In article ,
"Mike Jacoubowsky" writes:
finally had an oppurtunity to watch a biker with one of those flashing red
leds at night on a rural road--biker had on one of those fluroresent
jackets and no reflectors on pedals ( i consister them a must have)

i imagined i was in a car

the flashing lights i would have found distracting
the jacket i could not make out what it was as biker had one of those
handlebars you can lean on

i would have never i repeat ever ride on this road--we had a hit and run
bike accident this summer

biker probably knew about it as he/she was heading over bridge to city
island and all there would have heard about it.

there was a bike path where i would have ridden

biker i am convienced was trying to commit suicide

led lights where visable for a mile--but not sure they would have made a
difference--road had tons of curves on it and i would have been distracted
looking at them

anyway just some comments

peter
ps i have one of those flashing led lights

peter

I'm not getting something here. You're complaining about the lack of
visibility of a cyclist that you could see? And further, that the flashing
lights were "distracting?"

Of course flashing lights are distracting. They're designed to be something
you try to avoid. The idea isn't to identify the specifics of what's
flashing. The idea is simply to not hit it.

My guess, and it's a well-educated guess, is that you'd be far more likely
to run into a cyclist if you were "distracted" by an attractive person in an
adjacent car, or talking on a cell phone, or changing CDs.

I ride in nasty conditions frequently (as frequently as Northern California
allows, which fortunately isn't all that often, to be truthful), and haven't
had issues with cars. I'm more concerned when I'm heading into the sun and
cars behind might be blinded temporarily.

I get to see a lot of riders who seem to think a
rear, red blinkie is enough.

Sometimes they have one (a red one) on the front.

Sometimes they have red ones front & back.

As for being blinded by the sun: last week as I
was out & about, leaving a quick repast at the
local DQ, I'm riding on a nice, secondary
(fairly wide but unlaned) street. I come up
to a residential street intersection which is
controlled by stop signs[*]. Car driver stops
for me, so I go. And this sk8board kid (on the
cross-street) almost T-bones me as he blows
his stop sign and shoots past the stopped car.
I didn't see him because I had the sun in my
eyes in that direction, which was to my right.

Man, having to hit the binders when halfway
across an intersection is /so/ odious!

At the last nanosecond the kid jinked around
the rear of my bike like I should have known
that was what he was going to do. Maybe I
would have, had I even known he was there.
I was wearing my cycling sunglasses, which
cut down the glare nicely, but they attenuate
certain colours, especially green.
Especially-especially jungle camouflage, and
Canadian $20 bills.

In Vancouver BC, skateboarders are (recently)
legally entitled to board on the minor streets.

Anyways at this time of year, the sun being so
low in the sky (on days when you can see the
sun at all) calls for extra caution.


cheers,
Tom
[*] For fellow Vancouverites, I was southbound on
Prince Edward, crossing either 14th or 15th.
--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca