Got clipped today.
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Got clipped today.
I was out on a training ride today on a paved county road, and noticing that people are in an aweful hurry for 1430 on a Sunday (not leaving me much room), when a pickup pulling a cattle trailer starts pulling in on me while I'm still half overlapped. I brake and swerve and end up getting my front wheel clipped, dumping me into the ditch. I get up and try to catch the number, but the guy has no plates on his trailer, and the cow in the back is laughing at me. I dust myself off, do an inspection find that niether my bike nor myself is damaged, and head towards home.
On a nice, wide street on the edge of town, a sorostitute in a white rice-burner of some description tries to do the same thing, pulling into my lane while I'm still half overlapped. No collision this time, but DAMN is hilighter yellow a difficult color to see or something?
Siggy
On a nice, wide street on the edge of town, a sorostitute in a white rice-burner of some description tries to do the same thing, pulling into my lane while I'm still half overlapped. No collision this time, but DAMN is hilighter yellow a difficult color to see or something?
Siggy
#2
Every lane is a bike lane
Originally Posted by siggy_lxvi
On a nice, wide street on the edge of town, a sorostitute in a white rice-burner of some description tries to do the same thing, pulling into my lane while I'm still half overlapped. No collision this time, but DAMN is hilighter yellow a difficult color to see or something?
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That is all.
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Install a 5-LED flashing tail light. The overtaking vehicles give you a lot more clearance when you have one of these. The impact is dramatic. I even had a person stop and tell me how much more attention-getting I am than other bikers. I also use a flashing/blinking three LED headlight for crossing intersections. I don't get cut-off anymore.
It's important to change out the batteries often enough to maintain good contrast in bright sunlight.
Al
It's important to change out the batteries often enough to maintain good contrast in bright sunlight.
Al
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Originally Posted by siggy_lxvi
I get up and try to catch the number, but the guy has no plates on his trailer, and the cow in the back is laughing at me. I dust myself off, do an inspection find that niether my bike nor myself is damaged, and head towards home.
Maybe it was the bull driving? Maybe he and the cow decided to go for a ride and harass cyclists?
--J
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Who is this General Failure anyway, and why is he reading my drive?
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To err is human. To moo is bovine.
Who is this General Failure anyway, and why is he reading my drive?
Become a Registered Member in Bike Forums
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#5
Tiocfáidh ár Lá
A steel rod sharppened like a pencil on both sides about 1m long. Mount on the back rack or some such device on the bike perpendicular to the bike, like a car bumber. Paint brite orange. Car drivers think of us like a squirrel or rabit in the road but they really don't want to scrape the paint up on there precious vehicles.
Glad to here you made it through that one
Glad to here you made it through that one
#6
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Originally Posted by Al.canoe
Install a 5-LED flashing tail light. The overtaking vehicles give you a lot more clearance when you have one of these. The impact is dramatic. I even had a person stop and tell me how much more attention-getting I am than other bikers. I also use a flashing/blinking three LED headlight for crossing intersections. I don't get cut-off anymore.
It's important to change out the batteries often enough to maintain good contrast in bright sunlight.
Al
It's important to change out the batteries often enough to maintain good contrast in bright sunlight.
Al
I use one at when when I use to commute by bike. I assume that you use yours during the day also? Are they really that bright to see during a sunny day?
Digger
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Originally Posted by Chris L
Can anyone say "deliberate"?
siggy_lxvi Glad to hear you're safe.
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A steel rod sharppened like a pencil on both sides about 1m long. Mount on the back rack or some such device on the bike perpendicular to the bike, like a car bumber. Paint brite orange. Car drivers think of us like a squirrel or rabit in the road but they really don't want to scrape the paint up on there precious vehicles.
That's a good idea. I've thought about that too, but using a plastic tube, like thin PVC pipe or something. It would be very light then, but still would be avoided by anyone passing closely. You could paint it bright orange, and mount it on a spring. When going through tight spaces, it would bend back when it hits something to move out of the way, but spring back to perpendicular after the obstruction is passed...
That's a good idea. I've thought about that too, but using a plastic tube, like thin PVC pipe or something. It would be very light then, but still would be avoided by anyone passing closely. You could paint it bright orange, and mount it on a spring. When going through tight spaces, it would bend back when it hits something to move out of the way, but spring back to perpendicular after the obstruction is passed...
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Originally Posted by AZcommuter
That's a good idea. I've thought about that too, but using a plastic tube, like thin PVC pipe or something. It would be very light then, but still would be avoided by anyone passing closely. You could paint it bright orange, and mount it on a spring. When going through tight spaces, it would bend back when it hits something to move out of the way, but spring back to perpendicular after the obstruction is passed...
FLASH FLAG
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Originally Posted by siggy_lxvi
I was out on a training ride today on a paved county road, and noticing that people are in an aweful hurry for 1430 on a Sunday (not leaving me much room), when a pickup pulling a cattle trailer starts pulling in on me while I'm still half overlapped.
I disagree, however, that this was an obvious case of running someone off the road on purpose. I think it's more likely that a motorist who pulls in too soon after passing is simply ignorant and negligent. I don't think that any driver would risk causing an injury in front of witnesses.
It's more likely a case of driving while sipping a cool one.
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Originally Posted by LittleBigMan
Overtaking vehicles are 100% responsible for leaving adequate clearance. If an accident report were filed, it's obvious they'd be fully at fault, no matter what their excuse was. I'm glad you are ok.
I disagree, however, that this was an obvious case of running someone off the road on purpose. I think it's more likely that a motorist who pulls in too soon after passing is simply ignorant and negligent. I don't think that any driver would risk causing an injury in front of witnesses.
It's more likely a case of driving while sipping a cool one.
I disagree, however, that this was an obvious case of running someone off the road on purpose. I think it's more likely that a motorist who pulls in too soon after passing is simply ignorant and negligent. I don't think that any driver would risk causing an injury in front of witnesses.
It's more likely a case of driving while sipping a cool one.
Siggy
Last edited by siggy_lxvi; 04-06-04 at 01:46 AM.
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Originally Posted by digger
I use one at when when I use to commute by bike. I assume that you use yours during the day also? Are they really that bright to see during a sunny day?
Digger
Digger
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Hmm, this has me wondering. Our little sailboat trailer, given how little weight it carries, does not require a license plate in WI (seems like it still should, but I digress...). But a CATTLE trailer? It must require a plate. That's a violation in itself. Might be worth reporting; depends on whether the local constabulary wants to chase down an unregistered vehicle.