Improving your visibility while bike riding?

Bob Parnass said:

A driver at a stop sign on my left didn't "see" me
riding a recumbent bike until he almost hit me.
I was making a left turn into the street that the driver
was on. This happened at about 9 AM on a clear morning.

This got me thinking how I could become more visible.
I ride a long wheelbase recumbent bike and was wearing a bright
safety orange colored T-shirt. An orange pennant flag waves atop
a tall pole above the 'bent's rear tire. An Aardvark reflective
lime/orange safety triangle is affixed to the seat back.

Now, I'm considering the use of a clear lense xenon strobe light whenever
riding on streets -- something like this Leland model ESL 1:

<http://www.lelandltd.com/products/strobelights.html>

Have you used a xenon strobe light like this before?

--

=========================================================================
Bob Parnass, AJ9S GNU/Linux User http://parnass.com

Wow! Either he was asleep, you were at a blind corner, or hidden in one of his blind spots. Or he figured he had the right of way and you were supposed to yield. I just don't see how he could not see you. Short of mounting lights and siren (illegal) I guess the strobe light and possibly an air horn would be a good choice, the brighter and louder the better. I ride with a flag and a reflector mounted to my back pack which hangs over the back of the seat, and light colored clothing. So far I haven't had the problem YET. Good luck! I guess you could tow a cannon and fire a warning shot across his bow, he, he.

'bent Brian

I have used an ASR lifejacket strobe.

However, conspicuity is only part of the problem, driver awareness is the
larger part. It appears that you have done all that is reasonable including
use of the 'slowly moving vehicle' triangle. This may place additional
burdens on you, the cyclist, depending on the state's laws.

"Bob Parnass" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
| A driver at a stop sign on my left didn't "see" me
| riding a recumbent bike until he almost hit me.
| I was making a left turn into the street that the driver
| was on. This happened at about 9 AM on a clear morning.
|
| This got me thinking how I could become more visible.
| I ride a long wheelbase recumbent bike and was wearing a bright
| safety orange colored T-shirt. An orange pennant flag waves atop
| a tall pole above the 'bent's rear tire. An Aardvark reflective
| lime/orange safety triangle is affixed to the seat back.
|
| Now, I'm considering the use of a clear lense xenon strobe light whenever
| riding on streets -- something like this Leland model ESL 1:
|
| <http://www.lelandltd.com/products/strobelights.html>
|
| Have you used a xenon strobe light like this before?
|
| --
| =========================================================================
| Bob Parnass, AJ9S GNU/Linux User http://parnass.com
|

Bob Parnass <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

A driver at a stop sign on my left didn't "see" me
riding a recumbent bike until he almost hit me.
I was making a left turn into the street that the driver
was on. This happened at about 9 AM on a clear morning.

This got me thinking how I could become more visible.
I ride a long wheelbase recumbent bike and was wearing a bright
safety orange colored T-shirt. An orange pennant flag waves atop
a tall pole above the 'bent's rear tire. An Aardvark reflective
lime/orange safety triangle is affixed to the seat back.

Now, I'm considering the use of a clear lense xenon strobe light whenever
riding on streets -- something like this Leland model ESL 1:

<http://www.lelandltd.com/products/strobelights.html>

Have you used a xenon strobe light like this before?

Hello Bob,
There was a poster on the trike newsgroup that drives an 18
wheeler who noted that his truck was hit by a driver that claimed he
didn't see his 60+ foot long vehicle. You are doing good things to
help others see you, but you can not make them see you. I've wondered
about moving everyone's driver's seat to a position in front of the
front bumper. Would "raising their stake in the game" help them pay
more attention. Naah!

I use HID and LED headlights plus xenon strobes and LED flashers
at night. Hi-vis clothing is very effective at dawn and dusk when the
sky is light but the sun is below the horizon. Those are low
visibility times of the day when many lighting systems loose their
effectiveness (Being a first shift commuter, I'm often riding at those
times). As an aside, I found that the strobes interfere with wireless
computers and heart rate monitors. Multi-directional LED systems don't
cause such interference but are lacking effectiveness at dawn and
dusk.

enjoy the ride,

Edd

Bob Parnass said:

A driver at a stop sign on my left didn't "see" me
riding a recumbent bike until he almost hit me.

....

Quoted message said:

This got me thinking how I could become more visible.

....

Quoted message said:

Have you used a xenon strobe light like this before?

It sounds like you're as visible as you'll ever be. I use LightMan
strobes front and rear of my Pursuit when on the street and I'm not
convinced that they help. I use one of the strobes you described on the
front of my upright commuter at night and in the rain, and in those
situations it may help, but probably not in daylight.

You just have to repeat the following mantra to yourself while on the
road: "I am invisible. I am invisible..." Let's face it, many drivers
are completely oblivious to their surroundings, and sooner or later you
will find yourself occupying the same space that one of those types is
trying to occupy. Assume they don't see you, assume they will run the
stop sign, assume they will turn in front of you, and be ready to react
appropriately. Paranoia saves lives!

Bill Hole
Rotator Pursuit, BikeE E2

For the most part I guess I'm lucky to live in the country (western NY), but
you still have to pay attention.

One morning about 7:30 I was on a ride on secondary back roads (maybe 150
cars a day use them) when I came up to a tee intersection, I had the stop
sign. As I was pulling up to the sign a pickup truck cut the corner so much
that he was on my shoulder. After seeing that he wasn't even looking at
where he was going I hollered "HEY". He snapped his neck around, saw me,
and gave me a look like I was doing something wrong.

It just goes to show that you always have to pay attention, know matter
where you are.

Bill
96 Vanguard, 99 Duplex

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

Quoted message said:

A driver at a stop sign on my left didn't "see" me
riding a recumbent bike until he almost hit me.
I was making a left turn into the street that the driver
was on. This happened at about 9 AM on a clear morning.

This got me thinking how I could become more visible.
I ride a long wheelbase recumbent bike and was wearing a bright
safety orange colored T-shirt. An orange pennant flag waves atop
a tall pole above the 'bent's rear tire. An Aardvark reflective
lime/orange safety triangle is affixed to the seat back.

Now, I'm considering the use of a clear lense xenon strobe light whenever
riding on streets -- something like this Leland model ESL 1:

<http://www.lelandltd.com/products/strobelights.html>

Have you used a xenon strobe light like this before?

--
=========================================================================
Bob Parnass, AJ9S GNU/Linux User http://parnass.com

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Bob Parnass <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

A driver at a stop sign on my left didn't "see" me
riding a recumbent bike until he almost hit me.

I have just the answer... tow a big mirror, and when the driver sees
himself coming straight at him, you would hear a loud "JEEES...... "
and the sound of screeching tires.

Well, just a thought! :-)

Chris Jordan
Santa Cruz, CA.

Bob Parnass <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

A driver at a stop sign on my left didn't "see" me
riding a recumbent bike until he almost hit me.
I was making a left turn into the street that the driver
was on. This happened at about 9 AM on a clear morning.

This got me thinking how I could become more visible.
I ride a long wheelbase recumbent bike and was wearing a bright
safety orange colored T-shirt. An orange pennant flag waves atop
a tall pole above the 'bent's rear tire. An Aardvark reflective
lime/orange safety triangle is affixed to the seat back.

I don't think a strobe light will help *all* that much in daylight-
there's too much ambient light. I think you've got part of the answer,
though- big swatches of bright color. If you've got a Zzipper or
Windwrap fairing on the bike, consider painting it. A couple of local
Tour Easy riders have done this- it really makes it stand out. One is
visible here:
http://home.pacifier.com/~jwills/rites2004/pages/rites04panorama.htm

I came close to the same situation yesterday. I was riding north
through Portland when an eastbound driver started through the
intersection (I didn't have a stop sign). Fortunately he stopped- but
it was close. He looked *really* embarrassed, though.

I kind-da like that idea..........

Quoted message said:

I have just the answer... tow a big mirror, and when the driver sees
himself coming straight at him, you would hear a loud "JEEES...... "
and the sound of screeching tires.

Well, just a thought! :-)

Chris Jordan
Santa Cruz, CA.

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Bob Parnass said:

A driver at a stop sign on my left didn't "see" me

Try a white shirt with the letters P O L I C E in black on the chest. Most
drivers notice that ;-)

Anyway, some drivers see nothing or misinterprete what they see ("that thing
can't be going very fast"😉, so you need to think for the elephants in the
traffic.

Regards,
Torben

(Jeff Wills) said:

I don't think a strobe light will help *all* that much in daylight-
there's too much ambient light

Not too sure about that. There are a few strobes on top of stop lights
out in the open that are used to draw attention to the fact you are
approaching one (and they evidently presume you are doing 70 in a 55
mph area and not paying attention). They catch your eye in the
brightest sunlight, even if the first three-four flashes you are
guessing at what it is.

Curtis L. Russell
Odenton, MD (USA)
Just someone on two wheels...

Quoted message said:

Try a white shirt with the letters P O L I C E in black on the chest. Most
drivers notice that ;-)

Not really. Someone made a comment earlier about distracted drivers, cell
phones, etc.; it is plain that you could have an glowing neon elephant hanging
out of your nose and many drivers wouldn't notice <g>.

Haven't you seen the videos of police officers...in full uniform, and standing
alongside their police cars with the overhead flashing lights, etc., get run
down by distracted/drunk/inattentive/stupid drivers?

Bloody unbelievable.

James S. Prine
http://hometown.aol.com/jsprine/

Not P O L I C E, because that might get you in trouble, but P O L I T E. If
some fool mis-reads it as 'police' then good for everyone.

"James S. Prine" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
| >Try a white shirt with the letters P O L I C E in black on the chest.
Most
| >drivers notice that ;-)
|
| Not really. Someone made a comment earlier about distracted drivers, cell
| phones, etc.; it is plain that you could have an glowing neon elephant
hanging
| out of your nose and many drivers wouldn't notice <g>.
|
| Haven't you seen the videos of police officers...in full uniform, and
standing
| alongside their police cars with the overhead flashing lights, etc., get
run
| down by distracted/drunk/inattentive/stupid drivers?
|
| Bloody unbelievable.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| James S. Prine
| http://hometown.aol.com/jsprine/
|
|

I know these have been mentioned before on this list, but I have
found that the shirts from Alert Shirt (http://www.alertshirt.com) do an
unbelievably great job at making you more visible. I wore a couple on
this past June's GITAP and TRIRI, and I had lots of comments about them.
Those two shirts did not have the reflective stripes, either. I now
have two of those - one of them even has vertical as well a horizontal
stripe; makes me think about directing traffic at construction sites! -
and I'm going to write a review of these shirts, how they look, how they
handle sweat, and how they stand up to a few washings, in an upcoming
article for 'BentRider Online.

--
Larry Varney
Cold Spring, KY
http://home.fuse.net/larryvarney

Larry Varney said:

I know these have been mentioned before on this list, but I have found
that the shirts from Alert Shirt (http://www.alertshirt.com) do an
unbelievably great job at making you more visible. I wore a couple on
this past June's GITAP and TRIRI, and I had lots of comments about them.
Those two shirts did not have the reflective stripes, either. I now
have two of those - one of them even has vertical as well a horizontal
stripe; makes me think about directing traffic at construction sites!...

Being visible just makes you an easier target for the CATs and Deere. 😉

--
Tom Sherman – Quad City Area

Bill Hole <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Bob Parnass said:

A driver at a stop sign on my left didn't "see" me
riding a recumbent bike until he almost hit me.

.. Assume they don't see you, assume they will run the

Quoted message said:

stop sign, assume they will turn in front of you, and be ready to react
appropriately. Paranoia saves lives!

Bill Hole
Rotator Pursuit, BikeE E2

Several weeks ago I reported my collision with a vehicle. According to
some members of this group the problem was my failure to make eye
contact with the driver. Never mind I was traveling approx. 20 mph and
he pulled out about 20 feet in front of me. The "real" problem, at
least in the minds of the true beleivers that frequent this site, was
that I was riding my <shudder> mtn bike. If I had been on my trusty
bent, according to some members of this group, I would have been
noticed by the driver and the accident avoided. When in fact, because
of the lower profile of the bent the driver most likely would not have
seen me as soon. Additionally, if I had been on the bent I would not
have been able to bail off the bike. My fate fate would have been
stuck with the bike: crunched under the vehicle.
My point of all this is: Bents are great for comfort and better than
uprights aerodynamically, but lousy for city riding. To all those who
beleive that you are more safe on a bent because you are different,
and therefor more noticable,I hope you benefit from Bill's
experience.

James S. Prine said:

Quoted message said:

Try a white shirt with the letters P O L I C E in black on the
chest. Most drivers notice that ;-)

Not really. Someone made a comment earlier about distracted drivers,
cell phones, etc.; it is plain that you could have an glowing neon
elephant hanging out of your nose and many drivers wouldn't notice
<g>.

Statistics shows that Police Motorcycles are are more visible than private
motorcycles. It might be that drivers spot the change in traffic PMC's
induce, and therefore gets more observant, but it works anyway.

Quoted message said:

Haven't you seen the videos of police officers...in full uniform, and
standing alongside their police cars with the overhead flashing
lights, etc., get run down by distracted/drunk/inattentive/stupid
drivers?

No, Danish TV isn't quite there yet (at least not the channels I choose to
watch) but to the point : I believe you, but again I think statistics would
show a worse percentage with civilians.

Quoted message said:

Bloody unbelievable.

Yup - scary.

Regards,
Torben

Bob:
I have a double strobe on the front bottom and rear left side on my Bike
E-CT
a twin 20 led strobe on a reflective back pack and i wear a conspicuity vest
(also I tow a wagon with 2 flashers on them and a huge billowing American
flag on my upper seat and wagon flag pole! ) I look like a ambulance down
the road! oh yes! and i have a 40watt progector light on the front with a
LED light next to it. I blind oncoming traffic! (I dont Care!) they see me!
a hour before i typed this letter,(5:30pm EST:USA, North Carolina)
I was riding from the store,on a empty road, and some @#%$&&&##%!@@#@!$ of a
B almost hit me in a 3 lane roadway! he was on his cell phone pointing at
the side walk telling me to ride the walk way(wich is illeagal in NC)! the
point i am trying to make is that people think like dogs some of them. they
will see a bikc and think it is thier duty to teach the cyclist a "lesson"
please be careful. It is them vs us out there!

Quoted message said:

No, Danish TV isn't quite there yet (at least not the channels I choose to
watch) but to the point : I believe you, but again I think statistics would
show a worse percentage with civilians.

Probably. I do vividly remember suiting up for a body recovery dive some years
back (I was a member of the police dive team); a man had driven his vehicle
into a canal adjacent to Interstate I-610 here in New Orleans and had drowned.

During the roughly 45 minutes the dive took, there were eight (8) additional
(minor, thank goodness) accidents in the initial accident scene, from 'rubber
neckers' trying to watch what we were doing...even with uniformed Officers
directing traffic through the area, flares lit, flashing lights, people *still*
managed to run into each other.

James S. Prine
http://hometown.aol.com/jsprine/

Look 'em in the eye Bob. You can take evasive action if you see they
aren't looking at you. Mind you this appears to be harder on a bent.
Also i like Lorenzo Love's suggestion: put a stick with a metal spike
off the side of the bike. People care more about their paint job on
their SUV than a human being. Its a little aggressive but it serves
its purpose.

Here is the link.
http://home.thegrid.net/~lllove/bikes.htm

About halfway down there is pic displaying the bendable stick.

I'm a big fan of street riding, and I can really appreciate the
seriousness of the issue. Here in Canada, (especially the west coast),
there is much respect given to bikers, in most of the big roads there
are bike lanes. I perfer to ride at night because the traffic is non
existant. Mind you, your situation is a morning ride through sleepy
traffic with workers that are drinking their coffee and are late for
work. Look for a good safe route and make sure to look 'em in the eye.
Its your best defence.
Slugger