Roadie Tips To Stay Alive...
- Thread starter BiknBen
- Start date
So @rick81721 was suckered into one of these Lumos helmets. While I am all for supporting @soundz's family as seen in this video, I can't help but think that these do nothing more than confuse the motoring public and the front lights not being bright enough to actually be effective in lighting the roadway.
So the real question is for Rick, would this helmet have prevented your two collisions?
So the real question is for Rick, would this helmet have prevented your two collisions?
rick81721
Lothar
So @rick81721 was suckered into one of these Lumos helmets. While I am all for supporting @soundz's family as seen in this video, I can't help but think that these do nothing more than confuse the motoring public and the front lights not being bright enough to actually be effective in lighting the roadway.
So the real question is for Rick, would this helmet have prevented your two collisions?
Two collisions? Only one - and hopefully no more. Unless you are counting the buzzard. Some clarification - the front light is in no way intended to "light the roadway". Secondly, I believe the turn signals are intuitive - and in one ride drivers realized my intent on a busy road and let me merge (206 no less). Seems pretty obvious to me that the more visible you are, the safer you will be on the road. Lights on the back of your helmet puts them higher and more in plane with a drivers vision. I suppose your belief is that blending in with the road and being less visible is the best strategy to avoid getting killed? Hey maybe if drivers don't see me they won't hit me!
I noticed you didn't answer the question about your collision probably because the answer is no., it would not have helped. You have almost zero control over someone hitting you from behind and 10,000 lights on your head isn't going to change someone not paying attention to the road. I am not sure why you think I want to be hit and it isn't like I ride without lights. But I do ride offensively and put myself in the safest position on every road I am on and in my opinion that does more than a lighted halo could.Two collisions? Only one - and hopefully no more. Unless you are counting the buzzard. Some clarification - the front light is in no way intended to "light the roadway". Secondly, I believe the turn signals are intuitive - and in one ride drivers realized my intent on a busy road and let me merge (206 no less). Seems pretty obvious to me that the more visible you are, the safer you will be on the road. Lights on the back of your helmet puts them higher and more in plane with a drivers vision. I suppose your belief is that blending in with the road and being less visible is the best strategy to avoid getting killed? Hey maybe if drivers don't see me they won't hit me!
rick81721
Lothar
Sorry forgot your question. Who knows if the kid was looking at all but since I had no front light on its possible this helmet could have caught his attention. And why do you say I think you want get hit? I just think it's stupid to believe being more visible does not make you any safer. Any who, heading out for another ride with the awesome Lumos helmet!
rick81721
Lothar
Today's ride - going up Linvale from rt 31 some guy is driving towards me - it is sunny by this time - he slows down, points to my helmet and gives me a thumbs up
Some of them people in the sourlands are what your generation called funny or not quite rightToday's ride - going up Linvale from rt 31 some guy is driving towards me - it is sunny by this time - he slows down, points to my helmet and gives me a thumbs up
Juggernaut
Master of the Metaphor
Today's ride - going up Linvale from rt 31 some guy is driving towards me - it is sunny by this time - he slows down, points to my helmet and gives me a thumbs up
Dat wasn't his thumb doe.
as an aside, when people respect my space, i wave and give them a thumbs up. like not passing on a curve, or a 1 lane bridge, or pulling out in front of me, or not making a right in front of me. etc.
little positive reinforcement cant hurt. someone even flashed while they had a left in front of me, to let me know they saw me. of course this is out by spruce run, so they might worry that the cyclist is packing.
the sun is in a really bad right now. get some front and back blinky going on.
little positive reinforcement cant hurt. someone even flashed while they had a left in front of me, to let me know they saw me. of course this is out by spruce run, so they might worry that the cyclist is packing.
the sun is in a really bad right now. get some front and back blinky going on.
TheLonerider
Well-Known Member
In my experience anything that draws driver's attention is good. When i commuted on the road to work on my fixed gear I ran six lights... A rechargable on my bars, bright solid; a flashy on the other side of my bars; a helmet light which was 3 leds and could be set to flashing; a taillight mounted on the seatpost, a flashing red light on my backpack, and a flashing red light on the back of my helmet.
I found the front helmet mounted light very useful for looking at drivers who looked like they were about to bust stopsigns from the side etc. -- if it didn't draw their eye it startled them and made them hesitate.
That said, two rebuilt shoulders from bike crashes, one was a pothole but one was a left hook by an oncoming in broad daylight -- hungarian with no u.s. license go figure. Always be prepared.
I personally think the biggest problem is our "car culture" -- many people aren't even looking for bikes.
Hold a steady lane position, stand your ground, and be prepared to dodge for your life. That was my daily routine for over a year. Every time i left for work i did so knowing there was a teeny tiny chance i might not return.
I recall one time telling some guy at my work about my ride that morning, he seemed totally unaware that worrying about being run over could be a thing. Ah, the ignorance of the noncyclist, a strange thing indeed. His idea of a bad day was a dropped cell call; mine was being dropped in the street at 20 mph. We were separated by denominational differences lol.
I found the front helmet mounted light very useful for looking at drivers who looked like they were about to bust stopsigns from the side etc. -- if it didn't draw their eye it startled them and made them hesitate.
That said, two rebuilt shoulders from bike crashes, one was a pothole but one was a left hook by an oncoming in broad daylight -- hungarian with no u.s. license go figure. Always be prepared.
I personally think the biggest problem is our "car culture" -- many people aren't even looking for bikes.
Hold a steady lane position, stand your ground, and be prepared to dodge for your life. That was my daily routine for over a year. Every time i left for work i did so knowing there was a teeny tiny chance i might not return.
I recall one time telling some guy at my work about my ride that morning, he seemed totally unaware that worrying about being run over could be a thing. Ah, the ignorance of the noncyclist, a strange thing indeed. His idea of a bad day was a dropped cell call; mine was being dropped in the street at 20 mph. We were separated by denominational differences lol.
There are a few guys in that area that dont wear helmets.
You can give them the benefit of the doubt that maybe they forgot? It's only happened to me a few times but I've left the house without a helmet and only after 10 miles realized I was enjoying the beautiful day and not drenched in sweat because I somehow forgot my helmet.
Those few times made me realize why people had such a hard time switching to helmets years ago. I started out wearing helmets so I didn't know what I was missing.
-Steve
Karate Monkey
Well-Known Member
Just an FYI, motion cues really do work--feet, knees, hips, arms/hands (if running)--but fluorescent colors only fluoresce under sunlight (or UV, but since they don't do UV headlights on cars...).
Watch the next time you go past a night-time construction site--aside from the reflective bits, the vests are every bit as dark/dim as everything else.
Get some stick on/iron on 3M reflective material, and hit your shoes/ pedals, if they have cages. It weighs nothing, and makes you dramatically more visible.
Watch the next time you go past a night-time construction site--aside from the reflective bits, the vests are every bit as dark/dim as everything else.
Get some stick on/iron on 3M reflective material, and hit your shoes/ pedals, if they have cages. It weighs nothing, and makes you dramatically more visible.
Read an article in Bicycling about road safety - cited a study showing highlighting biomotion significantly increased detection by motorists. So since I needed new road shoes anywho... I present lava camo (yeah I know the socks look ridiculous)
Pro tip.... (Not from a pro)
If the socks were Achilles high, they would be almost acceptable
Nothing says I am old as dirt like ankle length socksRead an article in Bicycling about road safety - cited a study showing highlighting biomotion significantly increased detection by motorists. So since I needed new road shoes anywho... I present lava camo (yeah I know the socks look ridiculous)
