Advocacy & Safety - Shouting

Maybe it's the underdog in me, but there's something wrong with this picture: cyclist cruising along in traffic, a car blows its horn just as it passes. Not a little, "toot,"
100 feet back, but a loud "HONK!!!" right in my ear. It has the same effect as my wife standing behind a door and yelling, "RRRRAAAAAAHHHHRRRR!!!" just as unsuspecting me comes in. Like a confused squirrel on the road, and you know what can happen to them.

Add to this picture another scenario (true, happened just the other day). Normal busy traffic on a two-laner.
School bus with a phobia about crossing double yellow lines passes, barely. I shout, "HEY!" as loud as I can against the rumbling diesel engine. Nothing. I speed up to catch up (when you're mad, you do dumb things), and find myself next to the busses doors. There's the driver in view, only 7 feet away. "HEY!" again, still nothing, not even a twitch. One more time, for all it's worth: "HEEEEEYYYYY!!!!" She looks over at me. I use hand gestures to tell her to move over. From this moment on, she is the most courteous driver on the road.

I ask again, what's wrong with this picture?

I forgot my whistle! ;)

Originally posted by Pete Clark
There's the driver in view, only 7 feet away. "HEY!" again, still nothing, not even a twitch. One more time, for all it's worth: "HEEEEEYYYYY!!!!" She looks over at me. I use hand gestures to tell her to move over. From this moment on, she is the most courteous driver on the road.

I ask again, what's wrong with this picture?

I forgot my whistle! ;)

Yeah, Pete, you forgot your mojo!

I can tell you what's wrong with the picture, the old process of get in car, switch on ignition and switch off brain!

Chris

Originally posted by Pete Clark
There's the driver in view, only 7 feet away. "HEY!" again, still nothing, not even a twitch. One more time, for all it's worth: "HEEEEEYYYYY!!!!" She looks over at me. I use hand gestures to tell her to move over. From this moment on, she is the most courteous driver on the road.

I ask again, what's wrong with this picture?

I forgot my whistle! ;)
I guess my point is that my whistle has really turned heads for me while commuting in traffic by bike.

Vans squeezing me, cars entering my street without yielding, left hand turners who "don't see me" coming, and in general, cell-phone addicts and anyone drinking coffee who needs a little on their shirt. :)

Shouting really doesn't do anything for me but scratch my throat.

P.S. Whistles are technically illegal in many places because they may be confused with police whistles at intersections. However, I never see a policeman at an intersection where I live, at least not one with a whistle, and I think I can refrain from using mine when I see that 1 in 1,000 situation. Besides, for me, the safety factor outweighs the legal technicality. I'm not sure anyone even cares.

Get one of those portable air horn's. IMHO that would get there attention.

Originally posted by Ba-Dg-Er
Pete - Your posts are too long for me to read today.
Shouting sucks.
:thumbdn:

I've decided to get one of those oo-gaa horns on my bike. Audible but comical.

I have one of those Oo-gaa horns on one of my bikes. It doesn't work.

I have seen and heard about a HHOOOoo GAAAAaaa horn that acutally has three horns and a big squeeze bulb. That is said to make people jump out of their skin.

Get the biggest horn you can find.

Amen.
:angel:

sometimes I dream about installing a large truck horn (you know the ones which go bleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh , like a ship) and mega bright lights which will nearly set the car you point them to on fire...... then I'd go for my revenge on the roads and cycle up to the back of unsuspecting SUV's ......

then I wake up......

;)

claude

How about strapping an air horn to your handlebars?

I have one of those aaah ooooga horns on my 70's cruiser. I don't know how effective it is, but it is a lot of fun.

Originally posted by Steele-Bike
How about strapping an air horn to your handlebars?

There is an air horn (Hunter mentioned them) which is refillable by a standard tire pump which goes for about $20. Fits in a bottle cage. Loud! (Sound like Bush, here.) I just haven't gotten one (got mah whistle.)

A non-refillable 3 inch air horn (palm size) goes for about 5 bucks.

I'm thinking of a police cruiser P.A. system...

"PLEASE PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER."

:angel:

Yep people use them alot at professional sporting events. You can here them real well. I knew a guy who had one strapped to his bar. You could here him for blocks.

Originally posted by Hunter
Yep people use [police cruiser p.a. systems] alot at professional sporting events. You can here them real well. I knew a guy who had one strapped to his bar. You could here him for blocks.
ROFLOL!

I met a guy a couple of days ago who took an air horn off of an old truck and strapped it to his bike.

I connected a long rubber hose to it which he strapped to his handlebars.

He then had to SUCK hard on the hose to initiate the horn blast. It sure worked and gave a frightful blast, but looked and seemed ridiculous.

I am able to whistle loudly which seems to work well and is fast and convenient. On cold winter days, though, when my lips are cold, it is not reliable.

Originally posted by mike
He then had to SUCK hard on the hose to initiate the horn blast. It sure worked and gave a frightful blast, but looked and seemed ridiculous.



Hey, Mike, have you approached the Camelback people about this? There might be a goldmine here! :)

Shouting doesn't really work, the only thing it does for me is release all the steam that builds up inside of me.