I agree with Mike about hand signaling on a bike, but blowing through stop signs is still a safety hazard. If there are cars to signal to, then there are cars to stop for. I am a big fan of the "stop and go" method at stop signs AND stop lights (I know it isn't legal, but I think it is safe and sound), but blowing through stop signs is a very good way to get seriously injured on a bike. You will only get lucky so many times in a row. I know more than one cyclist who got clobbered this way... and it is no fun.
-india ----- Original Message ----- From: Mike Ivey <[email protected]> Date: Tuesday, September 8, 2009 10:09 am Subject: RE: [Bikies] get noticed To: Troy Thiel <[email protected]>, [email protected], India Rose Viola <[email protected]> Cc: [email protected] > For my money, just getting riders to use hand signals is by far the No > 1 > way to make a good impression > > Keep it simple: left arm out for left turn, right arm out for right turn > (forget that outdated "bent arm" thing from the 1950s) > > How come so few riders signal?? > > I blow through stop signs all the time but as long as you signal drivers > don't seem to care > > > > > > > _____ > > From: Troy Thiel [mailto:[email protected]] > Sent: Friday, September 04, 2009 5:09 PM > To: [email protected]; India Rose Viola > Cc: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [Bikies] get noticed > > > I do somewhat the same, without pulling in front of the vehicle....slow, > stand on the peddles, showing the drivers in the area that I'm clearly > not just blasting through on my merry way...I don't want to get hit by > two tons of metal!....the standing also allows me to keep some momentum > if possible to track stand still if need be and get up to speed quicker > AND makes me more noticeable..it would be nice to drop the 20 pounds I'd > like to so that I wasn't SO big and noticeable but we've got too good > of > beer in these parts. Live to ride another day...there's plenty of roads > and trails out there where you can hammer without stopping if that's > what you're looking for. > > As to a slightly earlier thread....I'm still convinced that a marketing > campaign of all the types of cyclists are out there and how it helps the > common good...I thought of "One Less"...one less car competing for your > lane...your parking spot...one less person whose health is troubled and > its associated costs (hopefully!) one less person taxing the > roadways...one less person creating pollution....heightening demand for > gas and if in great number, the price....one less person uptight at work > because of the catharsis of a good commute...there are plenty of other > "one less" items..and a lot of one "more"...one more person enjoying > nature...one more person easing traffic....etc etc....robbie and matt > are right..wayyyyyy too much perception of cyclists as all the same > person...1 outta 10 run reds when they shouldn't if that...but media > types allege its ALL of us.... > > we can do better...Ride the Drive was a great example of how so...now > lets get implementing a LOT of those Platinum Bike strategies....bike > racks on Parking meters anyone??? > > Have a great riding weekend, > > > Troy Thiel > > > > --- On Fri, 9/4/09, India Rose Viola <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > From: India Rose Viola <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [Bikies] get noticed > To: [email protected] > Cc: [email protected] > Date: Friday, September 4, 2009, 4:26 PM > > > What David described is pretty much what I do, too. It works > well. > Another good tactic is making eye contact with oncoming > motorists, as well as a friendly hand-wave. I usually get a smile back, > and suddenly we are all on the same "team" again. Connecting with a > smile and a wave reminds us that we are still human- no matter what our > mode of transport might be. > > -india > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: David Waugh <[email protected]> > Date: Friday, September 4, 2009 4:20 pm > Subject: [Bikies] get noticed > To: [email protected] > > > > A good way for bikes to be appreciated by motorists for > stopping at > > red lights is to move to the center of the lane, right in > front of the > > waiting autos (this also allows for cars turning right to be > able to > > do so.) I always imagine the driver getting anxious that I > will > > impede their progress once the light turns green. A split > second > > before the light turns green, and if the coast is clear, ride > out into > > the intersection and go back to the right hand side of the > roadway. > > The auto drivers clearly registered in their brain that you > stopped > > and waited, and then they were happy you didn't block their > path after > > all. Kudos to bikers! > > > > David Waugh > > _______________________________________________ > > Bikies mailing list > > [email protected] > > http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org > _______________________________________________ > Bikies mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org > > > _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected] http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org
