Another brush with an old F&£&, protection needed o

jeremyrundle
jeremyrundle Posts: 1,014
edited February 2011 in Commuting chat
Ok that is the second time some old F%^T woman driver 70+ has had me off my bike, at 50+ I am no teenager, so, advice please.

Other than impractical extremes, are there any knee type pads suitable for under jogging bottom wear that I could use, I don't ride fast enougyh to warrant anything more.

I know there are many types on the internet, but personal experience from cyclist commuters is worth much more than an advert.

Thank you
Peds with ipods, natures little speed humps

Banish unwanted fur - immac a squirrel
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... heads.html

Comments

  • Volleyball pads are more flexible and comfortable than hard shells, but won't offer the same levels of protection.

    Is it your knees that need most protection? When I have taken a tumble it is my head, hands/wrists, elbows, hips and ahem, 'gentleman's area' that have suffered (fortunately nothing major)..

    Not sure it is practical to dress as the Michelin man and try and protect everything though...
    Nobody told me we had a communication problem
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 18,878
    I would be astounded if anyone on here is wearing knee pads for cycle commuting.
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • I've got some d30 661 knee pads for mountain biking, they are quite thin and comfortable.
  • kelsen
    kelsen Posts: 2,003
    Why not learn to ride defensively instead of kitting yourself up with body armour?
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    kelsen wrote:
    Why not learn to ride defensively instead of kitting yourself up with body armour?

    This and spend the money on brighter lights.
  • kelsen wrote:
    Why not learn to ride defensively instead of kitting yourself up with body armour?

    This and spend the money on brighter lights.

    Yes, yes, yes!! Lights brighter than the sun!

    Edit: And, Jeremy, how visible are you from the side? Any reflectives/lights for cars pulling out?
  • bails87
    bails87 Posts: 12,998
    Jeremy: Have you read cyclecraft?
    How did the accident happen?
    As others have said, how visible are you?

    Knee pads are all well and good if all you do is graze your knee. But if your head/leg/arm/body goes under a wheel you'll start to wish you'd avoided the accident altogether rather than put on body armour.

    P.S. Glad that you're okay
    MTB/CX

    "As I said last time, it won't happen again."
  • jeremyrundle
    jeremyrundle Posts: 1,014
    kelsen wrote:
    Why not learn to ride defensively instead of kitting yourself up with body armour?

    This and spend the money on brighter lights.

    Yes, yes, yes!! Lights brighter than the sun!

    Edit: And, Jeremy, how visible are you from the side? Any reflectives/lights for cars pulling out?

    Actually SIX front, FIVE rear and good idea NO reflectives on the sides
    Peds with ipods, natures little speed humps

    Banish unwanted fur - immac a squirrel
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... heads.html
  • jeremyrundle
    jeremyrundle Posts: 1,014
    bails87 wrote:
    Jeremy: Have you read cyclecraft?
    How did the accident happen?
    As others have said, how visible are you?

    Knee pads are all well and good if all you do is graze your knee. But if your head/leg/arm/body goes under a wheel you'll start to wish you'd avoided the accident altogether rather than put on body armour.

    P.S. Glad that you're okay

    I will work on visibility
    Peds with ipods, natures little speed humps

    Banish unwanted fur - immac a squirrel
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... heads.html
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    Seriously - you have six lights on the front ?

    Can you show us a photo of this wondrous beast ?
  • JR, did you capture this on video? If I recall correctly, you have several MD80s or similar? It may be that you need to improve side visibility, but it may not. There might be other issues, or it may be that nothing would have prevented this (other than walking, pushing the bike on the pavement).
  • Initialised
    Initialised Posts: 3,047
    I would be astounded if anyone on here is wearing knee pads for cycle commuting.
    I almost bought some for the ice. Can't see needing them in general, would have thought elbows would be more vulnerable. Snapping of one's funny bone isn't.

    I too fell pray to an octogenarian, he was staring straight at me, how did he not see me! Fortunately it was barely a collision, more of a bumper caress.
    I used to just ride my bike to work but now I find myself going out looking for bigger and bigger hills.
  • EKE_38BPM
    EKE_38BPM Posts: 5,821
    11 front & rear lights and no side reflectives?!?

    Get yourself down to Halfrauds and spend £8 on some Wowow spoke reflectors.
    I see you go a bit overboard on lights (11 FFS) so I imagine the 36 that come in the pack won't be enough for you. I imagine you with 3 reflectors per spoke on each wheel, rather than the 18 per wheel of most people.

    Also, Tesco do reflective stickers. I've got some on my helmet and I'm about to go outside now to add some to my cranks.

    What about reflectives on your clothing. My gloves have reflective piping and a reflective chevron on the palm and back, so when you indicate drivers see a big glowing arrow. My softshell has reflective piping on it too. My 3/4 tights did have a reflective logo, but that has gradually peeled off. I keep noticing little bits of reflective logo all over the house!
    FCN 3: Raleigh Record Ace fixie-to be resurrected sometime in the future
    FCN 4: Planet X Schmaffenschmack 2- workhorse
    FCN 9: B Twin Vitamin - winter commuter/loan bike for trainees

    I'm hungry. I'm always hungry!
  • Initialised
    Initialised Posts: 3,047
    Reflective gloves don't work in broad daylight.
    I used to just ride my bike to work but now I find myself going out looking for bigger and bigger hills.
  • EKE_38BPM wrote:
    Get yourself down to Halfrauds and spend £8 on some Wowow spoke reflectors.
    I see you go a bit overboard on lights (11 FFS) so I imagine the 36 that come in the pack won't be enough for you. I imagine you with 3 reflectors per spoke on each wheel, rather than the 18 per wheel of most people.
    In seriousness, it may be better to put the reflectors on alternating close to rim then close to hub in either a half or quarter wheel pattern. That may create more of a 'flashing' effect in the dark. Reflectors in the same relative position on very spoke might just look like a solid hoop or disc and not attract the viewer's eye quite so reliably.
  • dilemna
    dilemna Posts: 2,187
    Ok that is the second time some old F%^T woman driver 70+ has had me off my bike, at 50+ I am no teenager, so, advice please.

    Other than impractical extremes, are there any knee type pads suitable for under jogging bottom wear that I could use, I don't ride fast enougyh to warrant anything more.

    I know there are many types on the internet, but personal experience from cyclist commuters is worth much more than an advert.

    Thank you

    Stop riding past the old folks home?

    Is it the same woman? A stalker even or maybe she wants a toyboy? It's her way of letting you know she's interested in you .......... a cougar.

    :lol:

    As some of the others have suggested more reflectives/Scotchlite. Having said this there are none more dangerous than those who can see but refuse to notice.
    Life is like a roll of toilet paper; long and useful, but always ends at the wrong moment. Anon.
    Think how stupid the average person is.......
    half of them are even more stupid than you first thought.
  • EKE_38BPM
    EKE_38BPM Posts: 5,821
    EKE_38BPM wrote:
    Get yourself down to Halfrauds and spend £8 on some Wowow spoke reflectors.
    I see you go a bit overboard on lights (11 FFS) so I imagine the 36 that come in the pack won't be enough for you. I imagine you with 3 reflectors per spoke on each wheel, rather than the 18 per wheel of most people.
    In seriousness, it may be better to put the reflectors on alternating close to rim then close to hub in either a half or quarter wheel pattern. That may create more of a 'flashing' effect in the dark. Reflectors in the same relative position on very spoke might just look like a solid hoop or disc and not attract the viewer's eye quite so reliably.

    I have 18 straws on each wheel. 9 near the hub (where the spokes cross) and 9 near the rim on alternating spokes. What you say makes sense and I may experiment with my placement.

    I've just posted in the Fettling thread that this site looks interesting. Black reflective tape (I have a black frame) that reflects white and iron-on reflectives for clothing.
    FCN 3: Raleigh Record Ace fixie-to be resurrected sometime in the future
    FCN 4: Planet X Schmaffenschmack 2- workhorse
    FCN 9: B Twin Vitamin - winter commuter/loan bike for trainees

    I'm hungry. I'm always hungry!
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    EKE_38BPM wrote:
    I have 18 straws on each wheel. 9 near the hub (where the spokes cross) and 9 near the rim on alternating spokes. What you say makes sense and I may experiment with my placement.

    You might find (difficult to know when you are pedalling though!) that the eye just joins the inners and the outers and makes a single disc. What I suspect would be more guaranteed to work would be to spiral them in from outer to centre. Aside from the step at the end causing an obvious jump in the reflectivity, it would probably make anyone looking at the bike from the side feel slightly queasy!
    Faster than a tent.......
  • EKE_38BPM
    EKE_38BPM Posts: 5,821
    The current pattern looks like two rings. One at the rim and one at the hub. I may have to rejig my pattern.

    Is a solid disc of reflected brightness (or two rings of reflected brightness) a bad thing?
    FCN 3: Raleigh Record Ace fixie-to be resurrected sometime in the future
    FCN 4: Planet X Schmaffenschmack 2- workhorse
    FCN 9: B Twin Vitamin - winter commuter/loan bike for trainees

    I'm hungry. I'm always hungry!
  • jeremyrundle
    jeremyrundle Posts: 1,014
    edited February 2011
    Actually the above comments are right, I have just bought one of those yellow jacket things, VERY impressive.

    Thanks
    Peds with ipods, natures little speed humps

    Banish unwanted fur - immac a squirrel
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... heads.html
  • Passed a guy on the A60 this morning (me driving) with flourescent yellow rims. By 'eck you couldn't miss seeing him if you tried.

    TBH it has made me think about the spoke reflectors now; from the side, the rims were very striking
    Chunky Cyclists need your love too! :-)
    2009 Specialized Tricross Sport
    2011 Trek Madone 4.5
    2012 Felt F65X
    Proud CX Pervert and quiet roadie. 12 mile commuter
  • Actually the above comments are right, I have just bought one of those yellow jacket things, VERY impressive.

    Thanks

    Please make sure it has plenty of reflective patches on, in the dark just a fluorescent colour is next to no use (though they are great when it's murky out). Reflectives are very visible when car lights hit them.
  • Actually the above comments are right, I have just bought one of those yellow jacket things, VERY impressive.

    Thanks

    Please make sure it has plenty of reflective patches on, in the dark just a fluorescent colour is next to no use (though they are great when it's murky out). Reflectives are very visible when car lights hit them.

    Oh I did, I have bought one with strips across the back, sleves and fronts, shone a torch at it last night, what a difference.
    Peds with ipods, natures little speed humps

    Banish unwanted fur - immac a squirrel
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... heads.html
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    EKE_38BPM wrote:
    The current pattern looks like two rings. One at the rim and one at the hub. I may have to rejig my pattern.

    Is a solid disc of reflected brightness (or two rings of reflected brightness) a bad thing?

    Probably not - just referring to the comment/implication that the 'solid ring' will be bright but won't have visible movement. A spiral will probably be much more noticeable - same effect as flashing lights versus non flashing.
    Faster than a tent.......
  • kelsen
    kelsen Posts: 2,003
    JR, did you capture this on video? If I recall correctly, you have several MD80s or similar? It may be that you need to improve side visibility, but it may not. There might be other issues, or it may be that nothing would have prevented this (other than walking, pushing the bike on the pavement).

    Indeed. It's all very well riding around lit like a Christmas tree, but sometimes people simply fail to register cyclists when they've got their mind set on something else. As well as improving your visibility, there's a lot you can do to improve your safety by learning to read the road properly and avoid accidents before they happen. I'm not saying don't have all these lights and reflective gear, but sometimes too much onus is put on the other party seeing us, and we end up with the assumption that if we're visible, we're safe.

    Perhaps if you posted some footage of your commute, people here can give some helpful comments on riding defensively.