[redredrider]

Here's my problem. I take my son to kindergarten in Brooklyn on a trail-a-bike. I drop him off, lock up the trail-a-bike at his school and then continue on to work. On my way home I pick up the trail-a-bike (he's already gone home on the bus). The problem is that I have no place to leave the five foot or so safety flag and it's impossible to lock it up. Someone somewhere must make one that folds or telescopes. Anyone have any thoughts on this or how to improvise something.

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[Helmet Head]

I can't believe someone would steal a safety flag from a kid's trailercycle, but, then, you did say Brooklyn.

Some ideas:


Superglue something to the pole to create a loop you can put your cable through.
Put a flag holder on your bike (like the one that's on the trailercycle), and take the flag with you to your work, which you take into the office.
Ask the school if there is some place you can keep one.
Buy a couple of extras (they're like $5 each, aren't they?) that you keep at home. If someone steals it one day, you don't need it on the way home (kid took the bus), and then you have the spare at home for the next day.
Drill a tiny hole into the pole and holder near the base such that you can attach it to the flag holder with a tiny eyeglass screw.
Get a two piece flag (I got one at an LBS) that you can take apart and take with you, perhaps in your backpack or attached to your rack.

[sbhikes]

I have heard of people making safety flags from fishing poles. Do any fishing poles have a telescoping feature?

[Eli_Damon]

I got some old "rabbit ear" TV antennae a little while ago with the idea of making a safety flag out of them. I never got around to it though.

[banerjek]

All you need is a pole that disassembles into segments. I have one on my trike. If you can't buy one, you can convert your existing pole using the following high tech method:

1) Saw your existing pole into segments the size you need. Based on what you say, a single cut in the middle will probably do fine.

2) Take one of the pieces of pole to a hardware store. Buy a 4" section (you may have to buy a whole foot) of rigid pipe -- pvc is great -- that just barely fits over the section of pole that you have

3) Apply an appropriate adhesive to the last 2" of one end of the bottom half of your pole and stick 2" of pipe on.

Once the glue sets, you can just stick the top half of the pole when you need it and remove it in about a second.

I wouldn't look for a teloscoping pole. Sounds expensive, less reliable, and more wind resistance. A cheap fishing pole makes more sense if you don't want to convert your existing flag pole.