for grip. For me, the saving grace of a bicycle in any NDE is just how easy it is to change directions. So as long as im not boxed in by cars i can swerve out of the way of anything ahead of me, which is why 3 feet passing should be treated as a minimum. If vehicles can pass with more space, that would be just swell.
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