Joined: May 2006 Gender: Male Posts: 132 Location: spokane, WA Karma: 2
Bike safety « Thread Started on Nov 5, 2009, 11:13am »
Any tips on preventing myself from getting squished on the road? I have had three really close calls this week and I am a bit rattled. Shaking my fist at a passing car just isn't cutting it. Wondering if I can do anything to make commuting a bit safer other than the obvious blinking light. Where do you ride on the road? Close to the edge or more toward the traffic? I've heard theories on both sides of the coin. thoughts?
Re: Bike safety « Reply #1 on Nov 5, 2009, 11:46am »
Wow, huge topic there Sean. Keeping safe from cars is one of my biggest preoccupation. I'm sure others are the same. Here's my 2 cents:
1)Ride predictably and consistently. This means riding in a strait line without weaving in the lane, maintaining a constant speed as much as possible, and using hand signals when needed (middle finger should be used sparingly).
2)Practice “vehicular cycling”. This basically is following the same rules of the road as cars do. I think there are some controversial aspects of vehicular cycling, such as taking a whole lane, which need to be used with judgment. I also believe in stopping for all stop signs (usually) and not running red lights. This is partially for safety, and partially to gain respect from the automobile community. Nothing irritates drivers more than cyclists not obeying the laws. .
3)Try to be visible. In other words, always be in your SRV kit, and use flashers in low visibility conditions.
4)I don’t know if this is a rule, but obviously I try to stay off of the busy streets.
Joined: Feb 2009 Gender: Male Posts: 132 Location: Greenacres its the place to be Karma: 2
Re: Bike safety « Reply #2 on Nov 5, 2009, 3:16pm »
i'll add
- use the 'point where yer going' hand signal (rather than the confusing bent elbow for right turns) - dont squeeze inside a line of cars waiting to turn right, everyone gets confused. - if riding in the lane, dont dawdle, ride hard - avoid obvious dangerous roads - practice golden rule cycling (if you were in the car, how would you like the bike to behave?)
Re: Bike safety « Reply #3 on Nov 5, 2009, 4:37pm »
or just ride with a gun strapped to your leg! bet they dont mess with ya then. but seriously, there will always be idiot drivers out there not paying attention or even care, even if your doing everything right. stay sharp, ride hard!
Joined: Nov 2008 Gender: Male Posts: 309 Location: near the coffeemaker Karma: 4
Re: Bike safety « Reply #4 on Nov 5, 2009, 6:39pm »
In addition to the good advice the guys already gave here, I'm full of suggestions on lighting and reflectivity if you think people just aren't seeing you well.
What sort of scenarios are you in, anyway? The incidents you mentioned, were they people overtaking you, coming towards you, or coming from a side approach, or what?
In addition to the good advice the guys already gave here, I'm full of suggestions on lighting and reflectivity if you think people just aren't seeing you well.
If anyone has not seen Tom's doctoral thesis on bicycle lighting, I would encourage reading it. It's pretty much A-Z.
Joined: May 2006 Gender: Male Posts: 850 Location: Spokane, WA Karma: 4
Re: Bike safety « Reply #6 on Nov 6, 2009, 9:19am »
SUPER agree with the following: - use the 'point where yer going' hand signal (rather than the confusing bent elbow for right turns) - dont squeeze inside a line of cars waiting to turn right, everyone gets confused. [Side Note: If you are doing this and a car turns right without looking and hits you, you the cyclist are at fault, not the driver. Since you were creating a lane of travel that doesn't exist, you would be at fault. However, the exception is bike lanes. You can overtake on the right if you're in a bike lane. But be careful as most drivers won't remember there's a bike lane to their right.] - if riding in the lane, dont dawdle, ride hard - avoid obvious dangerous roads - wear blinkys and reflectors. [I don't have them on my race bike but that's because I don't take it out anytime that visibility is lowered. But all my other bikes are like Christmas trees.]
Additionally: - Ride about two to three feet to the right of the white line, pretty much at all times. This forces drivers to either hit you or cross into oncoming traffic. When you ride too far to the right, it implies to drivers that you don't belong, that you're not a factor in their driving, and that you're giving them the right to pass you whenever they feel like it. Stay in the equation. VERY FEW cyclists are actually hit from behind.
- NEVER ride on the sidewalks. It might seem safer, but at every intersection you'll need to jump off the sidewalk and into the road then back on the sidewalk. This confuses cars who are trying to figure out where you're going. And often, sidewalks don't have straight lines through intersections, meaning that you'll have to swerve to get from one to the other, frustrating and confusing drivers.
And, yeah, I occasionally break all these rules at times so I know I'm a hypocrite.
If your going to take a lane, take the right side tire rut the cars have created in the road way, just like someone already said, they "cars" are forced to see you and steer around you. That is what almost all bicycle advocacy groups promote.
Joined: May 2006 Gender: Male Posts: 132 Location: spokane, WA Karma: 2
Re: Bike safety « Reply #10 on Nov 6, 2009, 11:14pm »
Thanks for the tips. I appreciate everyone taking the time. I suppose I was looking for people's opinions/experience about where to be in the road. Each of the three close calls I had this week were with cars buzzing past me from behind. One actually brushed my sleeve with their mirror. But, each was on busy roads too. I try my best to avoid the busy roads, but as you know, it is impossible to avoid all of them. I do ride as close to the edge as i can, so maybe that is my problem.
I think I'll add an extra blinker up a little higher on my back or helmet. I've thought about the firearm, but I'm a real weight geek, so unless I can pack some carbon fiber heat, I'll have to stick to extending selected fingers.
Joined: Nov 2008 Gender: Male Posts: 309 Location: near the coffeemaker Karma: 4
Re: Bike safety « Reply #11 on Nov 7, 2009, 8:34pm »
If you have the money, DiNotte's 140-series taillights have serious power. $120 for the AA-powered version, $230 for the lithium-ion version. I know it sounds like a lot of money, but I have no regrets about getting mine. I can't afford to get hurt. The 5-pulse blinking mode is your best bet for getting noticed.
If you can't afford the DiNotte, the Planet Bike SuperFlash is one of the next-best choices. Make sure to aim it straight & level if you're mounting it to the bike, because the beam has a definite "hot spot" and you want it aimed right where it counts. If you can find the NiteRider "Cherry Bomb" shown below, it's like a SuperFlash with a beam spreader, giving more horizontal spread.
Another light to consider adding: Trek's bar-plug lights. If the tips of your bars are pointing level (not downward), these are surprisingly bright, and they give you visible "width" since they're out at the bar tips. They use one rechargeable AAA each, they're pretty unobtrusive, and they can be quickly removed for raceday Note that there's both drop-bar and mountain-bike versions, so pick the right kind. NDBS probably carries these.
And now for the obligatory pics & video
Here's a top-of-the-line regular bike blinkie, the NiteRider Cherry Bomb:
For comparison, here's the DiNotte 140 taillight: now THAT'S a taillight
Here's video of the DiNotte and the Trek bar-end lights at twilight. It was darker than the camera portrays:
With any bike-mounted taillight, make sure you aim it dead-level and straight back, because they tend to be quite directional (except the DiNotte, which has a flood beam). If they're pointing up, down or sideways, you're wasting a lot of your light's potential.
Joined: May 2006 Gender: Male Posts: 132 Location: spokane, WA Karma: 2
Re: Bike safety « Reply #12 on Nov 9, 2009, 8:11am »
Great post Tom. Thank you. Love the visuals. I do need more light- that is for sure. I like those bar end lights and I can't believe they run on only 1 AAA. Any thoughts on good head lights? I am trying to find some time to get back into TNRs and I need an upgrade.
Any thoughts on good head lights? I am trying to find some time to get back into TNRs and I need an upgrade.
I have one for sale in our For Sale section. If you want it, I'll throw in the Cherry Bomb for free But the best bang-for-the-buck light out there at the moment appears to be this:
It's a knock-off of the German-made Lupine Tesla. $85 for 550 lumens actual output. There's lots of talk on the Internet forums about these for both road and off-road riding.
If money were no object, however, I'd recommend that new NiteRider Pro 1200 for sure. Lots of power, fully programmable for your preferred mix of flood & spot beam, great handlebar mount, fuel gauge, nice easy-to-find button, glass lenses... excellent
Re: Bike safety « Reply #14 on Nov 9, 2009, 1:44pm »
If your looking for a New head lamp read post 10-20 in the TNR posts. There is a quick bit about the pro 1200 and a link to nite rider. Sweet systems. shades required
Re: Bike safety « Reply #15 on Nov 10, 2009, 5:18pm »
All I have to say is... I appreciate everyones input and it is all good, but... I have to say Tom's suggestions carry the weight with me. I remember a time coming back from Rathdrum, I was on Trent and I saw Tom on his bike, I swear, a mile before I got to him. His blinking rear light was VERY visible and traffic was NOT light. Thanks to all for their input about how to make us all safer until we are accepted and welcomed on the roads (okay welcomed on the roads might be a bit much to ask for).
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Note that there's both drop-bar and mountain-bike versions, so pick the right kind. NDBS probably carries these.![[image]](http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff237/mechBgon/IMG_0039.jpg)
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