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Any ideas?

Posted: 29 Aug 2014, 7:36pm
by Phil Fouracre
Thinking about making something like those reflectors on an arm that you could attach to your bike. Wondering what would be a reasonable length to expect drivers to avoid. Don't normally have a problem, but, been on main road/dual carriageway a couple of times and have had close passes with outside lane completely clear, mad. Thought I would make a drop down arm purely for main road, and flexible. Don't want to be confrontational, and perhaps use fluoro' with thanks for space written on it. Anyone have any thoughts/suggestions?

Re: Any ideas?

Posted: 29 Aug 2014, 8:23pm
by Stewart H

Re: Any ideas?

Posted: 29 Aug 2014, 9:09pm
by Tonyf33
well for one I don't think it'll give you any change with overtaking.
However if you were to make the arm long enough to give you the minimum passing distance that you require it'll probably work Thus if you think 3 feet from your right hand then you'll have to make it almost that width to have the desired effect IMHO...
An arm that slides out further made with 2 sections and a runner would work and slide back in when pulled upright.

Re: Any ideas?

Posted: 29 Aug 2014, 9:11pm
by Postboxer
I'd agree with the above, try something telescopic then you can experiment.

Re: Any ideas?

Posted: 29 Aug 2014, 9:15pm
by Postboxer
I always think if I can reach them, they're too close, so I guess that would mean about 3 1/2 foot from centre, but then maybe a little shorter assuming they're going to give your reflector a little space.

Re: Any ideas?

Posted: 29 Aug 2014, 9:20pm
by rjb
How about an extending aerial with a reflector or a small fluoro rubber ball at the end. If you have straight bars you mount it in the end and extend it at you wish. The ball doubles as a handlebar end plug :wink: On the tandem i use a cork in the rear barend with a piece of sticky reflective dayglo tape on it. It sticks out an inch extra but is very visible.

Re: Any ideas?

Posted: 29 Aug 2014, 9:32pm
by Postboxer
Or attach some empty seats so you're as wide as a car.

Re: Any ideas?

Posted: 29 Aug 2014, 10:28pm
by TonyR
The reason those arms have gone out of fashion is they made no difference or made it worse. It often became a target distance for passing rather than a minimum distance. To have the biggest chance of an effect you would probably need to tip it with something that looks very scary for a car's paintwork.

Re: Any ideas?

Posted: 29 Aug 2014, 11:26pm
by SteveHunter
It could be my imagination but I'm sure drivers leave me more room on my Hybrid with wide panniers on the back than they do when on my road bike.

Re: Any ideas?

Posted: 30 Aug 2014, 9:37am
by Phil Fouracre
Thanks for replies guys, will think about it some more, perhaps try a few ideas. Was thinking of concealing something appropriate inside the apparently soft looking end, like a diamond tile cutter!!

Re: Any ideas?

Posted: 30 Aug 2014, 9:48am
by [XAP]Bob
Rusty garden rake?

Re: Any ideas?

Posted: 30 Aug 2014, 1:40pm
by MikeF
SteveHunter wrote:It could be my imagination but I'm sure drivers leave me more room on my Hybrid with wide panniers on the back than they do when on my road bike.
You may right, but it's difficult to tell for sure. However I always put a pannier on the offside if there's just one. I think it enlarges the rear profile of the bike, and maybe more so than an arm, but you can never see yourself so who knows?

Re: Any ideas?

Posted: 1 Sep 2014, 11:54am
by Phil Fouracre
Yeah, I do the same with pannier, and think it helps. The arm idea is really a trade off, ****** off response to a couple of stupid close passes versus happy 99 percent of the time to go with the flow of traffic. In some ways it might cause more problems than it cures, I actually enjoy riding and treat interaction with other traffic as I would normally when driving. Almost wonder if I would actually come across more as a 'silly' cyclist by having something like this, still debating. Perhaps a hand on the end of the arm with the second finger raised? And for added effect, Stanley knife blades for finger nails?

Re: Any ideas?

Posted: 1 Sep 2014, 12:00pm
by thirdcrank
I appreciate that some of the Boadicea type suggestions are made in jest, but for anybody who's tempted to follow them up, remember s 3 of the Criminal Damage Act:

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1971/48/section/3

Re: Any ideas?

Posted: 1 Sep 2014, 1:14pm
by TonyR
thirdcrank wrote:I appreciate that some of the Boadicea type suggestions are made in jest, but for anybody who's tempted to follow them up, remember s 3 of the Criminal Damage Act:

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1971/48/section/3


Can we use that against motorists?