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#1
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bike lights
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 |
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#2
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bike lights
"ilaboo" wrote in message news:tY6rj.23$J93.10@trndny08... 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 Most hazards have flashing lights on them. I'm thinking the driver's test needs to be improved to get those who are distracted by flashing lights and liable to run into them off the road. |
#3
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bike lights
On Feb 8, 7:02 pm, "ilaboo" wrote:
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 Seems to me you're always at the mercy of other drivers when you're on the road. Best you can do is make sure those other drivers can see you. But like the founder of Chik-Fil-A (I think) wrote, "All you can do is all you can do. But all you can do is enough." To expand on those points, consider first that, whether you're in your car or on your bike, you can be killed by the driver of another motorized vehicle many times per trip. It's a bit easier to kill a cyclist, but a head-on collision, or a driver blowing through a stop sign or stop light (even when it's you!) can kill someone in a car/ truck/SUV. So why aren't you (and I) dead? Well, most of the time the system works. Most of the time, people stay on their side of the road. Most of the time, other people don't drive off a bridge as we pass underneath. And so forth, and so on. So wring your hands if you wish, and look for perils wherever they may find you. Ride your bike only on isolated paths, tracks, or trainers, if your fears drive you to that. Just be aware that excessive patronage of the Fear-Mongers' Shop may be, well, excessive! Pat |
#4
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bike lights
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. --Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles www.ChainReactionBicycles.com |
#5
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bike lights
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 $20 bills. In Vancouver BC, skateboarders are (recently) legally entitled to board on the minor streets. Anyways at this time of year, the sun being so low in the sky (on days when you can see the sun at all) calls for extra caution. cheers, Tom [*] For fellow Vancouverites, I was southbound on Prince Edward, crossing either 14th or 15th. -- Nothing is safe from me. I'm really at: tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca |
#6
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bike lights
"ilaboo" wrote in message news:tY6rj.23$J93.10@trndny08... 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 think you must be stupid, really. |
#7
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bike lights
Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:
... 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.... Should have been here (Cheese Land) this week for nasty conditions. Deep snow ruts temporarily lift cars off the road and send them sideways several feet at a time. Then after the streets are plowed, the temperature drops and the salt slush freezes into a thin, nearly invisible layer. -- Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia The weather is here, wish you were beautiful |
#8
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bike lights
Harry Brogan wrote:
I have flashing lights front, rear and side...YES side. For those people that seem to want to blow past me at a stop sign. I also run flags that are high enough to be in the drivers line of vision. Of course these are mostly for the day as I haven't yet found a light I can place on top of the pole. That will come I am sure. You would have less drag with an airfoil shaped mast. The mast could be covered in reflective tape, with a yellow strobe light mounted at the top. ANyway, the one main thing I try to do is stay OFF of main roads at night and limit myself to the side streets whenever possible. The main roads (in urban areas) have the advantage of having traffic signals at intersections. The problem with minor roads/streets is the danger in crossing a more traveled way that has relatively fast traffic on it. And I ride a Tadpole Trike as well. Weirdo! I ride this: http://www.flickr.com/photos/19704682@N08/1939606083/. -- Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia The weather is here, wish you were beautiful |
#9
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bike lights
On Feb 8, 7:02 pm, "ilaboo" wrote:
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 He just might have had a rear view mirror (like I do) and been watching you, thinking, why doesn't that clown just pass me, instead of hanging back like he's waiting to find a place where he can cream me. Lewis. ***** |
#10
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bike lights
ilaboo wrote:
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 --------clip---- peter I think the best idea is to actually try it in a car. |
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