Venturing Out.....Safely....

[Tigerbiten]

If you want more room on the road, ride a trike ..........

The extra width of it forces car drivers to give you more room.
Plus being on three wheels means your stable and cannot wobble into traffic.

[kingrollo]

Hi, I think my considering stopping is more of a personal issue than regular and real danger. Over the years I have found I am just getting more anxious about being on the road cycling per se. All similar activities are a mental balance between risk and reward, and I just think that I sometimes see more risk than reward now. Too much reading about the tragedies and potential tragedies is perhaps getting to me. I still come back from a good ride feeling on top of the world though, so for now I am keeping on keeping on.

Yeah - I think thats why I am freaked out at the moment. Everyone takes a look at my bike and says..

"you wouldn't go out on the road on it ?"

"Death Trap"

[[XAP]Bob]

Hi, I think my considering stopping is more of a personal issue than regular and real danger. Over the years I have found I am just getting more anxious about being on the road cycling per se. All similar activities are a mental balance between risk and reward, and I just think that I sometimes see more risk than reward now. Too much reading about the tragedies and potential tragedies is perhaps getting to me. I still come back from a good ride feeling on top of the world though, so for now I am keeping on keeping on.

Yeah - I think thats why I am freaked out at the moment. Everyone takes a look at my bike and says..

"you wouldn't go out on the road on it ?"

"Death Trap"

Amazing how many people see me to tell me that I'm invisible, and fail to see the contradiction inherent in that...

Also amazing how many fewer incidents I have on a trike than an upright...

[notme2]

To be safe on the road riding any kind of hpv is to own the road.
Most car drivers are aware of the broken white line down the center of the road and will try and squeeze there car between you and the center line forcing you into the lumpy (Potholes and dropped drains) and grit infested gutter.
I place myself in the nearside wheel track of the motor vehicles not giving them the opportunity to try the squeeze passed approach and forces them to cross into the opposing lane which gives me more room and the psychological need for the driver of the motor vehicle to now occupy the opposing lane.
Means i'm in no danger of getting knocked off or receiving a puncture or broken wheel in the rubbish and potholes at the side of the road.
I apply this method when i'm on any kind of road be it country lane or dual carriageway.
I am also lit at night and high vised to the hilt which also helps.
The only cycle paths I use are those that go where the road doesn't.
Saying this does not protect you from those not psychologically fit to drive a motor vehicle and the drunk and drug fueled idiots of this world.

[binka]

I ride on country lanes all the time, though on a bent trike. Never had a problem. Sometimes the lanes are too narrow for someone to get past me and they just have to wait until I can pull in at a suitable gateway. Everyone seems quite patient. Cars coming the other way happily put a couple of wheels on the verge.

[Stradageek]

Hi, I think my considering stopping is more of a personal issue than regular and real danger. Over the years I have found I am just getting more anxious about being on the road cycling per se. All similar activities are a mental balance between risk and reward, and I just think that I sometimes see more risk than reward now. Too much reading about the tragedies and potential tragedies is perhaps getting to me. I still come back from a good ride feeling on top of the world though, so for now I am keeping on keeping on.

Yeah - I think thats why I am freaked out at the moment. Everyone takes a look at my bike and says..

"you wouldn't go out on the road on it ?"

"Death Trap"

I too found myself worrying more and more about perceived dangers a few years ago - but I found the solution - I resolved to stop watching ANY television news bulletins and this has now extended to pretty much any TV at all. The result is much peace and tranquility, a life free from scaremongering voices and with more free time to go cycling.

As to why TV has so many scaremongering voices here's an unlikely voice of sanity; a quote from Bowling for Columbine

MICHAEL MOORE
Do you know that on the day of the Columbine massacre, the US dropped more bombs on Kosovo than any other day?

MARILYN MANSON
I do know that, and I think that's really ironic, that nobody said 'well maybe the President had an influence on this violent behavior' Because that's not the way the media wants to take it and spin it, and turn it into fear, because then you're watching television, you're watching the news, you're being pumped full of fear, there's floods, there's AIDS, there's murder, cut to commercial, buy the Acura, buy the Colgate, if you have bad breath they're not going to talk to you, if you have pimples, the girl's not going to **** you, and it's just this campaign of fear, and consumption, and that's what I think it's all based on, the whole idea of 'keep everyone afraid, and they'll consume.'

Too controversial?

Stradageek

[Neilo]

Went out Yesterday on my home built tadpole trike for a first proper ride.

In the beginning, vehicles were not giving me enough room , so I just took the lane,much better, apart from the motorbikes, so close that I could have punched them in the leg, you'd think they would be more aware and sympathetic about close passes.

I wish I had read this before

To be safe on the road riding any kind of hpv is to own the road.
Most car drivers are aware of the broken white line down the center of the road and will try and squeeze there car between you and the center line forcing you into the lumpy (Potholes and dropped drains) and grit infested gutter.
I place myself in the nearside wheel track of the motor vehicles not giving them the opportunity to try the squeeze passed approach and forces them to cross into the opposing lane which gives me more room and the psychological need for the driver of the motor vehicle to now occupy the opposing lane.
Means i'm in no danger of getting knocked off or receiving a puncture or broken wheel in the rubbish and potholes at the side of the road.

I use my DF bike regularly and have had the near misses etc that most others talk about on here.
I know it's only one ride, but I do the same route as I go on my DF, but I seems to me that when you are on a trike you have to think more like you are driving a car than riding a bike, with regards your road positioning.

I was amazing what difference moving less than a foot to the right made . Cars moving all the way into the other lane, rather than putting the least ammount possible of their vehicle in the other lane.

And I got no abuse

Amazing how many people see me to tell me that I'm invisible, and fail to see the contradiction inherent in that

Made me laugh, that is what I got from my wife, and some other members of my family, I havent been out, so have not had it from anyone else yet.
Things like "get a flag" or " be careful no one will see you down there". I said to them " would you not see a wheelie bin if it was in the road?"

Aerodynamic . I was doing 20mph easily into a headwind, on the flat.

I had the "recumbent grin" still have, when can I go out next?

Neil

[[XAP]Bob]

My comparisons are :
I'm the same height as a lotus elise
I'm alot higher than the white lines

Noone ever complains that either of those are too low...

[kingrollo]

My comparisons are :
I'm the same height as a lotus elise
I'm alot higher than the white lines

Noone ever complains that either of those are too low...

Think the white lines is a bit misleading - if a motorist doesn't see the white lines in the middle of the road - usually there is no consequence, if they are part of a junction, then there are other factors in play than just the white lines, the junction itself, other sign age, traffic lights - I don't think we know whether drivers see the white lines on a regular basis - more that they expect them to be there.

[[XAP]Bob]

My comparisons are :
I'm the same height as a lotus elise
I'm alot higher than the white lines

Noone ever complains that either of those are too low...

Think the white lines is a bit misleading - if a motorist doesn't see the white lines in the middle of the road - usually there is no consequence, if they are part of a junction, then there are other factors in play than just the white lines, the junction itself, other sign age, traffic lights - I don't think we know whether drivers see the white lines on a regular basis - more that they expect them to be there.

But noone ever complains that they can't see them because they are too low. Motorists can see the tarmac even

[byegad]

I agree with Bob. The perception that being low down is dangerous is false. Nobody suggests sports cars should be higher. I know for a fact that on my Kettwiesel I can see a Ferrari passenger's thighs when stopped at the lights.

[kingrollo]

I agree with Bob. The perception that being low down is dangerous is false. Nobody suggests sports cars should be higher. I know for a fact that on my Kettwiesel I can see a Ferrari passenger's thighs when stopped at the lights.

Gotta say I disagree. Being lower makes you less visible IMO - I know its not the only factor - a low sports car has a wider mass - which a recumbent bike doesn't have - a recumbent bike also has the astonishing factor - so its the overall package - but being higher makes you more visible IMO.

Those motorists that see a recumbent generally give you more room - but the scope for not being seen is increased IMO.

[[XAP]Bob]

Yet I've had far fewer smidsys on the 'bent than on an upwrong.

I think it's a common perception, but I'm not sure it's actually borne out. Not that I am aware of any research either way...

[kingrollo]

Yet I've had far fewer smidsys on the 'bent than on an upwrong.

I think it's a common perception, but I'm not sure it's actually borne out. Not that I am aware of any research either way...

That maybe so - the point I was responding to - was that being lower doesn't make you less visible - I believe it does

[pjclinch]

Yet I've had far fewer smidsys on the 'bent than on an upwrong.

I think it's a common perception, but I'm not sure it's actually borne out. Not that I am aware of any research either way...

That maybe so - the point I was responding to - was that being lower doesn't make you less visible - I believe it does

Well, of course you're less visible in an absolute sense of taking up less area on the visual image perceived by the viewer, but there again an Airbus A340 painted dull orange with standard lights is less visible than an Airbus A380 painted bright orange and with double the usual number of running lights, but that doesn't mean that you've got a problem with the general invisibility of A340s leading to numerous collisions.

It's back to the hi-viz thing, and if more must be better or if enough is enough. I have never found on my 'bent that I have had a near miss because I've not been seen because I am poorly visible. I have had near misses (and actual SMIDSYs on my upwrongs) from people not seeing me because they haven't looked, and I know they didn't because I watched them not doing it while seeking eye contact...

You might get a good indication over the importance by looking at relative insurance premiums for small black low cars compared to similarly valued larger bright, higher ones, since you can be pretty sure if such things are costing insurers money they'll be jacking up the premiums where they've an excuse.

Pete.