February 20, 20233 yr Author What can you recommend as good? I've tried some but they tended to wobble around so much, I found myself spending too much time staring at it, trying to figure out what was coming up behind rather than the road ahead. Assuming you mean what mirror works best then I have found "Third Eye Eyeglass Bicycle Mirror" best. I tried the Chinese square version, but the arm is too longer & bendy, so that it wobbles. So I went back to the Third Eye Eyeglass Bicycle Mirror which is more expensive & being plastic wears out through use but provides a stable picture.
February 20, 20233 yr Author I’ve not rode a bike for over 30 years. That is idiotic and dangerous. Police should pull him, fine him and put points on his license if he has one. Like something out of a Mr Bean sketch. Ok I accept your view but i'm interested to know your reasoning behind it. What is idiotic about it? What is dangerous?
February 20, 20233 yr Author You always get twats. Not worth pissing off every driver who passes you because of the odd prick. Deal with idiots as and when they pass you. Cameras are a good idea. homemade, idiotic contraptions are just that. I tried cameras but they do not work. Kent Police used to allow you to upload video , even if they never did anything about it, now all you can do is put in a report & wait to see if they ask you to upload the video proof. After submitting ten without once hearing back from them I gave up. No they were not all close passes the majority were cars going through red lights or overtaking on solid white lines etc.
February 20, 20233 yr Author Motorists fund road building, repairs and maintenance. Fuel tax is horrific and car tax is ridiculous. Not true - here is a link to an informative article https://ipayroadtax.com/no-such-thing-as-road-tax/bring-back-the-road-fund/ So no taxation is ring fenced not even national insurance contributions although it is supposed to be.
February 20, 20233 yr The VED for vehicles is just a levy placed on those which pollute and cause the road damage, imho cars aren't charged enough for VED and it needs to be higher. Even the non-polluting allowance factor was only temporary to encourage early e-car take-up. From 2025 all e-cars and e-vans will also pay VED. .
February 20, 20233 yr Drivers pay more than enough. Nealh is obviously a bitter cyclist who can’t afford a decent car. Sadly imv drivers pay far from enough. As to not affording a decent car I have plenty of wedge to buy almost any car I wish or a few 50k cars , sadly they hold little interest for me and are just money down the drain. I get the most value I can out of a car and keep them on the road for 15 years + or more if possible. I keep my cheap runaround just for that to run around if I need to for errands that can't be done on bike or for loads that a bike simly can't handle.
February 21, 20233 yr Even the non-polluting allowance factor was only temporary to encourage early e-car take-up. From 2025 all e-cars and e-vans will also pay VED. . Do you know if the speed pedelec or light EV (1kW) class will be also taxed for VED?
February 21, 20233 yr Do you know if the speed pedelec or light EV (1kW) class will be also taxed for VED? The announcement was only for e-cars, though that usually includes light vans. It was part of a package of reductions and removals of concessions only applying to them, such things as the grant to buy an e-car and the subsidy for charge point installation. So I'm fairly sure it wont affect those two wheeled classes which don't get such things. .
February 21, 20233 yr The announcement was only for e-cars, though that usually includes light vans. It was part of a package of reductions and removals of concessions only applying to them, such things as the grant to buy an e-car and the subsidy for charge point installation. So I'm fairly sure it wont affect those two wheeled classes which don't get such things. . Hopefully all class L electric vehicles will remain exempt.
February 22, 20233 yr No - I just looked at what was required to pass a MOT for a motorbike or moped, as I thought they have had a 100 years to get all the safety features right, so I will copy them. Hence indicators, brake lights, [mention=18904]trevor brooker[/mention] - must say I do like your indicators, very wise addtions - could you possibly upload a circuit diagram? I might be able to make room for yet another switch on my handlebar somehow. Edited February 22, 20233 yr by guerney
February 22, 20233 yr Author [mention=18904]trevor brooker[/mention] - must say I do like your indicators, very wise addtions - could you possibly upload a circuit diagram? I might be able to make room for yet another switch on my handlebar somehow. Because I run power via a fuse from the battery I used lights etc that can cope. I looked though Amazon, Ebay & Aliexpress - they have different colours. Also I remember getting some glass paint to go inside the lens to get the shade I wanted. For the switches again I looked around until I found those I was happy with. Then I just got a sheet of paper & a pencil & drew a wiring diagram with Red & Black to make sure I got a circuit. Power from battery to switch to lights then back again.
February 22, 20233 yr These are the mirrors I use , bar end ones. Proper glass not plastic lens with adecent 70mm diameter, fully adjustable for postion in both axis and fully foladable so they can be tucked back tight against the handle bar. They were heaper at c£14 a pair on Amazon. BriskMore Black Bar End Mirrors, HD Glass Convex Lens Bicycle Rearview Mirror, | eBay
February 23, 20233 yr Author Well I have used it about a half dozen times along the main road (A2) which has a 40mph limit & is very narrow (3.6m) in places - without any feedback from vehicles behind me (no beeping of horns or getting close to overtake), but I do always wave vehicles on to overtake as soon as it's clear. Today I reduced the length to the width of the handlebars so that I can get it through doorways without having to unscrew it. A couple of journeys later & it has the same effect, presumably because it looks the same length although a third is now hanging straight down. Yes it is exactly the width of the handlebars but I was standing slightly offset when taking the photo.
February 23, 20233 yr @trevor brooker - must say I do like your indicators, very wise addtions - could you possibly upload a circuit diagram? I might be able to make room for yet another switch on my handlebar somehow. Likewise, in fact there have been a few rear lights over the years that had indicators on them. But I wonder if the concept would be noticed by other road users. What I mean is it is normal for drivers etc to see a flashing light on the rear of a bike, and given wheel reflectors and pedal reflectors are orange, would it actually be noticed. The age old stick an arm out to indicate and a check behind I feel would be far safer.
February 24, 20233 yr Author Likewise, in fact there have been a few rear lights over the years that had indicators on them. But I wonder if the concept would be noticed by other road users. What I mean is it is normal for drivers etc to see a flashing light on the rear of a bike, and given wheel reflectors and pedal reflectors are orange, would it actually be noticed. The age old stick an arm out to indicate and a check behind I feel would be far safer. I agree I never use them during daylight, I find that a fluorescent covered arm straight out is more likely to be noticed that a small flashing light. But at night my arm will not be visible so I will use the indicators.
February 24, 20233 yr But I wonder if the concept would be noticed by other road users. What I mean is it is normal for drivers etc to see a flashing light on the rear of a bike, and given wheel reflectors and pedal reflectors are orange, would it actually be noticed. I agree - it was easy to balance while doing so in the 80's with my racing bike, but I find it too hard on my 20" wheeler. But I wonder if the concept would be noticed by other road users. What I mean is it is normal for drivers etc to see a flashing light on the rear of a bike, and given wheel reflectors and pedal reflectors are orange, would it actually be noticed. I think it's a matter of degree - my fsckoff bright red flashing rear light is also pretty visible during the day. For roundabouts especially, two of the same as indicators perched on flip-out Oxford reflectors either side could work out well, if the arms were reinforced for the extra weight, or if I could find lighter lights of a similar brightness which could be made orange. The arms could fold with the bike. But this bike keeps increasing in size and gaining weight ... Edited February 24, 20233 yr by guerney
February 25, 20233 yr Is this an idea for you? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/334408318474?hash=item4ddc49fe0a:g:c9cAAOSw0qNiXScH&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAA4J1O8CC%2FXt05pet1aooFdSjA3dBBvwFiYig4SVDK1SrnzoXm3cww86vnSmh4ILHd3uzjJNi7HzxRWzLqq887Zr3QDsMytD6Ax9tpeX7ssfLwmkvyNFzt6IVUzKdQvUEapPgkvuxQ%2BK1HopBeZjOWFkAul2XC%2B%2FkNN70fdtT9UowDH1pe7UHQphkq2raZkE3ZJlOhNRp7kTHJxuxqQpSk310ekjm3TNhTz6FQTjH11f6TqCLpK9EYX22pg4d3Ndm95PIpvZ%2FQ%2BYSeZ6K75Mjw%2BQMQ8H5FQ6OmkgnlzzfQrY0%2F%7Ctkp%3ABFBM_vOenNFh
March 1, 20233 yr Author Sad thing is, there’s quite a nice bike being hidden under all that eBay tat Its my anti theft camouflage When I used to commute & had to leave my cycle all day at the train station I was the only one not to have his bike either stolen or parts taken. It pays to have it looking like rubbish, although mechanically everything is A1, but it just means a thief will leave it as it can't be sold.
March 1, 20233 yr Its my anti theft camouflage When I used to commute & had to leave my cycle all day at the train station I was the only one not to have his bike either stolen or parts taken. It pays to have it looking like rubbish, although mechanically everything is A1, but it just means a thief will leave it as it can't be sold. The Dutch often do this sort of thing. Even after buying a brand new bike they'll hand brush paint it roughly, add worn out panniers etc to make it look not worth even riding, let alone stealing. .
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