Retro Grouch 

I've come to the conclusion that recumbent trikes are safer than conventional bikes.

The people texting on their cell phones are the ones I fear most. I'm thinking they keep enough look out to see me enough to wonder what I am. A conventional bicyclist registers as a bicycle so they go back to their keyboard.

If I'm wrong, by the time I find out it will be too late for me. You, however, may benefit from my experience if you notice I have suddenly stopped posting.

Juan Foote

Safer from a 'fall over' perspective, but certainly not from an incident with a car one. I sold mine after repeated issues with drivers in my rolling hilly area. Given thought that your head is right where the bumper is, it makes even a minor collision deadly. No thanks.

I hope to live in an area where I can feel safe riding one again, because I really enjoyed and miss mine for the ride.

Trsnrtr

Today was a dreary and slightly foggy day. I generally don't worry about my lowness, but I did opt for an upright with lights and a bright yellow coat instead of my VTX.

rydabent

I totally agree. As I have stated many times when riding on streets, I get a much wider berth than when im riding my bike.

Trsnrtr

I think this is generally true.

shelbyfv

more https://www.bikeforums.net/recumbent...e-too-low.html

rydabent

Actually I think the "too low to be seen" is a totally bogus argument. No one, that is no one drives over a dead skunk in the road. Well--------------that is except a teen texting on their smart phone. So--------------my point is even the the lowest super speed laid back trike is taller than a dead skunk.

Kontact 

How many cyclists get run over while they are stopped in the middle of a road like dead skunk?

Bikes generally are hit by crossing or turning traffic.



Recumbents are certainly harder to see and have poorer visibility for the rider than an upright bicycle. I don't know if hitting bumper with your head is worse than hitting a windshield. You make your choice and take your chances.

tcs

Why then all the flags, I wonder?

Steamer

I use a flag primarily to keep busy bodies from telling me I need a flag.

BlazingPedals

I find that lane positioning is much more important than height. Drivers don't see bikes all the time, no matter how tall they are. They don't see them because bikes and their riders blend into the background and get processed out, like bushes, trees, and sign posts. Ridden at the edge of the road, bikes - any bikes - become invisible. And when out in the lane, regardless of height, they aren't.

My personal statistics are night-and-day: hit many times on my upright including once when I was standing in the crosswalk waiting for a red light. For the bents, only one left hook where the driver was turning blindly in front of a motor home that was in the left lane. That doesn't 'prove' bents are more visible, but it implies they aren't any worse. I now run with a flasher in back, even in the daytime, on the theory that any bike becomes invisible when riding from bright sun into a patch of deep shade. I believe that the biggest impact flags have is to make the owners *think* they're more visible.

Steamer

For my two bents that are not high, IMO, flags do have some points of utility, but increased visibility from the rear is not the big one. I think the benefits are:

1. As already stated, having a flag keeps busy-bodies from stopping and telling you to get a flag. This is the primary function for me.
2. If you are near the crest of a hill (either side of it), sometimes your flag is visible before you and your bike/trike are to traffic on that same road.
3. If you are riding along a roadside linear mound or hedge, your flag may be visible to those approaching your road from side streets when you and your bike/trike are not.
4. If you ride in moderate to heavy traffic, queuing at stop signs / stop lights, etc, sometimes your flag is visible when you and your bike/trike are concealed by the car's hood.

3 and 4 rarely apply to my own personal riding conditions, but sometimes 2 does. And 1 defintely does. So I usually use one, but only on my trike, and sometimes on my midracer (sometimes). I don't bother on my high racers. Never even occurred to me to use one on those. I am higher than some cars on the high racers.

Trsnrtr

Exactly.

JanMM

'Get a flag' must be a trike thing. Or, is it a regional thing?
Can't recall being told that while riding 'bent bikes.

Steamer

Because you are not all that low on one of your bent bikes?

I have only been yelled at when riding my trike or a semi-low bike like my now departed Musashi.

JanMM

Yeah, probably mostly applies to way-down-low trikes or low racer bikes. As opposed to my lower-than-a-DF bikes.

rydabent

Mainly for legal protection. If involved in an accident the car driver's lawyer will claim you are partly at fault if you didnt have a flag or wear a helmet

Retro Grouch 

Why, of course they will if it comes to that. In a comparative negligence state lawyers will be looking for anything to claim as partial negligence in order to reduce the size of the award. Of course, there will be (or should be) an attorney on the other side to argue otherwise. I don't think they can claim that because some riders choose to display a flashing light in the daylight or wear some distinctive clothing like, for example, a clown suit that all riders must also either do so or be held partially negligent.

BlazingPedals

Usually, when I hear of a 'suggestion' to get a flag, it's by a motorist, given in a passive-agressive manner. As in, "Now that I've warned you to get a flag, ALL of the responsibility of avoiding an accident with me next time, will be yours."

Steamer

Absolutely. I have never heard it sound any other way. Tone tells all.

Retro Grouch 

The only time I've been told to get a flag was by a woman (DF) cyclist while on a bike path ride. She took a real long time to tell me how important it was. A real long time.

Most of the time when I'm riding on roads I use a spinner flag. Without exception all of the comments I've gotten from motorists have been complimentary. I've had a couple of (DF) bike riders who have commented about how much my flag pole is bent and how that much drag must really be slowing me down. One of them took a long time to tell me that too. I wish it would have slowed me down enough for him to ride on by so I didn't have to listen to him.

Trsnrtr

I first heard it numerous times when riding lowracers.

RL7836

Agree. I once rode behind my wife & her friend for 20-30 minutes. It wasn't until I passed them that I even noticed that her friend had a flag. Their construction/design makes them a really poor option if you want to increase visibility from the rear
Yup - I had a lady hang way out of her window to scream "Get a flag!" as loud as she could just as she was passing. Very pleasant interaction. Not.

HenryL

First time out in a while on my windcheetah. Can't ride a road bike due to shoulder surgery recovery. Rode in a group, several mentioned I should have a flag. My response was the first time they were smacked in the face with it during group ride would change their mind. During a solo ride someone when out of there way to point out sans flag I could not be seen. Individual did not appreciate my response "you saw me". Just part of the recumbent experience.

BlazingPedals

Upright riders' common method of checking to the side before doing something stupid is to do a 'shoulder check.' That is, they quickly look for something next to them at shoulder height. Of course that won't detect a bent rider, or even a short upright rider. Then they complain that car drivers don't see bikes because they're only watching out for other cars. They should follow their own advice and watch for all road users, but especially if they know there's a bent in the group.