“Spacing arm” needed to fend off cars

oldredeyes

I’ve been meaning to post for a few weeks about buying or building an extendable “arm” that would stick out from my handlebars. The thing would be 12-18” long, with a blinker light on the end (or a very thin glass phial full of paint-stripper that would explode over the bonnet of any Beemer that got too close). Although sticking out from the side of the bike to encourage cars to keep their distance, it would fold upwards or forwards to enable me to filter through slow/stationary traffic.

Having been clipped by a wing-mirror last night, I think the time is right to get one of these. Does anyone know if such a thing is available commercially (I’ve Googled to no avail)? Or whether I could buy a “widget” that would stick in my hybrid bar end and allow me to make the “arm” myself?

And yes, I know it might look like one of those kiddies’ orange “lollipops”, but I’m not fussed about that. I lost any sense of dignity years ago!

georgee

I've always fancied towing a model of a dottery old woman on a shopper behind me that would swerve all over the road. Motorists seems to give them a ton of room but me on my road bike is fair game for a wing mirrow to the right hand.

I do like the idea of paint stripper, maybe someone could supply it in a handy spray can size?

Gavin Weeks

Can get these in any book shop

Stig-OT-Dump

Proven ways to get extra room include

1 - Not wearing a helmet (as measured by researcher using ultrasonics to measure room given by minimum of 2000 cars overtaking him under each of 4 scenarios)

2 - Dressing like a lady. (same bloke)

3 - look like you have a child with you (kiddy seat or tag-along - empirical research by me)

Therefore - put a kiddy seat on the back of your bike, don a wig and wear a Laura Ashley dress.

If not wearing a helmet is outwith your comfort zone, wear the wig over a helmet.........

and Job's a Good'n.

RufusA

TBH having something at the front of the bike is going to have little impact on driver behaviour IMHO.

There is a bit of an optical illusion with a cycle which perplexes drivers, they measure the width mentally on the thickness of the part of the vehicle nearest them which is usually a very thin rear wheel. Add a foot to it, and then squeeze past your shoulder.

The MOST effective I have found of getting extra room is to put a small rear pannier on the offside. Cars will almost cross to the opposite side of the road when I've got a pannier in place, but give me mm's clearance without.

I'd like to think it's because they recognise in a pannier user a serious cyclist who deserves respect. Yet in reality it makes the rear of the bike look 3 times wider!

Try it - you'd be amazed - I even ride now with an all but empty pannier at weekends for the extra bit of wiggle room!

WARNING - London Cabbies have evolved an immunity to panniers!

Rufus.

rustychisel

Yep, as rufus said.

the best of all is one of those traffic 'lollipops' mounted out from your rear carrier or mudguard and projecting 12 to 15 inches out (to the right in the UK, left in US, obviously).

AndyGates

Lollipops aren't bad, but the best thing to do is just ride wide. If they can't squeeze past you they wont. Drivers tend to leave as much room on your right as you leave yourself on your left, IMO, so stay out of the gutter and life is golden.

rustychisel

Oh yeah, I don't disagree Andy, but we should ASSUME the primary position anyway. I think the OP was talking about gaining a little extra room.

I don't use a lollipop or anything, myself, relying on speed, but I frequently see their effectiveness for commuters.

georgee

I think the monkey hanging out the window of the white van as is deliberately squeezed past me on Priory Lane last night while screaming 'BIKE LANE' in my ear from about 12 inches away had a very good point. A bike lane on that side of the road would give me a bit more room.

Needing to build a book case last night I had a hammer in my bag, pitty their van was in such a sh*t state or I might have been inclined to use it...

oldredeyes

Thanks for the replies. I do ride in the primary position, but find this doesn't make any difference to around 5% of cars.

As for making me look wider, I totally agree about giving drivers the illusion of being bigger than I really am, but when the driver clipped me the other night, I had two panniers on the back, the right hand one had a flashing blinker on, with two more lights (one on the pannier rack and one on my bright yellow jacket).

I can also see the benefit of sticking something at the back of the bike rather than the front, but I want the flexibility of being able to fold it in when squeezing past stationary traffic.

As for dressing in a Laura Ashley dress, well that's just for weekends...

BentMikey

The two most effective ways for me to get space has been to ride a recumbent, and to do a fear wobble once in a while. That makes me look like an incompetent cyclist, but it scares the cr@p out of drivers and makes them overtake with plenty of space.

RufusA

oldredeyes wrote:

...but when the driver clipped me the other night, I had two panniers on the back, the right hand one had a flashing blinker on, with two more lights (one on the pannier rack and one on my bright yellow jacket).

For that type of driver, there is nothing you can do. Sadly if they are of the mind to squeeze past regardless, apart from helmet-camming them and reporting, it's a lost cause.

No amount of sticky out bits are going to cause them to give a wider birth if something like a human shoulder made no difference.

Rufus.

AndyGates

The cure for those drivers is a thick skin. Very few of them are a threat, they're just unpleasant.

Anyone close enough to hurt you is also close enough for you to slap their roof. Very loud. They don't like it up 'em.

graham_g

BentMikey wrote:

The two most effective ways for me to get space has been to ride a recumbent, and to do a fear wobble once in a while. That makes me look like an incompetent cyclist, but it scares the cr@p out of drivers and makes them overtake with plenty of space.

I've started doing the fear wobble on the one stretch of road I have problems with - works a treat! It's made easier by the amount of manhole covers I have to dodge.

el_presidente

AndyGates wrote:

The cure for those drivers is a thick skin. Very few of them are a threat, they're just unpleasant.

Anyone close enough to hurt you is also close enough for you to slap their roof. Very loud. They don't like it up 'em.

I did that to someon the other day, they didn't seem to notice, made me feel better though

Random Vince

RufusA wrote:

oldredeyes wrote:

...but when the driver clipped me the other night, I had two panniers on the back, the right hand one had a flashing blinker on, with two more lights (one on the pannier rack and one on my bright yellow jacket).

For that type of driver, there is nothing you can do. Sadly if they are of the mind to squeeze past regardless, apart from helmet-camming them and reporting, it's a lost cause.

No amount of sticky out bits are going to cause them to give a wider birth if something like a human shoulder made no difference.

Rufus.

a skateboard elbow pad and fold the wing mirror back as they go past works nicely

failing that, manage to bump into the side of the car

best i did was signal right and end up slapping the windscreen!

i was actually trying to signal at the time.


i've found riding like a nutter, head down and bum in the air gives me room