You Need to Purchase One - Today...

[martyg]

Those who know me know that I am a big proponent of Cycliq's products. Today it paid off.

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A driver did not want to abide by the 3' rule. I had video. LE viewed the footage. LE took a thumb drive of footage for evidence. LE tracked down the driver and cited them. If you don't at least have a Fly6, and you ride, you need to get one.

Better yet, urge your local shop to carry them. Have them hold a media event and punch articles out so that drivers have awareness that they are being watched and recorded.

My affinity towards these started Super Bowl Sunday several years ago. I had been contemplating purchasing one. That day I was assaulted by a guy riding a sport bike. I was on a fast, two lane downhill, doing maybe 35. He came up along side of me, bumped me, then punched me. He passed the car in front of me by riding on the sidewalk. Plenty of witnesses. No tag #. No positive ID. Video would have been ideal.

Yesterday's incident was while i was on maybe 1,000 meters of pave, on my way to a mtn bike trail. I don't usually have it on my bike when I ride trails. I'm glad that I had it.

https://cycliq.com/

 

[pchewn]

Can you post your video of the incident?

 

[Tricia]

Wow, really?
I find myself asking this question, "What the heck is wrong with people?" too often.
Glad you're safe and that you were able to do something about it.

 

[martyg]

Can you post your video of the incident?

P - if I get around to editing that clip I will. The Fly6 saves rides in 10 minute bits, and each bit is half a Gig.

It wasn't dramatic. The driver just didn't allow 3' as per CO law. I wasn't in danger but they did make me flinch. Our county LE educated them with a ticket for unsafe passing. Hopefully they will tell their friends about being busted due to a cyclist with a video camera on his bike, and everyone will behave better.

Our shop (Mountain Bike Specialists) will be bringing these in next week. I'll be organizing a media event, billed as a e-bike demo for media. Each rider will have a Fly6 on their bike. After the ride I'll download and play the footage for them. I want media to go away and write about this technology. I want drivers to be aware that their actions are being recorded.

Overall Durango is a stupendous place to ride. Making it better, however, is a worthy goal.

Enjoy.

 

[martyg]

Wow, really?
I find myself asking this question, "What the heck is wrong with people?" too often.
Glad you're safe and that you were able to do something about it.

Thanks Tricia. All good. I was wearing a new kit - glad that I didn't crash and rip it up.

 

[Tricia]

The driver just didn't allow 3' as per CO law.

I will admit that I have found myself too close to cyclists on several occasions. This tends to happen on a particular stretch of road(high traffic) I drive regularly in the morning when the sun is in my eyes and I can't see much of anything until I'm on top of it.
That being said, I'm usually not driving scary fast when the sun is in my eyes.

 

[luliski]

I could use this. I've had many close calls over the years with cars when on my bike. I don't consistently use lights, and I've been thinking I need to at least do that.

 

[martyg]

I will admit that I have found myself too close to cyclists on several occasions. This tends to happen on a particular stretch of road(high traffic) I drive regularly in the morning when the sun is in my eyes and I can't see much of anything until I'm on top of it.
That being said, I'm usually not driving scary fast when the sun is in my eyes.

I'm super anal about speed limits and driving courteously when not on interstates. One sunny spring day I was driving my fast car from Durango to Pagosa. Trees were casting a shadow on the road. I passed a semi and out of the shadows, coming towards me, was a cyclist.

We never came close, but it could have been mush worst. I became a believer in lights that day.

 

[skibob]

I'm super anal about speed limits and driving courteously when not on interstates. One sunny spring day I was driving my fast car from Durango to Pagosa. Trees were casting a shadow on the road. I passed a semi and out of the shadows, coming towards me, was a cyclist.

We never came close, but it could have been mush worst. I became a believer in lights that day.

Yep. Flashing red on the back and strobing white on front.

There is an eccentric old guy that rides around town here on a low recumbent. Long white beard, tie-dye, and about 20-30 strobing and flashing lights all over him and the bike, and a tall waving flag (with lights on the pole). He looks ridiculous, but every time I see him I realize drivers must be saying to themselves, "I don't think I could get away with "I didn't see him"".

 

[pchewn]

Here in Portland during the dark winter hours we have numerous bikers and pedestrians in dark pants, dark hoodies. They dart out in front of cars in the rain. We loose a couple a year......

Visibility is one of the key factors in bicycle or pedestrian accidents.

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-n..._increase_in_pedestrian_deaths_this_year.html

 

[coskigirl]

Do you have any opinion on whether the front facing or rear facing option is better?

 

[fatbob]

Wanna guess where they'll hit you from?

I'd say front because that will provide for clowns pulling in aggressively, oncoming traffic in your face, vehicles pulling out dead on you and pedestrian shenanagins. But it won't account for the redneck truck or ampthed up big rig or boy racer that steamrollers you

 

[skibob]

Wanna guess where they'll hit you from?

I'd say front because that will provide for clowns pulling in aggressively, oncoming traffic in your face, vehicles pulling out dead on you and pedestrian shenanagins. But it won't account for the redneck truck or ampthed up big rig or boy racer that steamrollers you

If I keep reading your posts I may never get on a bike again . . .

 

[martyg]

Do you have any opinion on whether the front facing or rear facing option is better?

Laplata County is rural. I (think) can largely control what goes on in front of me so I rock a Fly6.

 

[luliski]

One of our local bike shops is going out of business and having a big sale. I stopped by the shop this morning and they had the Fly 6 on sale. I failed to buy it. I don't think they wanted to sell it to me. They didn't have a price marked and the guy at the counter first distracted me by saying someone had said it was missing parts (it wasn't), and then by telling me to get a Garmin Varium instead. The Varium is a light that has built in radar that connects to your Garmin and tells you whether or not a vehicle is coming up behind you. I always assume there is a car coming behind me, so I wouldn't find the radar that useful, but the information about that product was enough to keep me from making what would have been an impulse (but useful) purchase. He was probably saving the Fly 6 for himself or a friend? ?

 

[Tony S]

I could use this. I've had many close calls over the years with cars when on my bike. I don't consistently use lights, and I've been thinking I need to at least do that.

Ditto. On at least three occasions cars have come close enough that I screamed at them and pounded on the sheet metal. In each case the driver was pissed at me for touching his or her car. Unbelievable. I'm almost toast and they're worried about their paint jobs. Maybe I'll start carrying am an old school frame pump so I can REALLY pound.

 

[coskigirl]

Well, I had a run in with a car today where if I'd had video I absolutely would have reported her. I was having a rather minor issue getting started in the left hand turn lane. Normally I take my lane but my issue caused me to move to the right of the lane and she decided it was a perfect time to pass me in the lane while I was about to take the left turn. I could have reached out and banged her car but I needed both hands on my handlebars at that moment. I was so pissed that I screamed at her repeatedly. This was about 4 blocks after some other douche passed me then turned right in front of me close enough that I had to hit the brakes for comfort.

I'm now seriously considering a camera. I see my bike shop carries these and I still have about $160 in point coupons with them from buying my bikes there so may this is how I need to spend those.

 

[luliski]

I think even the audio would help. A few years ago, I sort of rolled through a 4 way stop on a country road. I definitely slowed down (and almost came to a stop) to make sure there weren't cars approaching, but I didn't put a foot down. This angered a driver in a car behind me. Perhaps she had planned on passing by me at the stop sign, and now it was more stressful to pass while I was moving. Anyway, she proceeded to drive alongside me on an S-curve with her passenger window rolled down and yelling at me about the stop sign. She was not watching the road, and if she'd had to swerve suddenly, she would have hit me. I would have had her yelling on the audio with a video of the twisty section of road we were on.

then turned right in front of me close enough that I had to hit the brakes for comfort.

My boyfriend was hit by a car last month while on his bike. I think the car was making a left turn in his case. He rolled over the hood of the car. He now has a separated shoulder that will affect his whole summer, just when he was starting to ride again. Glad you had time to hit your brakes!

 

[DoryBreaux]

Cool idea, sad its come to this though

 

[Eleeski]

Wow, this is a terrifying thread.

While I have had my share of attacks by cars ( @luliski I safely slid off the hood of the idiot that turned into a parking space on me - blind people should not get drivers licenses) it seems to me that people are getting more accepting of cyclists. These stories are making me reconsider that view.

Cycling is a dangerous enough sport without crazies and incompetents in cars targeting us. The more exposure to proper road etiquette the drivers get the safer we'll be. If these cameras help that, great!

Gas prices are rising. More bicycles on the road!

Eric