Putting a Sign on a Bike
09-03-10, 07:00 AM
#26
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Make a set of corrugated plastic panniers for the rear of your bike. (It's called Coroplast) . These pictured are made from a single sheet, two feet by four feet. I hope you already have a rack to put them on.
You would want to mount them a few inches further back than the ones in the photographs, so you can hang a board on the rear, without the rear wheel showing, or cutting a slot in the sign for the rear wheel.
You wouldn't want to mount these panniers all the way forward , because you heels will hit as you pedal. But a few inches aft would be fine.
09-03-10, 08:40 AM
#29
Tiocfáidh ár Lá
09-03-10, 09:24 AM
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Hi. Sign shop employee here. I'm going to sidestep the debate about installing a sign in the first place for a moment and offer you some input.
If you want to get this made somewhere, you have a couple of options - cheapest option would be coroplast (corrugated plastic cardboard) with adhesive vinyl lettering. This should last at least four or five years. You can attach it with zip ties to a rear rack. If you want something more professional, sign shops should have a lightweight aluminum composite board - two layers of aluminum with dense foam in the middle - that's a bit more durable and easy to drill holes into; it's called di-bond aluminum in these parts. Another thing you could use is some heavier plastic - sign shops, especially those that screenprint parking tags and small signs should have sintra or styrene available, which come in many thicknesses and varying rigidity. Other shops may have a flatbed digital printer that you can print directly onto whatever surface you like.
It may be difficult to find a shop that will do this for you. Many sign companies don't bother with small, one-off orders like these, or they may charge you more than you'd be willing to pay. I'm not sure of your budget, but where I work, it's around $60 -$80 an hour for labour, plus materials. You could also ask for coroplast offcuts - many shops will give these away for free, if they're decent. You can get pre-cut vinyl lettering from Walmart as well. If you have had an election in your area recently, election signs are a free source of material.
Readability: my chart that I use at work indicates 3" letters will be visible at a maximum distance of 100', with maximum impact topping off at 50'. This is for red or black on white background. I don't have any charts with speed factored in; but keeping it short will help.
As to whether or not this will provoke motorists, I find that in many places in North America, simply being on a bike will provoke their ire. Personally, I would not do it, but I do not like confrontations, unless there is a possibility of cake afterwards.
If you want to get this made somewhere, you have a couple of options - cheapest option would be coroplast (corrugated plastic cardboard) with adhesive vinyl lettering. This should last at least four or five years. You can attach it with zip ties to a rear rack. If you want something more professional, sign shops should have a lightweight aluminum composite board - two layers of aluminum with dense foam in the middle - that's a bit more durable and easy to drill holes into; it's called di-bond aluminum in these parts. Another thing you could use is some heavier plastic - sign shops, especially those that screenprint parking tags and small signs should have sintra or styrene available, which come in many thicknesses and varying rigidity. Other shops may have a flatbed digital printer that you can print directly onto whatever surface you like.
It may be difficult to find a shop that will do this for you. Many sign companies don't bother with small, one-off orders like these, or they may charge you more than you'd be willing to pay. I'm not sure of your budget, but where I work, it's around $60 -$80 an hour for labour, plus materials. You could also ask for coroplast offcuts - many shops will give these away for free, if they're decent. You can get pre-cut vinyl lettering from Walmart as well. If you have had an election in your area recently, election signs are a free source of material.
Readability: my chart that I use at work indicates 3" letters will be visible at a maximum distance of 100', with maximum impact topping off at 50'. This is for red or black on white background. I don't have any charts with speed factored in; but keeping it short will help.
As to whether or not this will provoke motorists, I find that in many places in North America, simply being on a bike will provoke their ire. Personally, I would not do it, but I do not like confrontations, unless there is a possibility of cake afterwards.
09-03-10, 10:18 AM
#32
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Call me a crazy perfectionist, but I want a road sign. Metal backed, same size. I just want to buy it legally. I could have it custom made, or make it myself, but don't highway departments buy these things? Aren't they already made to MUTCD specs ready to be bought? Will those people sell one to a person? I have no idea how much they would or should run, I figure if its off the shelf can't be that bad, maybe $50?
You'd have to find out who has the highways contract in your area and speak to them and see if they'll sell something to you. If they're big enough, they may not bother with retail sales, though.
Alternately you can check on the internet to see if there's anyone who will ship to your area. Sometimes you find that someone else has already made up a sign and will ship it, if it's a common saying. I imagine there must be some pro-bike pre-made signage out there, especially in the States.
18 gauge aluminum, which is what we use for heavy-duty signs, is pretty heavy, so I wouldn't recommend putting it on a bike. Also, it's not cheap especially if the supplier doesn't have offcuts to cut down for you. (I estimate it'll be around 5 lbs for a 12x12" sign.) Dibond aluminum is lighter and easier to cut, and it looks just as professional. Most sign shops should be able to get their hands on a piece or two for you. Look for places that have laser or hydro cutting; they often have offcuts which they can cut down for you and you can pick up some reflective vinyl and cut lettering from a sign shop that does that, or have them mount it for you. I'm not sure what the minimum charges are wherever you're at, but you could get it made here for around $50.
For a more cheeky approach, some sign places have blank vanity license plates that you can personalize however you like. They're 6x12" with precut holes, and I'm thinking about making one up for my cargo bike.
09-03-10, 10:20 AM
#33
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"Share the Road" gets the message out in a much friendlier manner
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This is Africa, 1943. War spits out its violence overhead and the sandy graveyard swallows it up. Her name is King Nine, B-25, medium bomber, Twelfth Air Force. On a hot, still morning she took off from Tunisia to bomb the southern tip of Italy. An errant piece of flak tore a hole in a wing tank and, like a wounded bird, this is where she landed, not to return on this day, or any other day.
This is Africa, 1943. War spits out its violence overhead and the sandy graveyard swallows it up. Her name is King Nine, B-25, medium bomber, Twelfth Air Force. On a hot, still morning she took off from Tunisia to bomb the southern tip of Italy. An errant piece of flak tore a hole in a wing tank and, like a wounded bird, this is where she landed, not to return on this day, or any other day.
09-03-10, 11:46 AM
#34
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OK, but what does that even mean? You ask three different people, you'll probably get three different answers.
I do like the "<bikes> may use full lane" sign, especially if your city already has them around town.
Or just use this --
or something similar ... though it might be illegal to have such a sign if you don't have such cargo. (Perhaps you just left Taco Bell?)
I do like the "<bikes> may use full lane" sign, especially if your city already has them around town.
Or just use this --
or something similar ... though it might be illegal to have such a sign if you don't have such cargo. (Perhaps you just left Taco Bell?)
09-03-10, 12:18 PM
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Yes. When drivers see "share the road" they think "yeah, cyclist. Share the road. That means get the hell out of my way."
Seriously, that's what a lot of them think.
Seriously, that's what a lot of them think.
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09-06-10, 12:44 PM
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The MUTCD requires the bikes may use full lane sign to be a minimium of 30"x30" About the width of my handlebars (good) but if the top edge is mounted flush with my rack will almost be dragging on the ground (bad). Maybe a smaller sign is in order.
Still kind of curious to see how much they would run in bulk to have people put up as a political message on their front lawns near the roadway.
Still kind of curious to see how much they would run in bulk to have people put up as a political message on their front lawns near the roadway.
09-06-10, 02:20 PM
#37
Senior Member
The corrugated plastic or they have a plastic that is smooth on the surface and looks "foamy" in the middle. Both are very light. Out here I get mine at a place called Tap Plastics. Lay the vinyl letters out on it and then cut to size. Drill it and bolt it onto the back of the rack or basket.
You folks realize that he's going to be riding around with this on his bike in the area of "The Motor City", don't you? Yup, Michigan, with No-Fault insurance.
You folks realize that he's going to be riding around with this on his bike in the area of "The Motor City", don't you? Yup, Michigan, with No-Fault insurance.
09-06-10, 04:07 PM
#39
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Invest in a Dinnotte Tail Light.
Forget the sign.
Drivers are reading their Text messages.
Forget the sign.
Drivers are reading their Text messages.
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09-06-10, 04:39 PM
#40
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09-06-10, 06:44 PM
#42
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09-06-10, 08:18 PM
#43
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To many motorists, a guy in his bicycle in the middle (or right wheeltrack, whatever) of the lane is not "sharing the road" -- he's taking the entire road (even if there's four lanes, this still does not qualify as sharing the road.) If he's riding in the gutter, then he's properly sharing the road, though riding on the sidewalk or grass would be even better.
So ultimately, this sign is worthless for bicycle advocacy. "Bicycles may use full lane" is far better, though I'd prefer "Bicycles should use full lane", though both suggest to some motorists that if there's no sign that bicycles can not use the full lane.
So ultimately, this sign is worthless for bicycle advocacy. "Bicycles may use full lane" is far better, though I'd prefer "Bicycles should use full lane", though both suggest to some motorists that if there's no sign that bicycles can not use the full lane.
09-07-10, 02:13 AM
#44
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I strongly considered doing this for quite some time. Actually, I had considered something more like a car antennae with a flag on the tip. The idea being the same, but I wanted something that would either bend or break away so as not to risk a crash. I eventually decided against it because 1) Fear of a lawsuit and 2) Fear of getting shot. This is Fresno. Scratch the wrong person's car, and he'll be getting out with a gun.
I really like this idea, actually.
Originally Posted by ianbrettcooper
If you're bothered by yelling and honking (heck, we all are), just wear a jacket with the word 'CYCLIST' or 'OFFICIAL' - or both - in big block capital letters on the back.
09-07-10, 06:33 AM
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Call me a crazy perfectionist, but I want a road sign. Metal backed, same size. I just want to buy it legally. I could have it custom made, or make it myself, but don't highway departments buy these things? Aren't they already made to MUTCD specs ready to be bought? Will those people sell one to a person? I have no idea how much they would or should run, I figure if its off the shelf can't be that bad, maybe $50?
Many communities will sell road signage to individuals (I believe there is a collectors market), so it may be worthwhile to contact your local Public Works folks.
09-07-10, 09:20 AM
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These are gubmint purchases... Remember the $500 hammer and $3000 toilet scandal. I suspect you will be surprised at what they sell for...
Many communities will sell road signage to individuals (I believe there is a collectors market), so it may be worthwhile to contact your local Public Works folks.
Many communities will sell road signage to individuals (I believe there is a collectors market), so it may be worthwhile to contact your local Public Works folks.
09-14-10, 02:06 PM
#48
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Saw a massive guy on a Harley with an orange vest that said "SEE ME NOW, @-HOLE?" A bit confrontational, but he was probably fed up.
I thought of putting "ON CAMERA" on an orange vest, but it would probably encourage more interaction from drivers (or their passengers) than not.
I thought of putting "ON CAMERA" on an orange vest, but it would probably encourage more interaction from drivers (or their passengers) than not.
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What do you call a cyclist who sells potpourri on the road? A pedaling petal-peddler.
What do you call a cyclist who sells potpourri on the road? A pedaling petal-peddler.
09-14-10, 10:19 PM
#49
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Jusy fyi... I flip off all cameras. Don't assume with a sign like that that I'm flipping YOU off.
Last edited by SCROUDS; 09-15-10 at 10:04 AM.
09-15-10, 08:42 AM
#50
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