Road Fan

Ok, it was a joke I didn't get, though not really a joke. It's also not a beacon, it's anti beacon.

But, if I'm climbing a 10% grade on a road bike, I'm very focused on pedaling, and dealing with the impulsive, barely stable steering of the bike. It would not be at all helpful to as well have to process a lot of lane departure warnings.

So I'd take the beacon any day.

Maelochs

My point exactly. At No time would I want an array of flashing lights on my handlebars distracting me from actually riding my bike safely ... the good thing about grinding up a hill is there is usually less wind noise .... but sometimes my wheezing and the blood pounding in my head are louder than a hurricane ... tough call.

i wheeze like a broken calliope on anything about about two percent. On a ten-percent grade ... I bet drivers would be pulling over and scanning the skies for incoming rockets or maybe UFOs--"What is that ungodly noise?"

CB HI

Yikes, I do not want to be climbing near you.

Road Fan

Puhhhleeez, then just don't.

CB HI

If I am lucky, you will be on the shoulder and I can stay in the lane.

Rollfast

I've been busy working on the detection problem.


I replaced the malfunctioning Delta torpedo replica on Tempest with a replica Rocket Ray and I plan to install a genuine Delta 4-way on the rear fender.

CB HI

What is that, a laser gun that disables cars when they get too close?

Saale

There seem to be different definitions of jaywalking and jaywalking laws in different peoples' heads? Are we talking about crossing the road when the pedestrian signal is red or amidst vehicular traffic, or are we talking about crossing the road at points other than pedestrian crossings and signals? Because the latter is completely safe when there's no traffic.

Maelochs

Because the car you cannot see cannot hit you ... it's simple imaginary physics, proven in Phoenix earlier this year.

Everything is fine when everything is fine. Everything is safe when everything is safe. Unfortunately, such determinations can only be made in the past tense.

No one Plans on accidents.

Theoretically ... running head-on into highway traffic with your eyes closed is perfectly safe---if no one hits you.

Jaywalking laws are there to increase the odds that people won't get hit. People could cross the road at any point even in heavy traffic .... but the odds of success are a lot lower.

And cars ... cars can drive on sidewalks with utter safety ... so long as there are no pedestrians.

Lanes, traffic signals, sidewalks, crosswalks .... are supposed to decrease the likelihood that a pedestrian won't overlook a car or vice versa.

Hey, Russian Roulette is perfectly safe 82.5 percent of the time. Here---it's your turn.

KraneXL

Crossing the road at any point other than the designated crosswalk. Doesn't mean you won't get hit (I see people drive through walk signals every day), but it most certainly will increase the likelihood of a judgement in your favor.

Saale

Generally pedestrians and cyclists can both better see (higher position) and better hear (not noise insulated, making very little noise of their own) hazards than drivers can, and I trust anyone with even half a brain to go through life without getting run over crossing the road. The miniscule risk is well worth the freedom of movement of not having to walk half a mile down the road to the next set of lights just so you can cross an empty road without breaking the law.

noisebeam

No

Jay waking is crossing where not permitted. Permitted locations include (varies by jurisdiction, but generally in USA): Marked & unmarked crosswalks and between intersections where one intersection is not controlled by a signal. Unmarked crosswalks are at every intersection (signal controlled or not) unless there is a sign prohibiting.

Rollfast

Who is Jay?


If you wish to use the signals on SW 4th Avenue in Ontario, Oregon you're are going to do a lot of walking.


One at SW 2nd St, SW 4th St/Ave, SW 8th St, an on demand island at the top of that hill (at the hospital), a few more blocks out a Verde Dr and the old West Park Plaza Mall, then ALL the way out near the edge of town at Dorian (Bi-Mart) and past the Canyon Village strip mall at the beginning of the Yturri Beltway (that's a truck bypass). You simply cross wherever it's safe to.


That is almost three miles. There are no crossings marked on most of that, there are two elementary schools, a middle school and a high school with kids and teens that filter across that. Oh, and a parochial school and charter.

noisebeam

There is no law requiring the use of marked crossings. A quick look at map shows many of the intersections along SW 4th are not signal controlled so it is legal to cross at them (drivers must yield) or between them (ped must yield).

Road Fan

I don't think you're gonna be that lucky!

Saale

And what if there's no intersection for the next mile? How do I cross the road? How is this a pedestrian friendly legislation?

Maelochs

Who said in was pedestrian-friendly?

"Pedestrian-friendly" in that it is supposed to minimize pedestrian deaths and injuries ... but it is also supposed to minimize driver deaths and injuries, b preventing collisions between cars and drivers.

Nothing I hate like these blatantly discriminatory anti-accident laws, right? Whatever happened to Freedom?

"Share the road" my behind .... "Dash and dodge" is Darwin's way of keeping the herd healthy ....

noisebeam

The law is not the issue, but instead city planning & layout. In this situation - where there is no other intersection between two signal controlled intersection that are 2mi (or 1mi) apart - then it is up to the city to add a marked crosswalk at intervals in between to make the layout pedestrian friendly. Where this situation exists locals can notify and work with their city to make pedestrian friendly improvements.

In practice this situation is not as common as one may think in places where there are pedestrians (residential and business areas). There are very often non signal controlled intersections in these longer stretches between lights - even a side street entering from only one side counts.

Rollfast

YIELD is not a prohibition, it means that you must wait for other traffic to go through. You could cross anywhere you would like if the street is empty or you have the chance.


Note that most of the crossing signals here are near the interstate on E. Idaho Ave.

Rollfast

Reflector, taillight and turn signals all in one. Wonderful old stuff.


Or RETSYN as I used to say...two, two, two (4 really) mints in one.

noisebeam

I never said otherwise.

hotbike

As long as every bicycle gets outfitted with a beacon for F-R-E-E , I'm in favor if it ... I own 23 bicycles ...

No, let me elaborate...
If it works , then it would mean that it is now safe for bicycles to use Interstate Highways (or class A Motorways ...) ...

It should Not be mandatory on any road with a speed limit below 35MPH...

And it should Not be another thing for motorists to whine about "he didn't have a beaaaa-con..." , like they whine about helmets or brakes or Cadence...

Daniel4

All new bikes should come equipped with beacons.

Old bike need to go to any autodealership for their free beacon.

Having said that, would self-driving cars put a heirarchy on vulnerable road users depending if they have beacons or not?

Joe Bikerider

I’ve been lurking and reading this thread. I don’t know who this boss is but he ain’t no boss of me. And regarding the beacon, just shove it, no. Just like the idiot who crashed his Tesla into the median and then the company claims the edge white line was not distinct, these bosses will do their best to avoid responsibilty while their technology doesn’t really work and put the blame on the victims. Just because they’ve made up nice terms like “AI” and “deep learning” etc doesn’t make it real. I ain’t buying it until it’s foolproof and nobody is touching my bike!

KraneXL

Well if that is your requirements then you're going to be waiting a VERY LONG TIME!