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A Fighter Pilot’s Guide to Surviving on the Roads

portsmouthctc.org.uk

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Re: A Fighter Pilot’s Guide to Surviving on the Roads

#101

Post by Forbo »

gomox wrote: post #95
noratonsto wrote: post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A warning, do NOT use this mirror arrangement if you drive in a crowded city and share the road with scooters, motorcycles, bikes, and pedestrians. BGE is great if you drive on big roads and mainly share it with other cars. However if you drive in a city with tons of scooters, you know the ones that will swarm your car, then they will all be in your blind spot if you use this mirror arrangement.

My Ford car has smaller convex mirrors in the corners of the normal side mirrors and they are a godsend in busy city driving. I really miss them when driving other cars.

I'm surprised to see this is the first mention of convex mirrors. I get some of the stick-on variety for any car I'm driving, as it dramatically increases the viewing angle for my side mirrors. I get them for my friends to put on their mirrors, too. If a $6 item can help avoid any kind of collision, that's an insane ROI.

Re: A Fighter Pilot’s Guide to Surviving on the Roads

#102

Post by polaritron »

btrettel wrote: post #81

Transportation cyclist here. This is a great article, but it only indirectly touches upon one of the most effective tools a cyclist could have: an air horn. I have an Air Zound air horn and I feel much less safe riding without it. I'll often give a few toots before approaching an intersection to increase the chance that I am seen. And it has probably saved me from some major crashes when I lay down the horn on someon…

A lot of people keep their motorcycles extra loud for this reason. It pisses people off, to hear an extremely loud motorcycle engine, but a subset of riders don't do it to be cool, but really to gain attention as a survival mechanism. An overlapping group do it for both reasons.

Re: A Fighter Pilot’s Guide to Surviving on the Roads

#103

Post by btrettel »

crunchlibrarian wrote: post #100
btrettel wrote: post #81

Transportation cyclist here. This is a great article, but it only indirectly touches upon one of the most effective tools a cyclist could have: an air horn. I have an Air Zound air horn and I feel much less safe riding without it. I'll often give a few toots before approaching an intersection to increase the chance that I am seen. And it has probably saved me from some major crashes when I lay down the horn on someon…

If you use an air horn in any context on me there is going to be trouble, I hope you're prepared for that. If you assault someone you should expect a proportional response.

> If you use an air horn in any context on me there is going to be trouble, I hope you're prepared for that. If you assault someone you should expect a proportional response.

Fortunately, people like you seem to be fairly rare in my experience. After hundreds of horn uses (more than 500, easily), I might be able to count the number of times that people got noticeably angry at me for honking on one hand. I'm actually struggling to think of examples, but it has happened.

Also, horn use is not assault. It causes no harm to the typical recipient as they are in a sealed box, reducing the sound pressure appreciably. That's why I only ever use the air horn on a pedestrian or cyclist if it's absolutely unavoidable. I can only think of one instance where I honked at a pedestrian off the top of my head, and that probably saved the distracted pedestrian from serious injury.

Re: A Fighter Pilot’s Guide to Surviving on the Roads

#104

Post by isostatic »

rjsw wrote: post #63
isostatic wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure, and in the UK at least it's a requirement to have lights on when riding at night.

Can't remember the last time I saw a cyclist with lights. They seem to think that they don't need them if in a cycle lane, even when there is nothing separating it from the rest of the road.

Can't remember the last time I saw a cyclist without lights (at night of course). But then it's been summer and thus daylight most of the time.

Re: A Fighter Pilot’s Guide to Surviving on the Roads

#105

Post by jshmrsn »

irrational wrote: post #99
btrettel wrote: post #81

Transportation cyclist here. This is a great article, but it only indirectly touches upon one of the most effective tools a cyclist could have: an air horn. I have an Air Zound air horn and I feel much less safe riding without it. I'll often give a few toots before approaching an intersection to increase the chance that I am seen. And it has probably saved me from some major crashes when I lay down the horn on someon…

"see horn use as hostility" Of course they do. When people in cars honk at other people in cars, the majority of time it is a sign of hostility. They've been conditioned to perceive the use of a horn as a sign of hostility.

In the US. In some places (I know personally China), drivers frequently use their horns simply to tell other drivers that they exist when they are passing. A downside is incredibly noisy roadways.

Re: A Fighter Pilot’s Guide to Surviving on the Roads

#106

Post by btrettel »

nickthemagicman wrote: post #96
btrettel wrote: post #81

Transportation cyclist here. This is a great article, but it only indirectly touches upon one of the most effective tools a cyclist could have: an air horn. I have an Air Zound air horn and I feel much less safe riding without it. I'll often give a few toots before approaching an intersection to increase the chance that I am seen. And it has probably saved me from some major crashes when I lay down the horn on someon…

If they're angry at you then they see you!

Great point. I think I'll highlight that when recommending air horns in the future.

Re: A Fighter Pilot’s Guide to Surviving on the Roads

#107

Post by browsercoin »

btrettel wrote: post #81

Transportation cyclist here. This is a great article, but it only indirectly touches upon one of the most effective tools a cyclist could have: an air horn. I have an Air Zound air horn and I feel much less safe riding without it. I'll often give a few toots before approaching an intersection to increase the chance that I am seen. And it has probably saved me from some major crashes when I lay down the horn on someon…

same can be argued for loud Harley or Indian motorcycles. tbh, they are going overboard but I always wondered if a loud bike truly is safer? It makes sense that if you hear your doors rattling on the highway, the tactile feedback from the monstrous motorcycle exhaust sound immediately catches attention. Also, there is an intimidation factor as well.

Meh, I say your life and safety is of higher priority. but do not be surprised if somebody snaps, I've watched too many /r/publicfreakouts to know what the emotional threshold of an adult commuter is these days.

Re: A Fighter Pilot’s Guide to Surviving on the Roads

#108

Post by usrusr »

taejo wrote: post #47
pc86 wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If your car cannot be operated legally, it should not be operated. You don't need automatic DRLs, you can always just turn your lights on.

I think usrusr is referring to non-car road users. Bicycles and motorbikes need to stand out from cars, but can't keep up with them in a lighting arms race due to power and weight.

And ox-carts. And walkers. And all kinds of other long tail surprises. The distinction between limited access roads and the regular kind exists for a reason.

Re: A Fighter Pilot’s Guide to Surviving on the Roads

#110

Post by ectospheno »

chooseaname wrote: post #72
nsnick wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Saying cyclists should wear bright clothing is blaming the victims of vehicle violence. https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/stop-victim-blaming-cy...

Is it? Is it really victim blaming or is it simply making a strong recommendation? We make strong recommendations for other things, like telling people not to walk alone in the dark. That's not considered victim blaming.

I like using the car park analogy. It is perfectly legal to park in a bad neighborhood. If your car is broken into then the thief should be sent to jail. You are still dumb for parking there. This isn't victim blaming.
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