Let's talk about lowracers... (lengthy)

[Risto Varanka]

John Foltz <[email protected]> wrote:
: I find it amazing that every time the subject of lowracers comes up, the thread seems to take off
: on a visibility tangent. Kinda like wedgie riders who don't know anything about recumbents except
: that they can't do hills.

Well there has to be *some* disadvantage, right?

: I can't believe that many people are that worried about it, or are they just trying to scare us
: off ours so they can buy them at fire sale prices? ;-)

Btw, do you use a reflecting rear rim? Have you heard of the theory that tired/drunk drivers might
"target" bright objects in the dark? ;->

--
Risto Varanka | http://www.helsinki.fi/~rvaranka/ varis at no spam please iki fi

 

[Just Zis Guy]

On Thu, 23 Jan 2003 21:09:36 -0600, "Rob Kopp" <[email protected]> wrote:

>Man, you love those footnotes. Spend too much time in Grad school, or is this just your particular
>British eccentricity?

I was just doing my best impression of an anal-retentive

Guy
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[Just Zis Guy]

On 24 Jan 2003 21:13:32 GMT, [email protected] wrote:

>I guess that as we gather experience over the years, we'll be able to assess bent and
>(semi)lowracer safety with the same extreme reliability as people assess upright safety.

LOL! Like it

Guy
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[John Riley]

People can't _see_ if they don't _look_. I think there is a lot of careless, irresponsible driving
going on. People are stressed and they try to tune out as much of the outside world as they can get
by with. They intentionally distract themselves from driving because it is unpleasant most of the
time. You _might_ increase your chances of breaking into their consciousness with attention getting
devices. OTOH there is a semi truck driver on one of the other lists who says that people who hit
big trucks often say they didn't see the truck!

People seem to do a lot of driving by what they expect and some short term projection. Stand at a
busy intersection where people don't have protected left turns (obviously I am assuming driving on
the right). You can see that what people do is make plans, like, "I'm going to turn after that red
car passes." You can see their heads turn so that it is obvious that they actually stop looking for
oncoming traffic well before they make the turn. If a low bike suddenly appears behind that red car
as it passes, the left turner may not change their plans because of it!

Be careful out there... John Riley

"Just zis Guy, you know?" wrote:
>
> On Wed, 22 Jan 2003 20:34:32 -0600, a&b <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >Wait till you get hit. All the "nearly's" will be cancelled and pale in the Monopoly of riding.
>
> Well, you see, it's like this: I reckon that SMIDSYs[1] are deluding themselves. They may *think*
> they didn't see the cyclist / motorcycle / whatever that they hit, but actually what usually
> happens (except in some well-known circumstances like certain types of roundabout) is that they
> *see* the object, but fail to *perceive* it. Any recumbent is sufficiently unusual that it doesn't
> fit any of the standard road-based object profiles in the driver's brain (if you doubt this look
> at the reaction from horses some time!). The result is that they have to consciously decide what
> sort of thing this is, rather than unconsciously filing you as "bike, stationary, non-threatening"
> and immediately pulling out into the path of the manifestly non-stationary bike.
>
> Of course there is some risk, but I reckon it's no higher than for an upright bike.
>
> [1] SMIDSY: British term for a cager[2] who, after he's hit you, says "sorry, mate, I didn't see
> you" in the mistaken belief that this is an excuse rather than an admission of liability
>
> [2] Cager: driver of a MDG[3]
>
> [3] MDG: Mobile Death Greenhouse
>
> Guy
> ===
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> work. Apologies.

 

[Just Zis Guy]

On Fri, 24 Jan 2003 21:51:39 GMT, John Riley <[email protected]> wrote:

>there is a semi truck driver on one of the other lists who says that people who hit big trucks
>often say they didn't see the truck!

Sure - but the Mr Magoo type driver will get you anyway, whatever you ride or drive.

>If a low bike suddenly appears behind that red car as it passes, the left turner may not change
>their plans because of it!

For this I have a flag, hydraulic disc brakes and an Air Zound

Guy
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[John Foltz]

[email protected] wrote:
>
> Btw, do you use a reflecting rear rim? Have you heard of the theory that tired/drunk drivers
> might "target" bright objects in the dark? ;->
>
Last summer I ran Vredesteins, and the rear sidewall was reflective. You can see the results at
http://www.biketcba.org/TRICORR/index.html , but this coming year I'll be running Stelvios instead.

The potentially bad thing about lowracers is that if a car *does* hit you from behind, your head is
at bumper level. Your wheel better be strong, it's all the crumple zone you have.
--

John Foltz --- O _ Baron --- _O _ V-Rex 24/63 --- _\\/\-%)
_________(_)`=()___________________(_)= (_)_____

 

[Tom Sherman]

Mark van Gorkom wrote:
>
> I do believe I got overlooked more often on a Jouta (very low trike) than I get overlooked on my
> Baron. As for flags,wonder if a half circular flag would give less drag than the more usual
> pennant style? Or something rigid? (with a streamlined pole, of course, and built-in LED's!)

An object that presents a circular cross-section normal to the direction of motion has a very poor
coefficient of drag.

A vertical rigid mast with a symmetrical airfoil cross-section and built in lights/reflectors/high
visibility color will be the best option in terms of drag and being seen. It will even provide some
forward thrust in a crosswind.

Tom Sherman - Quad Cities USA (Illinois side) RANS "Wavewind" and Rocket, Earth Cycles Sunset and
Dragonflyer

 

[A&B]

Yeah! What I thought, "Boy, glad it wasn't an Excursion, would have hit me in the neck". What Steven
on his, lower, Pursuit later said, "Glad she didn't hit me". Would have caught him in the back of
the head. bill "I know I'm lighterand faster now with my Ti neck plate" g

John Foltz wrote:

> The potentially bad thing about lowracers is that if a car *does* hit you from behind, your head
> is at bumper level. Your wheel better be strong, it's all the crumple zone you have.
> --
>
> John Foltz --- O _ Baron --- _O _ V-Rex 24/63 --- _\\/\-%)
> _________(_)`=()___________________(_)= (_)_____