| Author | Message | ||
     Pkforbes87 |
I've had enough. I wear the hi-viz jacket, gloss white helmet.. Headlight is always on bright.. drivers still try to kill me. Looking for a source for a very large amount of reflective tape - both red for the rear and white for the front. I'm still unsure of the legality of amber reflective material.. if it's legal at all and if so.. where? Also gonna be looking for very bright orange or hi-viz yellow material to increase the bike's daytime visibility. There's honestly not much more I can do to make myself more visible gear-wise. Gonna light these bikes up like ••••••• Christmas trees if that's what it takes. So.. any sources for tape/paint/stickers/lights that won't bankrupt me? | ||
| Jaimec |
What about a headlight modulator? I've heard people say they're annoying as hell BUT you WILL be seen. At least, from the front. From the rear, I'd suggest a flashing brakelight as well. | ||
| Aesquire |
Sorry, road flares on the handlebars won't help. As a follow up on the Hurt Report from the 1970's they interviewed a bunch of car drivers who were in "left turn in front of bike" accidents. ALL said they never saw the bike. NONE rode or had close relatives that rode. What happens is the light forms an image on the retina, but the brain refuses to process the image, since it falls outside the persons programming. "Motorcycle" never occurs to them, it's not in their universe, so they just DO NOT SEE YOU. I can give an example of the reverse of that, that you may have experienced. Have you ever bought your first Brand of car? Say, Kia? You never really noticed them before, now you see Kia's everywhere? Same phenom, in reverse. They just don't see you. You can lock eyes, but they just plain don't process the image as anything in their world. I don't have a solution. I ride a Reactor Yellow Cyclone and bright clothes too. Police, on the other hand, lock gaze on me and head track me out of sight, every time. A Headlight Modulator will work if anything can, just do not ride at night with it on. ( fun for a few seconds, you'll get tired of it fast ) Check local laws. I run a yellow headlamp. Buddies I follow say it's very noticeble, but the Phenom above still applies. Flashing or yellow lights on an unprocessed object still are unprocessed. (Message edited by aesquire on April 04, 2012) | ||
| Froggy |
Black 1125R, black Fieldsheir suit, black Scorpion helmet, stock exhaust. It is rare if ever I get in a situation where my life is in danger due to a driver not seeing me. Hell last time I was ever in danger was a few years ago on my Blast, but I can't recall any events more recent. Perhaps it is the pony stickers on the pods.... | ||
| Xdigitalx |
I have been thinking of something for a while and your post allows me to suggest it. You know those white strobe lights that flash on top of a school bus? I was thinking... how about a smaller version on the top of your helmet? I actually would not mind it being law. Could sell little super glue stick on devices that have replaceable batteries and led's. One bulb would do I think. | ||
| Badlionsfan |
If you want to get used to being invisible to cars become a truck driver. | ||
| Xdigitalx |
You could ride like froggy .... they won't see you, but if they do, you will just be a blurr in their peripheral view, long gone before they realize what it was. And that is why it doesn't matter what your wearing.  | ||
| Sifo |
You'd be amazed at how many people run into school buses because they "never saw it". Happens all the time! | ||
| Danger_dave |
They will never see you because they don't look. You have to see them. | ||
| Birdy |
Don't hope they see you. You better see them. Believe me they will pull out in front of a Firetruck with all the lights going they'll pull out in front of you, I was driving that firetruck at the time and put it in the ditch rather than hit that car and likely kill someone. If you want to be around for the long haul watch out for them and be ready to give way, no matter if you have the right of way and law on you're side. After all you smack a car while you're on a motorcycle and it's going to hurt YOU not them. | ||
| Xdigitalx |
I still like the small flashing led on the helmet idea. | ||
| Ourdee |
I try to wear black. Swerve towards them and in general try to be percieved as a threat. Only thing some people process. Not a full on swerve just a 6 to 12" move in my lane. In some daylight situations a headlight acts like camo. Airforce experimented with lighting the leading edges of planes at one time. Don't ride to the left of your lane like a scooter unless it is to be seen by a vehicle pulling out. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Learn to predict. OBSERVE the traffic around you. It sounds like you aren't...which is exactly the same thing you're complaining they don't do with regard to you. OBSERVE. LEARN. And eventually...you will learn to predict. You'll see a telltale move. A cell phone up to an ear in the car in front of you, because you can see the outline of an arm up, or a glimpse of the phone in the rearview mirror. You'll see the head-check before a lane change, that takes the place of that little flashy-lighty-thingy called a turn signal. You complain people don't look for motorcycles. You need to stop looking for cars. You need to look for idiots, and telltale signs. It will come, but you have to study. Every mile. | ||
| Glitch |
Just needed to be said again. Once you figure out you're invisible ... | ||
| Boogiman1981 |
It is not the spoon that bends for that would be impossible... | ||
| Jaimec |
ALWAYS assume the other driver has got his/her head buried in his/her lap texting their best friend about the great night they just had while trying to butter their bagel and drink their coffee all at the same time. You know why? Because odds are, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE DOING!!! You can NOT underestimate the stupidity of other road users, after a half million miles on a motorcycle in a quarter of a century I've come to that inescapable conclusion. Drive like you're surrounded by arseholes and you'll live longer. | ||
| Leftcoastal |
You don't want them to see you, 'cause if they do, they'll aim for you. They don't see you because they aren't looking. Even when their eyes are actually on you. Sorry - it's just the way it is. Never leave it up to the other guy to assist in your survival. It's not gonna happen. Practice being several seconds ahead of "now". NEVER ride even slightly impaired. This will probably piss off several here, but even half a beer might be your last, if you jump on that bike. Not that any of this will work for you, everyone's different. It's worked for me well enough, and I've been riding these silly 2 wheelers for just over 40 years now. | ||
| Fltwistygirl |
"NEVER ride even slightly impaired. This will probably piss off several here, but even half a beer might be your last, if you jump on that bike." Left coastal-you are absolutely correct, and you are probably not gonna pizz most off cuz most Buellers are different critters overall, and I'd vote way less likely to drink n ride than some. Our demographic favors us here  . p.s. I am not nor have i ever proclaimed to be a touch typist . (Message edited by fltwistygirl on April 05, 2012) | ||
| Danger_dave |
>>after a half million miles on a motorcycle in a quarter of a century<< Welcome Noob. | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
The other side of making yourself exceptionally visible is that some will focus their attention on you to the exclusion of all else, creating a danger for others. Mainly though they still won't see you. As Badlions said, & I can attest to the truth of it, if people "didn't see" a full size tractor trailer rig with all lights blazing in broad daylight, a bike is easily missed. A much more useful mod is a loud horn, the XB original horn is pretty useless, I've installed the one from my M2 in it's place. In one of the local towns the other day, lady in a car in front of me slams on the brakes selects reverse to get into a parking space, no warning, no indicators. There's a large van right behind me & I mean right behind, about a foot from my licence plate, with his load all shot to hell inside, I could hear it banging as he was stopping. We were both blasting our horns & the silly cow stopped just short of hitting me. She then started shouting that we'd blocked her parking spot. No idea at all. Needless to say around here , she was Swiss. It's one of the local hazards, the Swiss behave like they own the place & their driving standard is p**s poor. | ||
| Cityxslicker |
Orange bike, orange helmet, FOUR LED lights across the front of the bike, annoying light stickers to hand guards, and an air horn to give grandma a heart attack. I still got run off the road 4 times on the Buell. Luckily each time I had a safe way out - the shoulder or the curb. They don't see you and those that do - are aiming for you. Ride like that - you will be fine. (it is why I preferred to ride OFF Pavement) | ||
| M1combat |
I wear camo. Makes no difference. The flashing lights help. I seem to notice them but I rarely miss bikes anyway. "They don't see you and those that do - are aiming for you. " | ||
| Sparky |
If you want to be noticed, make your bike look as much like a police bike that's legally possible. Why? At least (some) people will take a few seconds to try to figure out if you might be a threat to them. I know I do when I'm in the cage and I see a white bike behind me! | ||
| Danger_dave |
It's horrible. I tested a Police ST1100 Honda a long time ago. Everyone slows down in front of you. Without the 'authority' It's like riding a moving road block. | ||
| Jaimec |
I can remember the day I saw cars moving out of the lane behind me. I was wondering what was going on till I saw a white GOLDWING behind me. The rider had on a black, three-quarter length coat, blue shorty helmet and sunglasses. I took one look and said "Ah geez, they thought he was a COP!" Cops around here DON'T ride GoldWings... at least, not on duty. I didn't budge and stayed right in my lane. He eventually passed me on the left and cars in the left lane started getting out of his way too. They're right... if you LOOK like something that could threaten them, suddenly they SEE you. Safest bike around here would probably be a white or silver Harley Road King with a tombstone windshield... but YOU have to look the part too. I knew one guy that put a BIG decal on his windshield that said: BE POLITE The "BE" was in little tiny letters, and "POLITE" was in BIG letters. Yeah... you know EXACTLY what that looks like with just a quick glance in a rear view mirror... | ||
| Fahren |
I have a headlight modulator, and I think it helps. I would put a brake light modulator in ("Back Off" or other, similar). Modulators are legal in all 50 states, it's a fed DOT rule, as long as the unit is compliant. I have one by Kriss. They are universally illegal at night, but they have photo-sensors to turn them off automatically. Hi-viz, reflective stuff, flashing lights: it's all good. But still, as others are saying, you have to have your way out planned, and act like everyone is a threat. It certainly keeps you alert in traffic! And I feel it develops your intuitive instincts, to "know" when someone is very likely to do something stupid. | ||
| 1st47 |
When I bought my Buell it was my first bike. I did a ton of reading about bikes and riding and I don't remember where I read it but it stuck in my mind permanantly. Ride like EVERYONE is trying to kill you. Around 7-8 years ago I was living in southwest New Hampshire and my wife was having some testing done at Mass General in Boston. I rode Rt.2 in and out of Boston for 3 days visiting. I had noticed a lot of people doing things other than driving during their commute. I decided to actually count the drivers doing nothing but driving ( eating,reading,make up, texting, e-mailing etc.) It was 1-1/2 hour ride and possibly 8 people that I passed or was passed by were doing nothing but driving. I only saw 3 or 4 accidents on the way. People are trying to kill you because they are not driving ! Stepping off soapbox now. | ||
| Buellathebuzzer |
"head buried in his/her lap texting their best friend about the great night they just had while trying to butter their bagel and drink their coffee" you forgot putting on make up. | ||
| Daves |
Years ago when we first started the sport bike riding group a couple of the younger riders were talking at a gas stop about how many close calls they were having. My friend Larry, the OLD GUY of the bunch, came over to them and told them, if you are having that many close calls, you just aren't paying attention. Food for thought. | ||
| 86129squids |
DD's mention of testing a police bike reminded me of a story... Had a biker buddy that I'd see every "bike nite" Thursday in Knoxvegas' Old City, he rode a decommissioned police KZ1000. Nice bike, apparently from a town in Florida... one day he shows up on a sweet, green BMW R1100RS, proceeds to tell me how he likes it- "... great ride, handling, smooth, but nothing like the KZ. Nobody notices me on the Beemer, but on the KZ it's like having a force field around me because it still LOOKS the part. People get out of my way when I'm on it." I've wanted a decommissioned police bike ever since. Most of the Beemer po-po bikes I've seen REALLY command attention... I still want to install a train horn on ALL of my vehicles- realistically, a top-shelf Stebel is what I'll end up with. |
