Almost bought the farm AGAIN

Gooserider wrote:
:: This is the second time in a week I've nearly been run over by a
:: driver. Last week a pickup turned left in front of me, and a nice
:: deputy pulled her over. This morning I was pedalling the two blocks
:: to the gym at 5AM. I'm pretty well lighted---two bright LED
:: headlights and a reflective vest with blinking LEDs. I saw a car
:: turn onto the road ahead of me and head my direction on the opposite
:: side. Suddenly, the car veered to my lane and drove right toward me.
:: It was dark and my eyes hadn't fully adjusted, so I couldn't really
:: judge the distance until she was pretty close. She saw me and
:: swerved to her right---it was a newspaper delivery person driving on
:: the wrong side to fill paper boxes! Unbelievable. It's like they're
:: trying to get me.

Xenon strobe?

"Roger Zoul" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Gooserider wrote:
:: This is the second time in a week I've nearly been run over by a
:: driver. Last week a pickup turned left in front of me, and a nice
:: deputy pulled her over. This morning I was pedalling the two blocks
:: to the gym at 5AM. I'm pretty well lighted---two bright LED
:: headlights and a reflective vest with blinking LEDs. I saw a car
:: turn onto the road ahead of me and head my direction on the opposite
:: side. Suddenly, the car veered to my lane and drove right toward me.
:: It was dark and my eyes hadn't fully adjusted, so I couldn't really
:: judge the distance until she was pretty close. She saw me and
:: swerved to her right---it was a newspaper delivery person driving on
:: the wrong side to fill paper boxes! Unbelievable. It's like they're
:: trying to get me.

Xenon strobe?

Would only have helped if I mounted it on the front or on top of my head.
:-)

Quoted message said:

"Gooserider" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Roger Zoul" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Gooserider wrote:
:: This is the second time in a week I've nearly been run over by a
:: driver. Last week a pickup turned left in front of me, and a nice
:: deputy pulled her over. This morning I was pedalling the two blocks
:: to the gym at 5AM. I'm pretty well lighted---two bright LED
:: headlights and a reflective vest with blinking LEDs. I saw a car
:: turn onto the road ahead of me and head my direction on the opposite
:: side. Suddenly, the car veered to my lane and drove right toward me.
:: It was dark and my eyes hadn't fully adjusted, so I couldn't really
:: judge the distance until she was pretty close. She saw me and
:: swerved to her right---it was a newspaper delivery person driving on
:: the wrong side to fill paper boxes! Unbelievable. It's like they're
:: trying to get me.

Xenon strobe?

Would only have helped if I mounted it on the front or on top of my head.
:-)

Sing to yourself Bruce Coburn's 'If I had a rocket launcher'

Gooserider wrote:
:: "Roger Zoul" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
:: news:[email hidden]...
::: Gooserider wrote:
::::: This is the second time in a week I've nearly been run over by a
::::: driver. Last week a pickup turned left in front of me, and a nice
::::: deputy pulled her over. This morning I was pedalling the two
::::: blocks to the gym at 5AM. I'm pretty well lighted---two bright LED
::::: headlights and a reflective vest with blinking LEDs. I saw a car
::::: turn onto the road ahead of me and head my direction on the
::::: opposite side. Suddenly, the car veered to my lane and drove
::::: right toward me. It was dark and my eyes hadn't fully adjusted,
::::: so I couldn't really judge the distance until she was pretty
::::: close. She saw me and swerved to her right---it was a newspaper
::::: delivery person driving on the wrong side to fill paper boxes!
::::: Unbelievable. It's like they're trying to get me.
:::
::: Xenon strobe?
::
:: Would only have helped if I mounted it on the front or on top of my
:: head. :-)

Problem solved! 🙂

"Gooserider" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

This is the second time in a week I've nearly been run over by a driver.
Last week a pickup turned left in front of me, and a nice deputy pulled

her

Quoted message said:

over. This morning I was pedalling the two blocks to the gym at 5AM. I'm
pretty well lighted---two bright LED headlights and a reflective vest with
blinking LEDs. I saw a car turn onto the road ahead of me and head my
direction on the opposite side. Suddenly, the car veered to my lane and
drove right toward me. It was dark and my eyes hadn't fully adjusted, so I
couldn't really judge the distance until she was pretty close. She saw me
and swerved to her right---it was a newspaper delivery person driving on

the

Quoted message said:

wrong side to fill paper boxes! Unbelievable. It's like they're trying to
get me.

If there was more than a little ambient light, it's likely that your
"bright" LED headlights were ineffective.

LED's can be moderately effective on a very dark road, but in typical
urban/suburban conditions, you need a higher wattage light to be seen.

GG

"GaryG" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Gooserider" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

This is the second time in a week I've nearly been run over by a driver.
Last week a pickup turned left in front of me, and a nice deputy pulled

her

Quoted message said:

over. This morning I was pedalling the two blocks to the gym at 5AM. I'm
pretty well lighted---two bright LED headlights and a reflective vest
with
blinking LEDs. I saw a car turn onto the road ahead of me and head my
direction on the opposite side. Suddenly, the car veered to my lane and
drove right toward me. It was dark and my eyes hadn't fully adjusted, so
I
couldn't really judge the distance until she was pretty close. She saw me
and swerved to her right---it was a newspaper delivery person driving on

the

Quoted message said:

wrong side to fill paper boxes! Unbelievable. It's like they're trying to
get me.

If there was more than a little ambient light, it's likely that your
"bright" LED headlights were ineffective.

LED's can be moderately effective on a very dark road, but in typical
urban/suburban conditions, you need a higher wattage light to be seen.

GG

It was 5AM and pitch black. This moron just wasn't paying attention. She was
sitting on the passenger side, too. Guess she was weaving side to side to
hit all the boxes. Lucky I didn't end up on her hood.

Quoted message said:

Gooserider said:

This moron just wasn't paying attention. She was
sitting on the passenger side, too. Guess she was weaving side to side to
hit all the boxes. Lucky I didn't end up on her hood.

I'll bet you would have used one of those nasty locomotive horns if
you had one.
--
zk

In article <[email hidden]>, Gooserider

Quoted message said:

It was 5AM and pitch black. This moron just wasn't paying attention. She was
sitting on the passenger side, too. Guess she was weaving side to side to
hit all the boxes. Lucky I didn't end up on her hood.

Everyday I encounter this nocturnal tribe of lunatics on my morning
commute home. These drivers indulge in a high degree of multi-tasking:
if you'd had a strobe light and a disco ball atop your helmet, you
still may have gone undetected - they can't see what's in front of them
if they don't turn their head in that direction. Their standard
practice is to zigzag through opposing lanes to stock the newspaper
boxes. Looks like it cost you a pair of underwear to find that out.
;-).

But was the driver really sitting in - and operating the car from!!! -
the passenger side? I've never seen this before.

Luke

Gooserider said:

This is the second time in a week I've nearly been run over by a driver.
Last week a pickup turned left in front of me, and a nice deputy pulled her
over. This morning I was pedalling the two blocks to the gym at 5AM. I'm
pretty well lighted---two bright LED headlights and a reflective vest with
blinking LEDs. I saw a car turn onto the road ahead of me and head my
direction on the opposite side. Suddenly, the car veered to my lane and
drove right toward me. It was dark and my eyes hadn't fully adjusted, so I
couldn't really judge the distance until she was pretty close. She saw me
and swerved to her right---it was a newspaper delivery person driving on the
wrong side to fill paper boxes! Unbelievable. It's like they're trying to
get me.

This is exactly why I have a 15 watt Night Rider light on my helmet. I
can aim it wherever I want whenever I want. Under these circumstances
I aim it directly at the driver of the vehicle and listen for the
sounds of screeching tires.

This ability has saved my bacon on several occasions. It is also great
for flashing cars at side intersections or driveways to keep them from
pulling out in front of me.

Highly recommended.

Steve

"Roger Zoul" <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Gooserider wrote:
:: This is the second time in a week I've nearly been run over by a
:: driver. --Snip-- It's like they're trying to get me.

Xenon strobe?

==========================================

Xenon strobe $18.45...
Runs up to 16 hours on one D cell battery.
Clear or Yellow lens.
waterproof to 12 feet.

http://www.theledlight.com/strobes.html

I have been lately thinking I might want one of these to use while
riding my bike after dark; maybe I'll order one.

Rich

This almost sounds intentional. Do you think it could have been.
Jim
http://home.comcast.net/~oil_free_and_happy/

oilfreeandhappy said:

This almost sounds intentional. Do you think it could have been.

I guess it just depends on where you live at, but as someone that has
delivered papers for over 20 years I very rarely see anyone riding a
bike before the sun comes up.. I do see some walkers and runners in the
dark and a few of them use the blinking LED things. You can see those
things for quite a distance. They work well.. But the problem in the
dark is that when I'd see those lights I'd think "walker" rather than
"bike" and think I have time to pull over and deliver a paper in front
of them, then my headlights hit them and it would freak me out too.

Anyone on a bike after dark should figure that all drivers do not see
you until their headlights hit you.

Jeff

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

oilfreeandhappy said:

This almost sounds intentional. Do you think it could have been.

I guess it just depends on where you live at, but as someone that has
delivered papers for over 20 years I very rarely see anyone riding a
bike before the sun comes up.. I do see some walkers and runners in the
dark and a few of them use the blinking LED things. You can see those
things for quite a distance. They work well.. But the problem in the
dark is that when I'd see those lights I'd think "walker" rather than
"bike" and think I have time to pull over and deliver a paper in front
of them, then my headlights hit them and it would freak me out too.

Anyone on a bike after dark should figure that all drivers do not see
you until their headlights hit you.

Jeff

I had a reflective vest on, so I was visible for quite a distance.

"Zoot Katz" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Gooserider said:

This moron just wasn't paying attention. She was
sitting on the passenger side, too. Guess she was weaving side to side to
hit all the boxes. Lucky I didn't end up on her hood.

I'll bet you would have used one of those nasty locomotive horns if
you had one.
--

Since they require an air compressor that's an impossibility. Let's see how
cool you think they are when some moron blasts you with one from behind. I
predict we'll see these people involved in some sort of trial before long.
Somebody is going to cause a cyclist or even a motorists to have an accident
with these horns.

"Gooserider" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

"Roger Zoul" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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to get me.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Xenon strobe?

Would only have helped if I mounted it on the front or on top of my head.
:-)

Quoted message said:

I actually have a headtorch mounted on my lid. As soon as I started wearing
it I noticed I was being seen by drivers much sooner than I had been - as
headlights would be dipped sooner. The lid-mounted headtorch is in addition
to the minimum of two bright lights and sometimes three front lights I
use...

Cheers, helen s

"wafflycat" <w*a*ff£y£cat*@£btco*nn£ect.com> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Gooserider" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Roger Zoul" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

to get me.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Xenon strobe?

Would only have helped if I mounted it on the front or on top of my head.
:-)

Quoted message said:

I actually have a headtorch mounted on my lid. As soon as I started
wearing it I noticed I was being seen by drivers much sooner than I had
been - as headlights would be dipped sooner. The lid-mounted headtorch is
in addition to the minimum of two bright lights and sometimes three front
lights I use...

Cheers, helen s

Guess I will have to start wearing my helmet for the two block ride to the
gym.

"wafflycat" <w*a*ff£y£cat*@£btco*nn£ect.com> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Gooserider" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Roger Zoul" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

to get me.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Xenon strobe?

Would only have helped if I mounted it on the front or on top of my head.
:-)

Quoted message said:

I actually have a headtorch mounted on my lid. As soon as I started
wearing it I noticed I was being seen by drivers much sooner than I had
been - as headlights would be dipped sooner. The lid-mounted headtorch is
in addition to the minimum of two bright lights and sometimes three front
lights I use...

Cheers, helen s

The advantage that a helmet mounted bright LED head torch has is that it is
directed in the direction in which the cyclist is looking -- which means it
is inevitably is pointing at some perceived hazard that the cyclist is
checking out. It also means that it is a light which is distinctly "mobile"
and "wobbly" and creates a more eye stimulating image to any potential
approaching miscreant than does ones standard bike mounted illumination
Trevor A Panther
In South Yorkshire,
England, United Kingdom.

"Pinky" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

The advantage that a helmet mounted bright LED head torch has is that it
is directed in the direction in which the cyclist is looking -- which
means it is inevitably is pointing at some perceived hazard that the
cyclist is checking out. It also means that it is a light which is
distinctly "mobile" and "wobbly" and creates a more eye stimulating image
to any potential approaching miscreant than does ones standard bike
mounted illumination

Indeed. Makes it great for illuminating road signs too :-)

Cheers, helen s

Gooserider said:

This is the second time in a week I've nearly been run over by a driver.
Last week a pickup turned left in front of me, and a nice deputy pulled her
over. This morning I was pedalling the two blocks to the gym at 5AM. I'm
pretty well lighted---two bright LED headlights and a reflective vest with
blinking LEDs. I saw a car turn onto the road ahead of me and head my
direction on the opposite side. Suddenly, the car veered to my lane and
drove right toward me. It was dark and my eyes hadn't fully adjusted, so I
couldn't really judge the distance until she was pretty close. She saw me
and swerved to her right---it was a newspaper delivery person driving on the
wrong side to fill paper boxes! Unbelievable. It's like they're trying to
get me.

Weird events like that do happen, and it's weirder when you get two in
a row.

I wouldn't overreact with strobes, mega-lights, mega-horns and the
like. Your lights are probably fine. You simply had a little bad
luck. It's likely random - and two random events sometimes happen in a
row.

This is assuming, of course, that you didn't just start riding in the
dark, and aren't doing stealth cycling. From your description, that's
certainly not the case.

If it were me, I'd have a friend observe my bike lights & reflectors
from his passing car to see if he thinks they're adequate; then have
him ride your bike while you observe from the car. (Actually, since
I'm me, I've already done that several times with my lights.) You may
think of some easy way to increase visibility - like reflective strips
on the inside surface of your rims, or pedal reflectors, or whatever.

Then I'd remember that these kinds of things happen even in daylight.
You just have to stay aware as you ride and be prepared to react, day
or night.

- Frank Krygowski