Side clearance flag
 

I had this idea about 15-years ago but chickened out.

I came back to the idea because AZ has a 3-foot passing law, I had a close passing incident captured on video, and yet could not really prove that the pass was inside 3-feet for enforcement. The flag solves that problem; it extends 35 3/4" inches beyond my handlebar. If you hit the flag, you're inside 3 feet.

I thought that I might get some guff for the flag but the only comments I have had are very supportive. One lady who commented on it yesterday really seemed to appreciate my use of it and claimed that it was very helpful to her as a driver.

It looks HUGE in small places and on small roads, but not so much on the highway as far as I can tell. The main benefit seems to be in places where drivers are tempted to "shoot the gap" in tight places.

It is, at least, an interesting experiment in driver psychology and a way to measure the minimum clearance.

PS. My commute is mostly highway with a wide shoulder and rumble strip. I ride right of the rumble strip except in two short sections where the the guard rail is too narrow to pass outside the rumble strip.

http://sheepcamp.com/~ben/pics/IMG_0939.jpg

From time to time I pass other cyclists and other cyclists pass me as well. It's rare for us to give each other that much clearance and I'm wondering if the law applies to all vehicles or specifically just motor vehicles.

Though I appreciate it when motorists give me plenty of room, especially in the winter, most of the time I'm comfortable with them passing me with substantially less than a 3 foot gap.

Maybe it's just the jaded cynic in me, but depending on the venue I see that as a potentially open invitation for redneck target practice.

+1. In fact, what often happens is that the person behind me waits until they can swerve entirely into the oncoming lane of traffic before passing. Not sure why they do that, but it seems much less safe for them and I wonder how long it'll be before one of those idiots causes a head-on collision because they couldn't wait to pass. :rolleyes:

I live in a rural area and RARELY see another bike on the road let alone going my direction. I also have two mounting options so I can stow it in a way that doesn't hit stuff in tight spots. I'm thinking about some sort of two-position mount to make the operation a bit faster.

My commute is mostly on a highway that is regularly traveled at 75mph or better. I'll take every bit of those three-feet and wouldn't mind double that.

I have long been of the suspicion that the appropriate passing distance is about one-foot for every ten MPH.

cool idea. Is that just a trailer flag?

I thought the same and am somewhat surprised at the results thus far.

Interestingly, my observation is that drivers who used to go to the other lane to pass now pass closer but still with plenty of room. That aspect has been quite a surprise to me. It's like they didn't know how much room to give so they went to the other fog line. They seem to interpret the flag as an indication of how much room to give.

It's just a regular 6' bike flag that I cut to length.

That makes sense! One complaint of drivers is that cyclists are "unpredictable" -- give them a clear indication of the space you need, and what you're going to do next, and they appreciate it. :thumb:

Don't know why they do that? Because people like the o.p. create this culture of cyclists that must be coddled and passed with 6' clearance. You said it yourself... they are idiots. Idiots don't have any judgement or perspective so... since they don't know when they will be able to pass and they lack any impulse control they go for it when and where they find you. So the question is.... do you want to be at ground zero when there is a head on collision because you were claiming your right to the road? In my case, yes, sometimes they do go WAY around me (no flag by the way) and I am way over on the fog line. No reason at all to give me all that room... but they do. IF there ever is a head on in a situation like that... my conscience is clear. I was doing everything in my power to facilitate a pass that did not involve undue risk to anyone. The o.p. ... not so much.

H

I'd go to the other fog line too if I came up behind someoene with a 35.75" flag sticking horizontally from their bike. I mean... come on... how well does the average driver judge distances close to their car?? 25% are completely unable to parallel park. You want someone like that passing you with exactly 36" Inches? And... it might be me but... in the statutes... where does that 36" start? I have handlebars that are 28" wide and I have handlebars that are 20" wide. 36" from the centerline of the bike is a not unreasonable passing distance! You are adding as much as 14" to that... oh the vanity... but, rock on, truth is, most drivers give you the 3' whether you ask for it or not. Now you aren't asking. Most will give it to you anyway, but someone wont. It's inevitable. What then. Without the flag it would be a close pass. With the flag its drama. Splintering fiberglass, noise, shrapnel, maybe enough startle in there to upset your equilibrium on the bike. Maybe not. You take care.

H

Is this flag quickly and easily removable? If not, I can think of many situations where it might be a safety hazard. What happens when you come around a corner and there's a pedestrian standing right in its path?

After a close call a few years ago with a landscape truck pulling an empty flat bed that was swerving all over the road, I carried a hand-held flag on my top tube for a while. It worked pretty well until I lost it. Of course, this only extended as far as my arm and could be retracted on a moment's notice. Sorry, but your flag looks like an accident waiting to happen.

Not quickly or easily but am thinking about that as a modification. I have to get off the bike to deploy or stow it. I figured I'd give it a try for a while before investing too much time or effort in a mounting system. I've been using it for about two weeks and so far driver feedback and reactions have been positive.

I stop at stop signs, yield to traffic with the right of way, and don't pass anyone closer than I would want them to pass me so I don't see how I'd whack a pedestrian with it. I might feel differently if I lived among more people than cattle.

This has got to be one of the stupidest ideas I have ever seen on a bike. What if another bike wants to pass you? They have to go way out into the traffic and risk getting hit, rather than saying "on your left" and passing a foot from you. Don't be suprised if you receive frequent hostile comments from other cyclists. The 3 foot rule is a common sense guide, not a hard and fast rule dictating the amount of space someone needs to give you.

When I said "used to" above, I meant before I installed the flag. Sorry if that was not clear.

It's fascinating that bikeforums people are more hostile to my flag use than the people who pass me every day are! Context is everything, I guess.

In many states that distance is written down in the law.

So what? There are lots of laws on the books that are meaningless, unenforceable, and useless.

>>>>I've been using it for about two weeks and so far driver feedback and reactions have been positive.<<<

Hey, if it works, then I take back my comment. I used to have a rear view mirror that I pinned to my left riding glove. It worked great - even better than the very good handlebar mounted mirror that I use now - but I gave in to negative feedback from the forums and now I have a Mirrycle like everybody else.

How about try this first, get a florescent yoga mat or something, cut to a bit wider than your bars and stick across the rack?

I had to carry a wheel with 700x50 Big Apple tire home a few weeks back and lashed it on my backpack. Someone commented to me I was being obnoxious carrying something so wide, but they STFU when I told them it's only marginally wider than my 69 cm handle bars.

I have a Whizz installed on the deck of my Xtracycle

Aww man, I thought I invented that idea... Oh well.

How well does it work?

Actually, it's hard to say how well it works. I haven't been hit...BUT then again I hadn't been hit before I installed it.

Around here, as a rule, folks are pretty good about giving me enough room. In five years, I have only been buzzed once; I swear that woman wasn't six inches off my handlebars, when she passed me.

Sorry, but the stupidest idea I ever saw on a bike was responsible for this post....

Yeah, the two I quoted here seem to be a little over the top. They read like self-appointed experts. I've toyed with this idea, but found a lack of need over the last couple years.

Coddled...hmmm,...nope, don't think so. And as far as"ground zero" goes, what makes you think a PARTIAL lane change will avoid that head-on? Unless a rider gets SERIOUSLY buzzed, there will be SOME separation, and wheels over the centerline. Since I happen to think that taking the lane serves the same purpose, it's a matter of different strokes for different folks. It WORKS for the OP, if you don't want to do it, DON'T -- but to rail at him with your perception of him needing "coddling" is presumptuous in the extreme.

The 3' referred to in most laws is from the left end of the handlebar; I have yet to see any place where it's measured from the centerline of the bike. That's a childish point.

Vanity...please. The VANITY here is you thinking you're the standard of right thinking about lane position for another rider.

The fact that it's rarely enforced (there have been some people that have had success with video), doesn't mean it's not a law and only some ephemeral common sense guideline. Would the flag cause problems if encountering other cyclists? Maybe. I think some sort of pivot so he could have it sideways and then lock it into an upright position when he didn't need it would probably be useful.

Problems enforcing the safe passing law
 

By my estimation there are three problems with enforcing the Arizona safe passing law.

1. No measurement of passing clearance is typically recorded. My flag is a 3-foot measuring device in addition to an aid in visibility.

2. Without some sort of evidence, the unsafe pass winds up being a case of driver's word against the cyclist's. This is what a video camera can help.

3. The law has no teeth unless a cyclist is injured or killed. I think a violation of the law may still be grounds for a reckless driving charge but I am not a lawyer.

PS. It sure is nice to know that Arizona places such a high value on my life. :rolleyes:

from bicycleaustin
http://bicycleaustin.info
http://bicyclesafe.com


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[TD]http://bicyclesafe.com/images/noodle.jpg
One cyclist tied this bright noodle to the back of his bike, exactly the width of his handlebars, to show drivers how much space he takes up on the road.[/TD]
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Take the whole lane when appropriate.

It's often safer to take the whole lane, or at least ride a little bit to the left, rather than hug the right curb. Here's why:

• Cars at intersections ahead of you can see you better if you're squarely in the road rather than on the extreme edge where you're easily overlooked.
• Taking the lane prevents cars from passing you too closely on narrow roadways.
• Riding a bit to the left prevents you from being a victim of the door prize.

You might worry about slowing down the traffic behind you if you take the lane. But if you're on the kind of street where you've got cars blocked up behind you or constantly changing lanes to get around you, you're probably on the wrong street and should find a quieter neighborhood street.
Taking the lane works especially well in most traffic circles. The traffic generally moves slower so it's easy to keep up, riding in the lane makes you more visible to motorists, and taking the lane prevents motorists from right hooking you as they exit the circle.
It's perfectly legal for you to take the lane when appropriate. Texas State Law (and the laws of most other states) says you have to ride as far to the right as is "practicable". Here are some things that make it impracticable to ride to the extreme right:

1. You're in a heavy traffic area with lots of side streets, parking lots, or driveways ahead and to your right. Cars turning left won't see you because they're looking for traffic in the middle of the road, not on the extreme edge of the road. Move left. See Collision diagram #1 above.
2. Cars are passing you too closely. If the lane is too narrow for cars to pass you safely, then move left and take the whole lane. Getting buzzed by cars is dangerous.
3. Cars are parked on the right-hand side of the road. If you ride too close to these you're gonna get doored when someone gets out of their car. Move left.

There are risks to both riding to the extreme right as well as taking the lane. Whether you ride to the right or take the lane depends on the conditions of the roadway you're on. On wide roadways with few intersections/driveways, right further right. On narrow roads with lots of intersections, ride farther to the left. It's not always better to take the lane or to hug the curb; it depends on the roadway you're on.

I don't think this would work well here for my riding because some of it is through tight spots. However, it sounds like it would work well on your commute on open highways. Good luck with it! My suggestion for the design would be, if it isn't to hard, to put it on a hinge of some sort so you can raise it straight up if you need to be narrower.

Your idea is absolutely fantastic.

The best thing is that bike riders will also need to give you 3 FT.

I'd say a whizzer on the end would be also great fun.