Originally Posted by
aikigreg
I've never found a lowracer to be an issue in any sort of traffic, and find cars give me an even wider berth than normal. If you don't own a lowracer, please don't spout stuff you think you heard from somebody that saw a lowracer once.
You don't need a lowracer to understand that there are issues in traffic. I own a tadpole which has very similar visibility issues. Visibility is not an issue on the highway with low riding bikes because people see you from a distance as they approach from behind. I agree that people cut you more berth whenever you ride something unusual -- I also get this effect on my trike.
However, when you are in heavy traffic, cars next to you can't see you nearly as well. When you are moving along a line of parked cars, cars entering the road cannot always see you. When someone is passing the car that's tailgating you, they might not realize you're there and pull into the space you're taking. Likewise, cars that you are overtaking don't necessarily see you as readily as they would on a higher riding bike. When someone is tailing you, you can't tell what's behind them (or see much of the next lane over if they're too close).
Just say if any of these things aren't true, because this has definitely been my experience. I'll ride in weather and traffic that few cyclists are willing to work with, but I don't pretend there are no issues.
As you get lower, it becomes easier to get into the blind spot of an SUV, pickup, or other vehicle that rides high up. Because of the way sight lines work, it's harder to make eye contact and establish communication with motorists. Adding a flag significantly increases visibility to motorists, but it is not the same as being a bit higher up.
On the highway, low riding bikes are safe enough. However, I cannot see how anyone could possibly say there's no issue unless the conditions they've ridden in are pretty tame.