Two things,

1) Glad there was no harm done.

2) I think the photo of the Omaha bike and book trailer was taken in the building I work in during one of their promotions.

and B) I crushed a lady's car last year when she pulled out in front of the much larger vehicle I was driving. So sometimes you can drive a truck through some people's blind spots. Or in my case, you can't. (Note: nobody was hurt outside of the pile of wreckage that was her car)

Good tip!

[MENTION=55787]tsl[/MENTION] :

you our are so humble, great to be witness to. Reading your post, I need to adopt that calmness and be grateful for what didn't happen versus being angry for what could have happened.

On on a side note, from someone who loves and cherishes libraries around the U.S., I appreciate what you do.

[MENTION=55787]tsl[/MENTION]

Question: how much do you think it cost to build that trailer?

Glad neither books nor librarian were harmed.

Glad you're OK. Stories like this really amaze me. How can someone be so obtuse? I assume given his level of intelligence that he was just in the library to use a computer to look at naughty pictures.

That particular BAW trailer can easily go for $1,000 or more, just for the frame and wheels by itself (which IMHO is outrageous but whatever)... so unless they got it used or donated the overall trailer cost plenty more than that.

The trailir is $750

I enjoyed this story. Especially since you were unharmed.

While not fancy schmancy, it's very nice and the lighting is just too cool!

Boston's is far smaller,(and based on a Surley trailer) but does open up:https://www.bpl.org/press/tag/bibliocycle/

If first generation library trailers look this good, I can't wait to see what the 2nd generation looks like!

I'm glad you made it through that well.

My rule of thumb is that the driver who is behind you believes they are in front of you. Sounds like this guy fits the bill.

The 96A is $850, where do you see it for $750?

Good for you for remaining so composed. And professional.

tsl posted the URL of the trailer he uses in a post on the first page.

It's almost always better to almost make it on the news, than to actually be on the news.

Unfortunately I've given up believing that visibility is somehow the key to safety. Your experience demonstrates the futility of that. I think many (not all, but enough to matter) drivers are operating in "lizard brain" mode while operating a vehicle. Their brain automatically filters out anything that's not a threat to them. The bike and trailer, while quite visible (even the driver admitted it), posed no threat, and he automatically and subconsciously screened out the information, only to be surprised that you were still there. The confused, can't-get-the-story-straight interaction you got was the result of him having seen you but his lizard brain telling him to ignore you.

I think you handled the situation well. yelling wouldnt have added anything and by being calm and explaining the possible results, you hopefully were more able to make him think. he will probably think about what you said for the rest of his life

But that's the Queen's English. I'm on the wrong side of the lake for that.

I think the plexi is about the same density as wood.

The grant is in progress for two more. The next ones will be framed in aluminum extrusions--like the trailer bed itself-- and sheathed in Coroplast. Top will remain wood so we can screw stuff to it.

As for the solar, still to early to have used it much. So no real data as yet.

As for the ones on the roof of the library, averaged out over the full year, we make about 50% of the electricity we consume. It would be higher except that the panels were deliberately installed at only a two-degree angle, in order to test how bad a bad installation can make it. Not only are they too flat for the angle of the sun, but they don't shed snow in the winter. They are getting good data from that installation.

Well actually, isn't that the goal? Not to hit it? A miss?

No. But when it's loaded, there's enough mass that I doubt it would be a sail. As for headwinds, the cross-section isn't much bigger than me and the panniers. It's surprising how little headwinds affect it.

Sorry. You were hoping maybe for a little gore?

The base trailer, Bikes-At-Work model 64A, is $750.

Final cost was around $2100. I don't know if labor is factored in since it was built in-house in our facilities department. Bear in mind, I'm a peon and all the budgeting and grant-writing was done three levels and more over my head.

Its always been my contention that visibility enhancements are to communicate ones presence to those exercising a reasonable amount of awareness and caution, not to compensate for those who are not.

That squares pretty well with my thoughts.

I think that generally, drivers aren't looking for clear space, they're looking for other cars.