I see them on kids' bikes, carriers, utility bikes, but never on commuters. Reasons against using them?

I only see them now on recumbents and trailers with kids on board. Common sense tells me the flags are a good idea for safety in traffic and in hilly terrain. But, they are not cool. So, if you're thinkin' about it, don't go there. You will be snickered off the street.

hell about looking "cool" when commuting. It is all about survival. Big difference with commuting on weekend warriors and nice weather riders is that it is about survival when commuting, period!

I use a flag when pulling a trailer. And if I carry something large on my bike I have safety triangles that I mount as far to the sides as possible. One reason I don't like flags on my bike is that I forget and throw my leg around and knock the flags off.

I used to use a flag on my bike. The kids 6' kind. Worked like a hot damn too. My Dad on the other hand, had a different opinion and said flag disappeared when I stored it in the shed when i wasn't using it.

I guess you could angle the flag towards the back. That will lose height, but still get the attention of the driver behind.

I've never seen the flags you are describing, but I've thought about carrying one on my crossbar to whip out when I'm skirting a blind corner. I figured it might help a driver see me a few seconds earlier as he comes whipping around a curve with no expectation of a cyclist being on the road. Is the side-projecting flag you described one that mounts to the bike somewhere?

Wow! That IS geeky, but I think it's awesome. I think a flag higher up on the bike would be more effective, though.

The flag I used had a plastic mast about 5' tall. It fit into a bracket attached to the chainstay. The bracket made it easy to remove the flag for getting through my garage door, and to mount it for the next ride. The flag itself was safety orange, so it was highly visible. I think city traffic commuters would want something like this for an extra measure of safety. I received a lot of interesting remarks about the "funny" flag when I was flying one.

Don't we look crazy enough on our bikes with our helmets and our high vis attire? Now you want to add a flag sticking off your bike? Lol

I only use one when I am towing my kid on her trail a bike. Never on the street. Just at the park and what not.

IMO the best part of this is that it shows exactly how wide the vehicle is. From behind, a bicycle looks a lot narrower than it actually is especially if you have some wide bars. The bars on my commuter are around 650mm.

No one is mandating helmets and hi-viz gear. You don't like it, don't wear it. For others, it gives them enough comfort to go out there and ride which is what matters.

Where can i buy that?

I think any full service bike shop or on- line retailer will stock the side clearance reflector and the tall flag.

I use a flag on my bike. I have heard good things about it from family members who have seen me on the road.
I would rock a fllash flag (a side mount flag) if I could find one.

Where did you buy that side mounted reflector/flag? Thanks.

But what if you just narrowly miss hitting a squirrel or a kitten while you're riding and then the danged flag rips its poor little ears off?

Seriously, though. At that low height, it seems like it might be a magnet for fallen tree branches or even shrubbery jutting out into the path.

It's commonly called a "safety wing reflector," and it folds back and in upon obstacles; it is not fixed in the extended position. See:

https://www.amazon.com/CRSWING-Safety.../dp/B003E6L2SQ

Back in 1978 used an fluorescent orange flag on 5 ft fiberglass mast on rear of our tandem.
Got hit head-on by a kid driving car solo for the first time making a left turn at a stop street.
He stopped and drove straight into us. Claimed he did not see us.
Hospital visit and $2,200 worth of damage to our custom tandem.
Yes, he got a citation.

I was just fooling'

Thanks for the info and link Chaadster.
I typically carry panniers off my rack, so I'll have to figure out where to mount it.

I have these panniers on all the time, each with a reflective white patch. The safety wing reflector would extend past the left pannier, but do you think it would add much?

I started with a flag and had many good arguements for them but then when I got strobes I was satisfied that Ino longer needed the flag. aside from the typical rear rack strobe I also have one on my left drop bar.