Is A Flag Necessary?
 

I have a 7 year old Burley Nomad. The old flag has bit the dust. Do most folks still use a flag on their trailers or do they use something else to gain added attention to their bikes/trailers??

I find flags useful if viewed by others from the side. A bright light(s) (blinking or steady) rear mounted is more effective for following traffic to see and give you more room.

Of course at night adding reflective tape (sewn on is best for longevity) on both the sides and rear makes you more visible. There are replacement flags that come with reflective tape, but are seen mostly from the side profile. The hi-vis yellow cover should be sufficient in daylight hours unless you are carrying a load too big for the cover to latch over. That's why a rear light(s) just adds to your safety/being seen.

Know a few that either replaces the trailer hub with a dyno hub or adds/wire up their dyno hub to their trailer, usually using quick connect/release connectors to light up their trailers and not worry about batteries if you do a lot of night rides/tours.

I put a full width red reflector on the back of my trailer box (recycled from a car emergency triangle) + a yellow flag, and a blinkie at night.

if the pole is still good someone on ebay sells flags. I use a black one on one of my cruisers that I stuck red reflective tape on. I guess the tape with a brighter color would be even better.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y29...ps71639612.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y29...ps59373e8c.jpg

the flags aren't very big, but like I said, a bright color and some reflective tape will help. or maybe use more than one. I don't remember the exact price offhand but it was like a few bucks.

Most people do't even read this forum.. can you Sew?

My Burly Flat bed has a couple reflectors , the towing bike has Lights.


because they have their children in them, people fly a flag pole on kid trailers..








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If you have a flag your bicycle and trailer become a sovereign nation. That's the rules I just made up. And I'm backing it up with this clip from a comedian. It's only a partial clip because full auto clips aren't allowed in some sovereign bicycle nations.

I put a bright orange safety triangle on the back of mine. It's reflective and has lights, which is awesome for after dark.

I should probably have a flag. I meant to get one over three years ago and never got around to it. If I were hauling living beings rather than groceries and other inanimate objects, I'd probably get one.

I live in Malaysia, next to Thailand and Singapore . I am motorcycle tourer and also cycle everywhere. I see a lot of people from the other side of world bike touring in Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. However, I have yet to see anyone with a flag. Its also seldom to see them with very conspicuous vests or reflective stickers, or too many lights on their bikes as to what I have read in this forum.
I myself, made sure my bike is seen when I have to cycle at night with a few lights at the rear and reflective stickers . I also wear a luminous vest.

you pretty much are if you think about it

'bout 30 yrs ago, knew a guy that drove into something that was being towed. he was sort of a loser stoner that was always late for work. don't remember if it was a car that was being towed by a tow truck, a flat tow situation, or maybe it was even an empty boat trailer. all I remember is he drove into the thing that was being towed

the trailer is below eyesight, right? someone invented the bike flag for this purpose right? I wonder why. did someone have an accident where perhaps a car drove over a trailer thinking they were passing behind a regular bike not knowing the trailer was there? can't imagine a good reason to risk it. if I were trailering in traffic I'd have 2 flag poles with strobes at the tops of the poles :D

My sewing machine won't sew to the steel frame, so I just went with $3 worth of red and white Scotchlite, alternating 4" strips on the side rails, one red strip on each back diagonal to the wheel, and a cheap USB rechargeable red flasher from eBay banded to the left side of the top back rail.

The flag, I left leaning up in a corner at work, and the boss is thinking about building himself a giant Radio Flyer tricycle to put it on.

I live in Russia, did not see flags on bicycles

Most people are not on this forum..
. those who ride a recumbent because they sit low, have been known to add a bright flag..

have you figured it out, yourself, yet? OP?





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Is A Flag Necessary?

It's not necessary, but it doesn't do any harm either, and could avoid a crash, so why not use one? I made mine super cheap style with an old tent pole and some bright yellow PVC scraps glued together. Works OK.

flags are for wankers.. IMO