Traffic Safety Cushion Contraption

[prof fate]

Remember those old white fiberglass rods with the bright orange triangle flags that were mounted to bikes for higher visibility back in the 70’s- 80’s? I saw hardcore downtown city cyclist (he might have been a bike messenger) that adapted part of the rod with a great idea. He took a length of rod about 2 and a half feet long and mounted behind his seat on a pivot (like you’d find on a regular kickstand) that allowed it to be flipped and locked into a horizontal or vertical position. He mounted a big reflector to the end of it and would flip it down to the horizontal position so it would be hanging out to the left side. This made his bike a much wider vehicle on the left side and forced cars to give him an even wider berth when passing him. If some idiot did happen to come to close to him, they would hit the rod and it would flex or break without toppling his bike. (It had the added benefit of possibly leaving a nice scratch down the side of the car) When he needed to maneuver in a tight area he just reached back and popped it into the upright position. Mount a flashing LED tail light on the end for night riding and your bike will appear as a more substantial (noticeable) vehicle to traffic coming from behind.

 

[bluegoatwoods]

Yes, this idea's been discussed before. It does sound like a good safety tool. I've considered it. It wouldn't be hard. Just haven't gotten around to it yet.

For someone who doesn't mind the extra weight, how about attaching a nice, big magnet on the end? Especially if it's clearly visible, it would be an even better deterrent to "buzzing".

 

[banzo]

hardcore moto-cyclist meets vigilante justice...

I saw hardcore downtown city cyclist (he might have been a bike messenger) that adapted part of the rod with a great idea. He took a length of rod about 2 and a half feet long and mounted behind his seat on a pivot (like you'd find on a regular kickstand) that allowed it to be flipped and locked into a horizontal or vertical position. He mounted a big reflector to the end of it and would flip it down to the horizontal position so it would be hanging out to the left side. This made his bike a much wider vehicle on the left side and forced cars to give him an even wider berth when passing him. If some idiot did happen to come to close to him, they would hit the rod and it would flex or break without toppling his bike. (It had the added benefit of possibly leaving a nice scratch down the side of the car) When he needed to maneuver in a tight area he just reached back and popped it into the upright position. Mount a flashing LED tail light on the end for night riding and your bike will appear as a more substantial (noticeable) vehicle to traffic coming from behind.

...until he moves to the hills and meets up with some redneck's hardcore.

I still remember diving into the ditch in rural MT on my West Coast bike-camping adventure in 1973. I left the pedals of my loaded 10-spd. when I heard a shotgun discharge at close-range from a passing vehicle. Fortunately for me, the ditch was grassy and only about six-feet-deep. I rolled and survived. I hate to think what might have happened if I'd scratched the shooter's pickup?