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#21
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Night Riding Safety?
Thunder9 wrote: Also, the cars coming from behind won't typically crash right into you, but rather, go around you and then make a right hand turn into you (according to my research). I suspect this is partially due to the rider being too far to the right, out of fear of getting hit from behind, thus allowing the car to pass with little bearth and little conciousness of sharing the road. That seems true; makes you seem less like "traffic". Another factor seems to be motorists underestimating your speed. They see you but think they have plenty of time to complete the maneuver; judging your speed as much from their experience as from direct observation ("oh, that's just a bike"). They're not really *trying* to kill you; it just seems that way. Again, a very bright light seems to help correct some of these erroneous subconcious evaluations. |
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#22
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Night Riding Safety?
Chris Zacho The Wheelman wrote:
When I commute by bike during the wee hours of dark, I use a NightSun headlamp, orange front flasher, red rear flasher, reflectors front and rear, reflectorized leg bands (Nashbar makes a really nice BRIGHT set), and special metal prism reflective tapes on my rims. 16 each, front and rear, mounted on the face of the rims, between the spokes. The rim reflectors are probably the best idea, they are seen from all angles and create two distinct rotating circles of light. Unmistakably a bicycle. May you have the wind at your back. And a really low gear for the hills! Chris Chris'Z Corner "The Website for the Common Bicyclist": http://www.geocities.com/czcorner Just 2 cents... the flashers improve visibility tremendously. My morning commute begins at 6 AM, which can be dark or foggy or both. And a flashing light gets noticed far sooner than a steady light. Your setup sounds like the epitomy of good sense. I'm appalled by the number of dawn/dusk riders I see without even so much as one disc reflector. I usually spot these people when I'm nearly upon them. As a driver I appreciate someone's efforts to make themselves visible at a distance as it helps me anticipate how best to give them safe clearance. |
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Night Riding Safety?
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#25
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Night Riding Safety?
(Thunder9) wrote in message ...
On 4 Aug 2003 09:25:58 -0700, (Thomas Reynolds) wrote: I do appreciate your comments, of which most seem very sensible. Some reactions, however, as indicated below... (Thunder9) wrote in message ... I want to do some night riding - mostly on the road, and some trail riding. I'm new at this so I need some advice. I have been commuting at night for several years, all on the road and here is my advice: - The headlight is mostly for you. You don't have to go overboard. If you plan on charging down steep hills at speed you will need a bright light. If not maybe you can back off on the headlight and its cost. - The MOST IMPORTANT part of being seen are the rear flashing taillights. This is not what the general consensus (base on statistics) indicate. Most accidents occur from cars cutting in front of you and from their misjudgement of your speed. Rear lights have little to do with front visibility, and flashing lights make it more difficult to judge speed. I think your suggestion is important, but perhaps not the most important. Let me make a counterpoint. I have not seen the statistic but they seem quite believable to me. Cars cut in front of you because your existance doesn't register in your mind. How many times have you been cut off and when you were able to confront the motorist his/her response was "I didn't even see you". They saw you but it didn't sink in. So when they make their turn they don't remember that they just passed a cyclist. During the day a motorist sees cyclists all the time. It is not so common at night. So when they do see a night cyclist it tends to register in their mind better. The operative word there is "see" the cyclist. Hence my reason for being as lit up as possible from all directions. Tom |
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