Preventing close passes

[iwantanewbike]

I ride in a non-timid way so I'm sure I get less close passes than many others, but I still get taken by surprise every now and again by someone driving too close.

I saw a post (either here or Twitter) where someone had attached a foam pool float to their bike and saw an obvious change in driver behaviour.

Not sure it's for me as I'd need a thick skin for looking like a plonker but if it works then it's an option, although I'd opt for a small telescopic aerial with a flag on the end much like on a recumbent but sideways.

What are the legal implications of doing this?

 

[e-rider]

driver education and banning 50% of current drivers from the roads would improve safety but that isn't going to happen, so a large swimming noodle is probably the best solution - however, when some idiot driver swerves round it and causes a head-on crash you might get the blame!

 

[mjr]

[QUOTE 4581466, member: 9609"]was there not something 10 or 20 years ago whwere cyclist had little red marker boards that stuck out to their right ?[/QUOTE]
Lollipops. Still available. Still ineffective AFAICT. You need to do something more blatently strange to make the motorists cautious. A foam noodle might qualify but I don't know how long it would last because this isn't really what it's designed for. A telescopic aerial might work, but if it extends more than 500mm from the centre of the bike, you're going to have to remember to retract it every time you go through one of those illogical barriers that councils love to put on cycle tracks (and less the higher up it is).

 

[BlackPanther]

Recumbents really do drastically reduce near passes. Failing that, if you have a rear rack, secure a bit of plastic plumbing tubing, and fix lights 6 inches wider than the bike, or at least at shoulder width. Lights on flash during the day, solid at night. In the dark, cars approaching from behind will think there's 2 bikes side by side.

That said, I always felt vulnerable on 60mph country lanes on df bikes, and I wouldn't go back to regular bikes purely because of the near passes (used to get 2 or 3 a week, now it's maybe 1 every couple of months) Then there's the comfort, speed increase, and weather protection (has Winter started yet?)

Oh, and the Women, they throw themselves at us recumbent riders.

 

[Flying Dodo]

Recumbents really do drastically reduce near passes.

Having ridden and driven behind quite a few, I'd agree with that. I think it's the "WTF" response from drivers as they realise that there's an odd shape in front of them which stands out, and so the brain doesn't automatically filter it out. In the same way, if you wear a flappy coat you'll generally get more room, as the movement of the coats catches the eye of the drivers behind, and they take notice and actively drive around you, rather than blithely driving on auto-pilot.

 

[Profpointy]

I always ride with my (single) pannier on the right as it makes the bike seem wider. It isn't really wider of course, but I suspect the more common left-pannier arrangement leads to closer passing

 

[mjr]

Oh, and the Women, they throw themselves at us recumbent riders.

Stop driving into their shins - there's a good chap!

 

[wheresthetorch]

 

[Lonestar]

Had a punishment pass from some dickhead at Mile End the other week because some people do it for fun.

I know why.I had come out of the CS 2 cycle lane due to two boris bikers with one doing wheelies.I hadn't gone straight back in.

I tell you what though,it's like wacky races around Canning Town.

 

[mick1836]

Is the OP talking about using one of these?

 

[PaulSecteur]

Simpley have your butler follow behind in the Rolls to act as a barrier between yourself an those oiks that think Sainsburys is a posh shop.

 

[steveindenmark]

Is the OP talking about using one of these?

Thats an aiming mark for cars. :O)

 

[youngoldbloke]

Friend uses a flag, attached to a long sprung alloy arm, the end of which causes considerable scratch-damage to any body work that comes into contact with it.

 

[Dan B]

I did a shortish jourrney through E17 a few months ago with a garden strimmer slung across my back. Didn't get any of the usual tailgating, revving, attempted close passes that I'd usually expect, but if I was going to do that regularly I'd probably invest in a padded shoulder strap

 

[Blue Hills]

Must admit that as a rider in London my main problem with close passes is from a certain breed of ****ish cyclist. Have maybe had the odd car incident but far far less.