Cars try to kill me...

Norm

Mayor McCheese
Team MTBNJ Halter's
I was thinking about this on my ride this morning. No I don't think it will help. If they can't see a person riding a bike, the flag will be useless. I'm assuming you don't ride at night so this is just a daylight issue. Over time I've learned which local roads are bike friendly and which aren't. It's sketchy advice I suppose but it's really the best I can give you.
 

Norm

Mayor McCheese
Team MTBNJ Halter's
LOL. You might want to make it an American flag for the patriots who run over bikers as well.
 
maybe a getup like this would help:

butterflybike.jpg


Seriously, I do not know what to do about cars who like to cut it close when driving next to you. I am not sure they are all ignorant; I am convinced that at least 1 in 20 is trying to "teach me a lesson" by driving within 3 feet (or less) of me, even when they have ample room to give me a few extra feet of berth.

The biggest offenders recently have been middle aged women in SUVs and young girls who have yet to discover blue-tooth headsets for cell phones. Neither can grasp a phone and steering wheel while they look both ways for oncoming traffic.
 
D

DANSPANK

Guest
or perhaps if you don't report back we know it doesn't...
 

crash_in_nj

New Member
Put on a wig under your helmet if you need more space. I can't remember where they did the study, but one of the findings was that drivers gave more room to riders they thought were female. Another way to get more space was to not wear a helmet. I guess the (drivers') assumption was, if they have a helmet, they'll be okay. I wish I remembered where I saw that study, so I could post a link.
 

Norm

Mayor McCheese
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Put on a wig under your helmet if you need more space. I can't remember where they did the study, but one of the findings was that drivers gave more room to riders they thought were female. Another way to get more space was to not wear a helmet. I guess the (drivers') assumption was, if they have a helmet, they'll be okay. I wish I remembered where I saw that study, so I could post a link.

All of this sounds familiar to me too. I must have read the same rag as you that month. No idea where I read it though.
 

bonefishjake

Strong like bull, smart like tractor
Team MTBNJ Halter's
it wasn't a rag. it was "investigative reporting" by some "reporter" on TV that wore a wig riding his bike around NYC. claimed cars gave him more space. whatever.
 

BiknBen

Well-Known Member
A guy actually showed up to a bike event with something similar to that on his bike. He had a fiberglass pole attached to a rack on the back of his bike. He duct-taped a red blinkie to the end of it. It extended at least two feet out to the left of his bike. While I expect that it is effective, I don't think it is neccessary.

What I found dumb was that he was riding with it at an event with 50 or so other riders. The thing was perfectly aimed at everyone's spokes as we rode by him. We also had to ride out in the road to get around him. Not very considerate of his fellow riders. Thankfully, I only rode near him for a few minutes.
 
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ytc100

New Member
A guy actually showed up to a bike event with something similar to that on his bike. He had a fiberglass pole attached to a rack on the back of his bike. He duct-taped a red blinkie to the end of it. It extended at least two feet out to the left of his bike. While I expect that it is effective, I don't think it is neccessary.

What I found dumb was that he was riding with it at an event with 50 or so other riders. The thing was perfectly aimed at everyone's spokes as we rode by him. We also had to ride out in the road to get around him. Not very considerate of his fellow riders. Thankfully, I only rode near him for a few minutes.

Yeah I don't think I'd use it on a group ride but when I'm out here in Morris county alone it's well, pretty scary sometimes.

They arrived today and look promising. Going to test it out tomorrow...

And after looking at that guy's picture I am no longer worried about looking dorky.
 
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