Why I'm lit up like a Christmas tree (and also use cameras)
06-01-18, 04:27 PM
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Why I'm lit up like a Christmas tree (and also use cameras)
Came upon this last night (screen capture from front camera):
Motorist presumably drifted right, plowed into the guard rail (which ate their tire/strut/spring/more), and the momentum spun the rear end of the car across the road. No cop or other help yet on scene, so it happened not long before I got there.
Questions: Did that vehicle pass me shortly before? And did they give me ample room? Yes and yes. A few minutes prior (screen capture from rear camera):
Reminds me why I use two rear lights (one blinking, one solid) in addition to the cameras. The lights will hopefully help me avoid getting hit. The camera will provide "proof" if I ever do.
Btw, I use two front lights (again one blinking, one solid) as well
Motorist presumably drifted right, plowed into the guard rail (which ate their tire/strut/spring/more), and the momentum spun the rear end of the car across the road. No cop or other help yet on scene, so it happened not long before I got there.
Questions: Did that vehicle pass me shortly before? And did they give me ample room? Yes and yes. A few minutes prior (screen capture from rear camera):
Reminds me why I use two rear lights (one blinking, one solid) in addition to the cameras. The lights will hopefully help me avoid getting hit. The camera will provide "proof" if I ever do.
Btw, I use two front lights (again one blinking, one solid) as well
Last edited by JohnnyCyclist; 06-01-18 at 04:35 PM.
06-01-18, 07:10 PM
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Close call...but not close. Driver distracted, perhaps.
I am like you--two front lights, one of which is on blinking, usually two or more rear lights, one of which is blinking, front camera and rear camera.
I am like you--two front lights, one of which is on blinking, usually two or more rear lights, one of which is blinking, front camera and rear camera.
06-01-18, 09:12 PM
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Interesting. I once watched a car stopped in the opposite lane to make a left get rear ended at 50 mph. Got spun around into the oncoming lane and hit again by a truck. I was about 15-20 feet away. No video though, I don't do 'em.
06-02-18, 04:11 AM
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It works until it doesn’t.
Like you, I ride with two very bright red lights in the rear, a very tight flashing white light in the front, hi-viz Jersey, shoes, socks, rear radar, mirror, etc. I was hit by a driver on May 15 , who “never saw me”. This after having two opportunities to do so. He should have seen my white flashings light as he approached the intersection and then he should have seen the flashing reds after he made his turn and came up behind me.
I have the freedom to choose to not ride solo on the road anymore. I sympathize with those who don’t have that option.
Like you, I ride with two very bright red lights in the rear, a very tight flashing white light in the front, hi-viz Jersey, shoes, socks, rear radar, mirror, etc. I was hit by a driver on May 15 , who “never saw me”. This after having two opportunities to do so. He should have seen my white flashings light as he approached the intersection and then he should have seen the flashing reds after he made his turn and came up behind me.
I have the freedom to choose to not ride solo on the road anymore. I sympathize with those who don’t have that option.
06-04-18, 12:01 PM
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??? Is there a bicycle in either picture?! Whatever justification there might be for using two flashers (and does it need saying that that hardly comes close to being a "Christmas Tree" ...) or a camera that some shot of a mangled motorcycle or whatever that thing is should not empower any bicyclist one way or another. Why does it matter? Because my wife reads this #$%#%. We go out on the tandem and have a nice meal and we come out and its dark and she is like "do you have a flasher???" Me: "No." Her:"then how are we going to get home?!" Me: "we'll be fine" Her: "<mutter, mutter>" stink eye all the way home, and of course no you know what. You guys are killing my love life. Stop it. Just cut it out. Please, and thank you.
06-04-18, 01:10 PM
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wow, pretty amazing share. glad you survived what could be considered a near death experience
my car was once struck by a truck's front strut (sans wheel) as seen in the photo, while driving to work. those things do a lot of damage
my car was once struck by a truck's front strut (sans wheel) as seen in the photo, while driving to work. those things do a lot of damage
06-04-18, 05:42 PM
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I was at my Dad's bedside when he passed away. Can I consider that a near death experience?
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nine mile skid on a ten mile ride
nine mile skid on a ten mile ride
06-05-18, 07:30 AM
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Originally Posted by JohnnyCyclist
Came upon this last night (screen capture from front camera):
Motorist presumably drifted right, plowed into the guard rail (which ate their tire/strut/spring/more), and the momentum spun the rear end of the car across the road. No cop or other help yet on scene, so it happened not long before I got there.
Questions: Did that vehicle pass me shortly before? And did they give me ample room? Yes and yes. A few minutes prior (screen capture from rear camera):
Reminds me why I use two rear lights (one blinking, one solid) in addition to the cameras. The lights will hopefully help me avoid getting hit. The camera will provide "proof" if I ever do.
Btw, I use two front lights (again one blinking, one solid) as well
Motorist presumably drifted right, plowed into the guard rail (which ate their tire/strut/spring/more), and the momentum spun the rear end of the car across the road. No cop or other help yet on scene, so it happened not long before I got there.
Questions: Did that vehicle pass me shortly before? And did they give me ample room? Yes and yes. A few minutes prior (screen capture from rear camera):
Reminds me why I use two rear lights (one blinking, one solid) in addition to the cameras. The lights will hopefully help me avoid getting hit. The camera will provide "proof" if I ever do.
Btw, I use two front lights (again one blinking, one solid) as well
06-05-18, 07:57 AM
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Originally Posted by 02Giant
I was at my Dad's bedside when he passed away. Can I consider that a near death experience?
06-07-18, 10:08 AM
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The driver swerved off the road, so obviously wasn't looking (probably checking their phone or something). All the lights in the world wouldn't have helped if you were between the car and the guardrail. The driver has to actually be looking for them to work. The cameras may have helped in the following lawsuit, however.
06-07-18, 10:54 PM
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Maybe the driver was disoriented from the strobe lights and lost control.
06-08-18, 10:48 AM
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Originally Posted by Hippiebrian
The driver swerved off the road, so obviously wasn't looking (probably checking their phone or something). All the lights in the world wouldn't have helped if you were between the car and the guardrail. The driver has to actually be looking for them to work. The cameras may have helped in the following lawsuit, however.
I suppose that if the OP was near the guard rail the motorist would have seen him and avoided both. Even texting motorists have to look up every few seconds. Why not give 'em something to see?
06-09-18, 06:16 PM
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That is kind of scary really, I do not know if there is a way to enhance the photo to see if the driver was on his cell phone, or nodding off while driving, maybe he was getting sleepy and his phone rang then he crashed, because the railing just came out of no where. I can recall drivers not seeing me, even with a reflective vest and lights on, and I know of a cyclist who was killed from behind, while he had a rear light on.
06-10-18, 10:49 AM
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OP, keep the cameras rolling and lights on.
June 16, 2007, BTW---the same daily calendar month configuration as this month and our wedding day in 1973, we were stopped at traffic light. Driver of car that hit us said he bent down to pick-up cigarette and DID NOT APPLY BRAKES. Since no brakes were applied, front of the car went over our bumper and into our trunk and we proceeded down the road for 200 feet joined together. Speed limit is 55mph and in the fast lane most everyone is 55+.
Last week we were returning to our cruise ship from a shore excursion to Emerald Lake, Yukon, Canada
on the Klondike Highway when the driver dozed off. A front seat passenger grabbed the wheel as the bus drifted right and slightly down. Corrected left crossing over center then right with a final left to get bus straight.
Originally Posted by AlmostTrick
Interesting. I once watched a car stopped in the opposite lane to make a left get rear ended at 50 mph. Got spun around into the oncoming lane and hit again by a truck. I was about 15-20 feet away. No video though, I don't do 'em.
Last week we were returning to our cruise ship from a shore excursion to Emerald Lake, Yukon, Canada
