Recent conspicuity news

[Nibblet99]

To be honest I'm of the belief that the best safety mod you can do, is to get your brain going properly.

Yes the percentages may be that such and such style has less accidents but that may also be due to the mental setup of the type of people who like them, not the actual item themselves.

For example if someone said Toyota Prius have less accidents than Ferrari's, that doesn't mean Toyotas are more visible, just that the average owner is probably more conscientious of the way they drive.

In stead, when in the car/on a push bike/walking, make sure you're constantly scanning around, looking at the state of the tarmac, is there anything on it? gravel prehaps? Look at cars pulling up to junctions, train your brain to look at their wheels, thats the first indicator they show of their iminant motion. Get used to traffic paterns, watch how people are driving. Aggressively? Passively? Weaving across their lane a little? What does that mean, how could it effect you on the bike, what would you do if you were in the lane next to someone you deem to be driving agressively?

Think and train your brain, it would most likely be a better use of your time than changing the amount of lights you have when they're still going to be right next to each other. At night 2 lights right next to each other can look to be one single light anyway.

Howvere many mods you do, short of fitting a permanently on siren to your bike, most people still won't notice you unless you place your bike in the most visible location you can. Riding in the drivers side tyre track may seem sensible for example in the wet, but you're actually putting yourself in a blind spot in the mirrors of the vehicle you're following.

You will have to get used to the fact people will not see you whatever you do, its better to prepare yourself for that eventuality in-my-not-so-humble-opinion


Err didn't mean to be quite verbose on this issue, apologies for length



****EDIT****
Whoops somehow I completely missed Loonettes post here, didn't mean to repeat previous bits here...

[flynrider]

I used to have a white helmet on that bike you see in my avatar, nice and big cruiser that was black and white. I pulled a lady over on accident one time, didn't even try to... That's why people notice the white helmets!

I could see that happening. I saw a (white helmeted) guy the other day riding a Harley with a white fairing and white bags. He had modulator going on the running lights on either side of the headlight. They were flashing from side to side. I thought for sure it was a cop until he passed me.

[flynrider]

Here you go. Crazy huh? It had to be Honda. Love' em.

I think the "face" effect could easily be enhanced by a couple of dark angry eyebrows above the lights.

\ /
0 0

[storysunfolding]

Here you go. Crazy huh? It had to be Honda. Love' em.

I think the "face" effect could easily be enhanced by a couple of dark angry eyebrows above the lights.

\ /
0 0

Mirrors to the rescue!

[Skier]

Here you go. Crazy huh? It had to be Honda. Love' em.

I think the "face" effect could easily be enhanced by a couple of dark angry eyebrows above the lights.

\ /
0 0

Surely you have seen the older Yamaha FZRs with electrical tape on them to make that face.

[RhadamYgg]

Can you provide a source for the claim that making your bike look like an angry face will increase how visible you are? I'm skeptical to say the least.

If you want to be noticed more from the front then I suggest you get a headlight modulator. I use the Kisan PathBlazer, but there are other good options too.

Here is one:
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/natio ... 44&k=30648

However, if you go to http://news.google.com and search for motorcycle safety - there are many more articles on this subject.

RhadamYgg

[RhadamYgg]

Well, the only reason I mention it - is because I like playing percentages - at least in terms of something risky like riding a motorcycle.

RhadamYgg

Here's one, statistically speaking, that MIGHT help. No motorcycle rider has EVER been in an motorcycle accident while quietly asleep in his own bed (without a motorcycle in bed).

So that's it then. Don't sleep with your bike. And never go riding. Good luck!

hmmm - but you know - I think a lot of people die in bed, actually. But not usually by motorcycle and in bed.

RhadamYgg

[RhadamYgg]

I want a ural with a mounted machine gun. If that doesn't grab attention you can at least shoot their tires out.

Sounds like the perfect bike for the opening sequence for an anime.

RhadamYgg

[RhadamYgg]

You will have to get used to the fact people will not see you whatever you do, its better to prepare yourself for that eventuality in-my-not-so-humble-opinion

Err didn't mean to be quite verbose on this issue, apologies for length

****EDIT****
Whoops somehow I completely missed Loonettes post here, didn't mean to repeat previous bits here...

No, it is a good thing - espeicially since you are both riders.

The problem with statistics is that they only tell you some of the truth.

Let's take the white helmet idea.

Riders who wear white helmets get in 25% fewer accidents than riders with other helmet colors.

Is it causal? Did wearing the white helmets make them get in to fewer accidents (by being more visible)? Or is it coincidental? Meaning perhaps that those with the white helmets have less agressive riding personalities? Or were they more safety conscious and wearing a white helmet was just what they thought was safest?

It would take some deep questioning of the riders to determine these other factors - and it might even be almost impossible to find out the real cause of these 25% fewer accidents regarding riders with white helmets.

But for me... I'll just try to be in the group with the fewer accidents and hope I'm doing the right thing.

The problem is that sometimes these safety statistics are paradoxical.

1) Motorcycles with smaller displacements are invovled in fewer accidents - and when they are in accidents the injuries are not as significant as those incurred by riders on larger motorcycles.
2) Motorcycles with larger fairings are invovled in fewer accidents.

But... Most smaller motorcycles do not have fairings... Or maybe I should get a Ninja 250 instead of a Honda Rebel?

Personally, though I'm afraid I'd kill myself on something as sporty as a Ninja - regardless of the size of the motor.

RhadamYgg

[RhadamYgg]

I used to have a white helmet on that bike you see in my avatar, nice and big cruiser that was black and white. I pulled a lady over on accident one time, didn't even try to... That's why people notice the white helmets!

I could see that happening. I saw a (white helmeted) guy the other day riding a Harley with a white fairing and white bags. He had modulator going on the running lights on either side of the headlight. They were flashing from side to side. I thought for sure it was a cop until he passed me.

That must have been a sight! Picture that only a lot smaller and without the flashing lights and that'll be me on my Rebel when I get it.

RhadamYgg