Instead of reflectors, why not make (partially) reflective frames?
#51
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(And people who ride the wrong way in traffic are salmon, since we're talking about the names we give people.)
#52
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Yup. There are also ninja salmon which may be the worst of the lot.
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Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
#53
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Well I read over some of the clips from the transcripts. There is so much BS in those clips that if I was setting in the jury I would be thinking the whole time, "This is such BS. The guy ( on the bike ) ran into a car making a bad turn. If you're going to sue someone you sue the people responsible for causing the accident". Yes, I agree with you, Mr. Johnson could have sued the CSPC. However if they did that they probably would have lost. That's because government agencies can afford to hire expensive lawyers who would undoubtedly spend tons of our money to Cover their ...butts
I agree that Mr. Johnson should have been held at mostly culpable for his actions. I would also argue that since Derby was following CSPC regulations, they shouldn't have been held culpable. But I also see the point of the plaintiff's case. A complete reflector kit could lead someone to think that it is sufficient for night time riding. Why have it and why does the CSPC require it if the reflectors don't provide sufficient warning? Any person of reasonable intelligence can clearly see that the reflectors are inadequate but too often people aren't being reasonable.
Well, of course they have to use lights. If they don't the 2 tons worth of metal they are riding in can kill *innocent people. ( * other than [ but not excluding ] the operator of the vehicle. ).... If a cyclist doesn't use a light it is the cyclist that gets killed. Rarely in any bike/automobile accident is the motorist going to be the one to get killed ( regardless of who has lights and who doesn't ).
I agree that there are no guarantees. But my chances of avoiding an accident are much better with active lighting than with passive lighting. I also subscribe idea that, when it comes to bicycle light, if it can be done, it can also be overdone. I throw enough light in front of me and behind me that people in cars wonder what is coming at them. If they confuse me for a train that is off the tracks and think twice before pulling out in front of me, so much the better.
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Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
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Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
#54
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...and they don't work if light doesn't fall on them. There are lots to situations where a reflector isn't going to have anything to "reflect". If you are coming to an intersection and the car is at 90 degrees to the bike, the reflector is going to be useless. Angled intersections are going to do the same. In fog or snow, the light can't travel very far and even straight in front of the car, the reflector can't reflect the light back. If the reflector is dirty, it won't reflect.
On the other hand, laziness isn't an excuse. Every state law that I have looked at requires a front white light. Some require a reflector as well but all of them require active lighting for the front. Some, like my state, require a reflector for the rear but not an active light. Because of this, I carry a red reflector but I only do so because the law requires it. It's useless and I would rather have a light required but that's going to take legislation to change.
On the other hand, laziness isn't an excuse. Every state law that I have looked at requires a front white light. Some require a reflector as well but all of them require active lighting for the front. Some, like my state, require a reflector for the rear but not an active light. Because of this, I carry a red reflector but I only do so because the law requires it. It's useless and I would rather have a light required but that's going to take legislation to change.
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#55
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....I agree that Mr. Johnson should have been held at mostly culpable for his actions. I would also argue that since Derby was following CSPC regulations, they shouldn't have been held culpable. But I also see the point of the plaintiff's case. A complete reflector kit could lead someone to think that it is sufficient for night time riding. Why have it and why does the CSPC require it if the reflectors don't provide sufficient warning? Any person of reasonable intelligence can clearly see that the reflectors are inadequate but too often people aren't being reasonable.
So much for this subject. Think I'll step out to the local McD's, buy some coffee, spill it on my crotch and then sue McD's because ...well,..it's was just too hot. Doesn't matter that coffee is suppose to be hot and that it was my actions that caused the spill I just want to get rich.
...I have reflectors on my bike for the simple reason that they are required by my state's laws. I don't depend on them for anything other than to cover me if I get hit and I need to file a lawsuit. I don't want to give ammunition to a cleaver lawyer who could get my case thrown out because I didn't have the proper reflectors.
#56
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The repo man is a lot more involved than the mailman. He knows what he's doing, is an integral part of it (if the mailmain doesn't deliver your letter -- your wife has still left you) and in fact if you shoot him it'll actually change things ... for a while.
So much for this subject. Think I'll step out to the local McD's, buy some coffee, spill it on my crotch and then sue McD's because ...well,..it's was just too hot. Doesn't matter that coffee is suppose to be hot and that it was my actions that caused the spill I just want to get rich.
(Because the first part isn't ironic. It *was* too hot, and there's a lot more to the story than we're usually told. (Or if you don't like videos, here's a written article, but with fewer details.)
#57
Senior Member
The term shooting the messenger is much more popular.
The repo man is a lot more involved than the mailman. He knows what he's doing, is an integral part of it (if the mailmain doesn't deliver your letter -- your wife has still left you) and in fact if you shoot him it'll actually change things ... for a while.
The repo man is a lot more involved than the mailman. He knows what he's doing, is an integral part of it (if the mailmain doesn't deliver your letter -- your wife has still left you) and in fact if you shoot him it'll actually change things ... for a while.
Some places like 7-11 at least have microwaves that allow you to reheat the coffee but this is an extra step. Royal Farms is my favorite. They have urns with heating elements and really good ( hot ) coffee.
Yeah, McD coffee ( was/is ? ) super hot. I remember buying it back in the day when I was younger. Worse tasting coffee I ever had but yeah it was super hot. Just because it's now suppose to be 10° warmer I really don't think it will make a difference if it ends up on my crotch or in my face. A dangerous product needs to be handled carefully. This is where "Personally responsibility" comes into play. If you buy a gun, load it and shoot your own foot it's not the gun's fault or the person that sold you the gun, it's your fault. ( same basic principle )
I like my coffee hot. If somehow I spill it on myself ( through no fault of anyone else ) and burn myself I'll deal with it....without a lawyer.
#58
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I hate coffee and tea and somebody elsewhere grossed me out and lost my ear telling me that milk is mucus. More milk or diet Dew, thank you.
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Retro-reflective frame now available commercially
The little white front and red tail reflectors that come with a newly bought bike are not only useless in most cases, but often take extra room and interfere with mounting lights etc. on handlebar and seat post. They are useless nuisance. Couldn't the manufacturers just make part of the bike frame reflective with reflective painting or reflective tapes (like many of us do)? What do you think?
I've also seen a Boston-based aftermarket service named Hub Powderworks applying a retro-reflective coating ("Halo Coatings") to bike frames.
#60
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I thought about trying to get some Halo powder, but at the time they were obnoxious about it. Don't know if they have changed, but I lost access to the guy that powder coated, so it's not an issue. Halo used to list some bike companies in their associates, dunno what happened to that. I also tried to talk one of the wet paint guys into using reflective paint, but he had tried it and didn't like the look
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Reflectors require being struck by sufficient light at an angle pretty much, but not entirely, head-on to the reflector. Unfortunately, when you get in some of the rural areas and are coming from a side road or driveway ( backing out ), there's not enough light from a vehicle's headlights or backup lights, to illuminate a reflector on a bicycle that's 100 feet away and coming at 15 or 20 mph. No reflector I'm aware of will do any good in a situation such as this, especially when backup lights are the only illumination to the rear at night. When I need to back out of our driveway at night, the radio is off and the front windows are down in order to try and hear any possible noise from a bike or rider coming down the road without lights, only reflectors on the bike. This situation always scares the hell out of me, but there are some riders in the area that don't wish to be detected on their bikes at night for other reasons than being legal and staying safe.
#63
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#64
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...and when your tires wear out...then what? You might not want to use the same type of tire. ( or originals might no longer be available )...it happens. I don't see why bike frames can't come with some manufacturers reflective tid-bits. Reflective tape comes in many different colors ( including black ) and is relatively cheap. Even cheaper are the reflective spoke straws ( like in the George3 photo ) If I weren't using wheel lights I'd go with reflective tape on parts of the frame and the ( removable ) reflective spoke straws. I've seen the reflective spoke straws in action and they are pretty awesome. Being circular, they reflect light from all kinds of odd angles.
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For bikes in heavy use, and/or parked in direct sunlight, reflectors degrade over time.
If you consider them important, better have them replaceable than applied as paint.
If you consider them important, better have them replaceable than applied as paint.
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I do not agree. If the reflective paint wears out at some places of the bike after years, it can be repainted, or reflective adhesive tape etc. can be added then.
#67
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#68
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Now have active dynohub powered lights on 3 bikes, better than a passive reflector..
When in NL long ago I bought a tubular plastic ring of reflective material with a wire through it,
It laced thru the spokes , inside of the tire, above the rim, so unlike the tire sidewall reflective ring,
it did not get cloudy from braking and road dirt.
I am doubtful its made any more..
......
When in NL long ago I bought a tubular plastic ring of reflective material with a wire through it,
It laced thru the spokes , inside of the tire, above the rim, so unlike the tire sidewall reflective ring,
it did not get cloudy from braking and road dirt.
I am doubtful its made any more..
......
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