Advocacy & Safety - Being seen may be better if you’re not the norm.

I have been observing more after I got hit by a car last year. It was a weird thing where the lady was on my right she started and stopped then her foot slipped and she hit me. Both of us were going pretty slow and it was a oddball thing.
But since then I really watch cars even more.
With the money from the accident I bought a recumbent. I don’t wear bright clothes when riding it because I can wear work clothes and not have to change. On my road bike I wear bright jerseys. Well I have found a good way to judge if I am seen are the cars on the right. If the stop and don’t start again I am pretty well seen. If they stop and then start and stop again it took them a bit to find me. Only a couple of times have they pulled out part way or all the way without seeing me.
My recumbent frame broke a couple months ago and I had to ride my road bike for about a month. The first week I had two start and stops in the first week and in the month one not seen and one seen when they were ½ way into the road.
Back on my bent and almost no starts and stops at all. I ride far enough from the side of the road I don’t have issues with cars in back and only on this one 4 lane one way street do I have issues with cars on the left. But I think if I ride less on the left (I turn left there) it won’t be an issue.
Ok now at night. Just having a good headlight is different then most of the bike riders. But I have found that a xenon flasher in white on the front really makes a difference with the start and stoppers. It almost never happens when I have it going. That sucker is so bright and it lights up signs and such too. But it is power hungry for the smaller 2 cell types. But next are these cold cathode lights. This pictures sows a white and a pinkish red one. But just using the white last night I got two people in cars at stoplights saying how well they could see me. That’s a first. I tired the two colors tonight but they tend to put too big of a drain on my light battery. Well they are fine if I keep the light at 12v but if I overvolt it to 16v for the fast part of the ride the cathodes go dull before I get home. One is fine but two is too much.
That bar of light is very odd so it stands out. If you have a 12v battery they are dirt cheap about 13.00 for one bar with the inverter shipped.
http://www.elwirecheap.com/

Here are pics of my bike at day and night.
The light is a 12v mr16 20 watt. I can crank it up to 16v and it gets really bright.
I can’t get a pic of the xenon flashers but you get the idea.

Everyone is always going on about Carbon Fiber, Dura Ace, etc...but for my money, as a long time commuter, the best technology leap has been in lighting. I feel so much safer with the white bright blinkies and other high beam lights. I've had cars flash their brights at me, and in my mind that's perfect because it means that they see me.

-Marcus

Everyone is always going on about Carbon Fiber, Dura Ace, etc...but for my money, as a long time commuter, the best technology leap has been in lighting. I feel so much safer with the white bright blinkies and other high beam lights. I've had cars flash their brights at me, and in my mind that's perfect because it means that they see me.

-Marcus

I'm with you there... now about battery technology...

RE Carbon Fiber... Heck I can save the weight of a whole bike just by going on a diet... and it won't cost me $3K.

Lights are so important and in my area, almost no one uses them.Some lack relfectors entirely! I definitely stand out. Recently, I passed some people in the daytime with a front binkie and one stated how effective the light was. And it was an ordinary Serfas unit, battery operated. So many folks around here take chances and many drivers are not all that concentrated on the road anymore.

I see a fair amount of people with no lights and poor or no reflectors. I hate when I see them in the bike lane going the wrong direction at me.
I put two of the white cold cathode tubes on tonight and the people walking were pointing and looking and commenting. they are very bright and I can use them to read my computer too (G)

I've started experimenting with LEE filters in my LED light.

http://www.leefiltersusa.com/Miscellaneous/CamLiterature.html
(ask for a filter swatch and price list)

There are soo many colors to choose from. You can go with the blue red and amber.

While I havent done it, I've considered making a hand held 3 led that uses the "emergency vehicle" cobination of colors. I know I know it's against the law.

Just a fyi EL cable dont last very long. You should get about a year to 2 use out of it then it starts to only light up in small sections. Course the EL wire it self is dirt cheap a few bucks for 10 feet i think it is. One other thing to remember its a 12 volt dc to 110 ac inverter it will shock the crap out of you if your not careful. Its not a huge shock as its realy low amps.

I figure here is as good a place as any...

What are opinions about reflector (or more to the point reflective tape) colors for different sides of the bike/rider. I've been a stickler for only red in back, yellow on sides, white in front. Is this too restrictive?

Al

I can't think of a situation where side reflectors would be useful to prevent a collision. Can anyone else?

I mean, if your side is in the headlights of a car such that it can light up your side reflectors, that means you just cut in front of a car that is about to hit you, or you'll not be in their path long enough to matter.

Or am I missing something?

As far as rear reflectors go... I just use red too, but I was thinking about adding amber because they're supposed to be more visible.

Cars and motorcycles use both, why not us?

In front, I rely on my headlight alone. I'm thinking about adding a white blinky, but I haven't had any visibility issues, including using the OP's criteria.

Where could you be when side reflectors are handy?

Well, for one thing, not all streets are straight and perpendicular. You could be on a curve. You could be making a turn. You could be stopped and digging in your backpack for a spare light because your headlight went out or something.

And for another thing, haven't you ever seen people who pull up to an intersection, they look to their right, then turn their head to the left so fast they fail to see you right in front of them. I absolutely hate that. They do that to me on my bike and on my motorcycle. Makes me very nervous. Maybe a little passive reflection will help when they do that in the dark.

I can't think of a situation where side reflectors would be useful to prevent a collision. Can anyone else?



Where could you be when side reflectors are handy?
No, "handy" is too vague.
"To prevent a collision" is what I said.

On a curve your rear lights and reflectors should be plenty to get the attention of anyone behind you. Yes, side reflectors might be "handy", but assuming you have good rear lights and reflectors, I don't see how they could prevent someone from crashing into you from behind, even on a curve.

And, yes, at an intersection if someone is looking right as you come into view from the left, and then quickly looks left after you've already passed the point where they're looking, their headlights would light up your side reflectors as you went by. But a car is is what, 7 feet wide? You're crossing in front of them for a split second. I don't see how noticing you during that split second, because of side reflectors, could prevent a side collision, because by the time they proceed, you're no longer going to be in front of them. For you to be in front of their car so that they hit you when they proceed, means you have to be to the left of their car and headlights, where the side reflectors have no effect, but the headlight does, just before they get going.

I've thought a lot about all of these scenarios, and, like I said, I can't think of a single situation where side reflectors would be useful to prevent a collision.

I've pretty much concluded that side reflectors are one of those things that common sense would lead you to assume they're useful, but if you actually really think about it, you realize there isn't anything there. But, maybe I'm missing something.

Some people don't really stop at intersections. So as you pass if they see you they may actually stop instead of continue to creep across the intersection.

Certainly lights may be sufficient but they can get lost in the din of lights all around. The side reflectors, such as those on your wheels, bounce up and down and are quite noticeable. Also, reflectors don't give out like lights do. So even those folks with no lights can still be seen with reflectors. Scoff if you will, but I've had my lights give out on me. Fall off. Break. Batteries die. Whatever.

Nevertheless, I take those wheel reflectors off because I once had one jam in the wheel and cause me to fly over my handlebars. I think they are made more break-away now, but I still am nervous about them. Instead, I put reflectorized tape along the frame. I figure the more visual cues the better.

Maybe you can proclaim what lighting equipment does and doesn't prevent a collision. I don't know how you come to your conclusions. But they put side lighting on cars, trucks and even my motorscooter has side lighting and it is as small and faster than me on my bike. There must be something to it.

I can't think of a situation where side reflectors would be useful to prevent a collision. Can anyone else?

I mean, if your side is in the headlights of a car such that it can light up your side reflectors, that means you just cut in front of a car that is about to hit you, or you'll not be in their path long enough to matter.

Or am I missing something?

As far as rear reflectors go... I just use red too, but I was thinking about adding amber because they're supposed to be more visible.

Cars and motorcycles use both, why not us?

In front, I rely on my headlight alone. I'm thinking about adding a white blinky, but I haven't had any visibility issues, including using the OP's criteria.


HH,

I'd go for one of the white blinkies, one of the round ones from either, planet bike or cateye. It's always good to have a backup and it's been my experience that the blinking really catches people's eyes.

As far as reflectors go, I'm not wasting valuable light space with some passive reflection device. If some cop is really so bored that they want to write me a ticket for no reflector I'll be more than happy to bring my lighting array into court and let the judge decide which is a safer alternative. "Your honor could you turn out the lights?" "Which lights do you see the blinkies and halogen or the reflectors?"
I think this easily falls into the bikes seen as toys and passive to cars issue. All cars have lights, so why shouldn't bikes. Otherwise cars would all just have headlights and rear reflectors.

-Marcus.

I'm sorry to say, but the pics of the multi-color reflector strips make you look like a clown. While drivers may see you, they may be transfixed on "what the hell is that?" What you want to do is be seen and recognized. That's why I always where this at night:

http://www.ledtronics.com/DS/VST-1004/images/vst1004_back.gif

It's the LedTronics Safety Vest (http://www.ledtronics.com/DS/VST-1004/). It has more reflective surface area than your strips and you can be recognized as a person. All road-workers, etc., wear these vests and drivers immediately recognize it.

I'm sorry to say, but the pics of the multi-color reflector strips make you look like a clown. While drivers may see you, they may be transfixed on "what the hell is that?" What you want to do is be seen and recognized. That's why I always where this at night:

http://www.ledtronics.com/DS/VST-1004/images/vst1004_back.gif

It's the LedTronics Safety Vest (http://www.ledtronics.com/DS/VST-1004/). It has more reflective surface area than your strips and you can be recognized as a person. All road-workers, etc., wear these vests and drivers immediately recognize it.

your missing the point. it is the difference that makes me stand out. it does work pretty well too. Plus in daylight the reflective strips don't look bad. I would hate to wear that vest and on a recumbent it would be a pain in the back.
who cares what gets their attention as long as you got it? thats the important thing.

your missing the point. it is the difference that makes me stand out. it does work pretty well too. Plus in daylight the reflective strips don't look bad. I would hate to wear that vest and on a recumbent it would be a pain in the back.
who cares what gets their attention as long as you got it? thats the important thing.
If a driver recognizes you as a bicyclist, he would most likely give you more room as he passes. However, if the driver recognizes you as a piece of reflective equipment attached to a utility truck, he may just buzz right by. Hey, whatever works for you.

If a driver recognizes you as a bicyclist, he would most likely give you more room as he passes. However, if the driver recognizes you as a piece of reflective equipment attached to a utility truck, he may just buzz right by. Hey, whatever works for you.

but that does not happen to me. my bike does not look like a utility truck in any way shape or form. drivers give me plenty of room too.
since I put the two white cold cathodes up I have drivers stop and tell me how the love how visible I am.
Plus I don't look like a dork with blinkies on my vest. I have never seen any worker with one. teh blinkies are not very bright 9way too long of runtime for them to be very bright for 16 LEDS's plus they only have a vviewing angle of 15 degrees. thatsn ot much from the sides.
Plus I get compliments on my biek in daylight and now at night.

I can't think of a single situation where side reflectors would be useful to prevent a collision.

Often when I make left turns I am out in the intersection until the light turns red as there are no gaps in opposing traffic, then I can complete the turn. If a few cars run the red (common) my side is toward the x-traffic who gets a green as I am starting/completing my turn.
Al

I just found out this morning that a very close friend of mine was hit by a car- she is very lucky that she only messed her leg up, seeing as she wasn't wearing a helmet (I had just got one myself this weekend). The first thing I thought after my inital reaction to the news was "oh **** she just has her back light" my friend was riding through pan handle park here in San Francisco late at night and cars are notorious for making turns and running reds at the intersection she was hit- after this experience it has made me realize that I need brighter front and back lights not just my mini cateye lights- riding a bike is a constant learning experience I've noticed- Now that I am commuting much more and am more aware of my surroundings I have noticed way more unsafe riders than safe, and I guess I am kind of one of them- This I hope to change, accidents always make you wake up.