Red reflective "give me width"arms for bikes

[Accy cyclist]

Do they sill sell them, has anyone ever had one, if so do they make vehicles give you extra passing distance?
What i can remember of them is that you fix them to the rear forks. They stick out about 16 inches so that drivers see them and automatically(in theory)go wider to pass you than they normally would do.

 

[Lee_M]

I remember them and always thought they were dangerous. If a car actually followed the guidance I think they'd be far too close for comfort

 

[Saluki]

I had one of those way back in the 80's. It got hit by a close passing motorbike. The motorbike hit me too, he really was a dick. Broke my reflector and my right elbow.
I do still see a bike, locally, with one on. I will ask her if she thinks that cars give her a wider berth when I next go to the post office.

 

[cyberknight]

I remember reading , on the ctc forum i think about someone who stuck a compass point on the end of one of those flags, if the car was to close they got a nice scratch down the side.....
Not that i condone this sort of behaviour

 

[srw]

Mrs W used to have one (we're talking years ago), but thought that cars used them as a target rather than as a suggestion to drive wide.

 

[Accy cyclist]

I suppose the nasty ones out there will see them as a sign of weakness and therefore they'll do their best to defeat the object of the things.

 

[Arch]

Do they sill sell them,.

Yes

That's an Ebay link, but I think many cycleshops/Halfords etc sell them.

There's something to be said for them - drivers apparently tend to give wider things more room (hence the advice to ride further out than the gutter.

A well stuffed pannier on the off-side can also help.

Real dicks will be real dicks, whatever you do. All we can do is use what we can to get through to the merely dopey.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Assertive Secondary probably works at least as well if not better

 

[shouldbeinbed]

not seen one for years. not that I'd want to be instructing people to give me 18 inches

Athough I guess a wider reflector might make some difference, I can't honestly say I notice much difference in clearance whether I'm riding bareback or with a stuffed to the gills pannier.

I'd rather take a position I'm comfortable with than rely on a flappy arm thing poking out.

(this message has been sponsored by the double entendre society of Britain, approach me for a leaflet and I'll give you one)

 

[marshmella]

Yes

That's an Ebay link, but I think many cycleshops/Halfords etc sell them.

There's something to be said for them - drivers apparently tend to give wider things more room (hence the advice to ride further out than the gutter.

A well stuffed pannier on the off-side can also help.

Real dicks will be real dicks, whatever you do. All we can do is use what we can to get through to the merely dopey.

I passed a chap during the week on the way to work who was riding just a few inches from the gutter,i suggested to him that he might be better moving out a couple more feet ; i think he thought i was mad.

 

[Brains]

I remember reading , on the ctc forum i think about someone who stuck a compass point on the end of one of those flags, if the car was to close they got a nice scratch down the side.....
Not that i condone this sort of behaviour

A welding rod produces a better result when scraped down the side of a car at 30mph

 

[Sara_H]

Yes

That's an Ebay link, but I think many cycleshops/Halfords etc sell them.

There's something to be said for them - drivers apparently tend to give wider things more room (hence the advice to ride further out than the gutter.

A well stuffed pannier on the off-side can also help.

Real dicks will be real dicks, whatever you do. All we can do is use what we can to get through to the merely dopey.

I always keep my fattest/only pannier on the right.

Agree with others, I think the psychological effect of these arms is probably rather like the white line of a cycle "lane" - so ling as motorists don't impede on it they'll think they're far enough away.
I'd rather rely on a good primary position to encourage proper passing room.

 

[HovR]

I see a local guy with one on. He sits pretty much in the gutter and would benefit much more from a primary/strong secondary position than a piece of red plastic.

Besides, even if they did work, try filtering with one on.

 

[Arch]

not seen one for years. not that I'd want to be instructing people to give me 18 inches

I think the point was not that it instructed people to pass at the end of it, but to pass with a decent space from the end of it - in effect, increasing the decent space a good driver gives you anyway. Of course, whether that works these days is debatable.

A garden fork carried sideways across the rack works wonders.

 

[BigonaBianchi]

Wear hi vis and ride further out and hold your ground when the morons lean on the hooter.