Finally! Ten posts. I can post links. The forum limits daily posts, so here we go with another omnibus reply.
Leebo -- yes, I think the daytime lights are shaping up as part of the plan.
mm718, NoControl, CliffordK -- maybe a fiberglass rod (e.g., as you say, an old fishing pole) (flexible; cheap at
eBay) with a reflector, ribbons, and/or tinsel. Or maybe
driveway reflector sticks. As long as it wasn't so flexible, with the reflector as a sail, that it would bend with the wind. Pool noodle photo -- wow, major leftwards extension. But, yes, visible.
NoControl -- police used to make road safety presentations in grade schools in Indiana too. Maybe they still do. Not sure. And, yeah, I did think that pool noodle was sticking out a bit too far in that photo. It’s sobering, though, to observe how wide the three-foot requirement is, for those jurisdictions whose laws require that space. The calibrated noodle, displaying that distance, could make sense in such a jurisdiction, assuming drivers have been educated in that legal requirement.
Doug64 & Bradtx -- I think red flashing is required at night in some cities. FWIW, I’ve been using two flashing
blue M-Wave LED taillights at night -- very visible. Not sure if they’re legal for rear lights in all jurisdictions, though.
mtnbud -- funny you should ask. Yes, as a matter of fact,
I have considered a full kitty rig. I hadn’t, however, seriously considered high-lumen rear taillights, as in, the kind that would require a dynamo or battery pack. It is something to consider. The kitty buckets have the advantage of a lower center of gravity, but the disadvantages of (a) hitting my heels unless I fashion (or buy) a rear rack to move them further back, which I will probably want to do anyway (see other post, linked below), and (b) not being as high, for purposes of driver visibility. But they may be enough. I’ve seen other remarks agreeing with yours: the kitty panniers do seem to buy a little more space from drivers.
BBassett -- the camera is a worthy suggestion. I have seen comments that a visible camera could make some drivers resentful, but also (I think) an actual study where it seemed that the sight of the camera put drivers on their best behavior. A problem is that, from what I’ve seen so far, cameras are not yet reliable for capturing license plate numbers, especially at night. (
I find the wee hours safer in terms of few drivers, yet perversely unsafe, even on empty roads with spare lanes, when one encounters the occasional very late-night partyer.) Limited browsing suggests that, for purposes of prosecution or civil litigation, the ideal solution would be three cameras: front, back, and left side.
DropBarFan -- in Miami, I might have to *lower* the crates to put them at Lamborghini eye level.
EVT Safe Zone mirror -- wow, that is really a mirror. But
$40 at Amazon. I have a little one, clips on the eyeglass temple, gives me a general sense of the rear road; I just find that when my eyes are over there, I’m not processing the road ahead -- because of me, not the mirror.
TallTourist -- wow. Sobering. OK, the scenario is, you’re a wide rider and maybe that works for the drivers who see you and don't want to hit you, and you’re also a courteous rider and (per CliffordK) you pull off to let drivers past -- except (I assume) where there are no driveways or shoulders (e.g., mountain road) or it’s nonstop traffic and you would be waiting forever. I think you’re saying the problem is when a driver comes into a situation where the bicyclist wasn't previously visible and now, at speed, at the last minute, the only option is to try to squeeze by. I’d still say crates (or something equally visible, relatively near eye level) would be the best option, at least to approximately the width of the handlebars (though of course dropbars would be narrower than my flatbar). I guess it’s a choice between inviting lane-sharing when drivers might otherwise be persuaded to swing out and pass wider, versus guaranteeing an impact in that hopefully but not necessarily rare sudden-death scenario. On official bike trails in the suburban and rural U.S. -- I mean, suited for a hybrid, not mountain bike trails -- so far I haven’t seen a situation so narrow that the crates would be a problem for other riders, but the reflective stick surely would be. It’d have to be removable or foldable or something for some situations. The crates *would* be a problem for purposes of squeezing between posts to get onto some such trails. Drivers inadvertently steering toward the thing they are looking at -- yes, I think that’s a potential risk, but I’ll take that over not being really noticed. But you’re right -- biking on roads, especially in the U.S. (at least as compared to Europe), is intrinsically dangerous. The bandana is not a bad idea; see also the earlier mention of a Budweiser flag.
Veganbikes -- it seems the
B&M TOPLIGHT LED LINE Brake Plus rear light is unavailable at Amazon but available elsewhere for $25+. Except for possible mounting hassles,
Momentum Mag likes dynamo lights. One obvious advantage is, no need to recharge batteries or risk they’ll run down. Thanks -- it’s a suggestion worth considering. I like the boombox mental image, but probably won’t add that -- the drivers I’m worried about are traveling faster than the speed of sound.
HobbesOnTour -- Re structure/design issues: as I say, see my separate post here on BikeForums,
Thru Axle for Heavy Cargo Rear Rack? The forum now allows me to post links, so this time I can do that. Spain, France -- good suggestions. I think I’ll probably do as well in Missouri (especially on the Katy Trail -- no cars!) and on back roads in Kansas and elsewhere in the Midwest. Or at least I have so far. Avoiding cities seems like a good first step; hence
the thought of using the bus to cross big cities. Hobbes on Tour: I was just visualizing a certain kind of bicyclist: solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.
Saddlesores -- flags, yes. If not Budweiser, some say you can’t go wrong with Old Glory, especially perhaps among those most inclined to resent sharing the American roads with bikers.
Happy Feet -- cool look. Makes me wanna ride. Wide handlebars! Good flag.