Comments on: Next time someone honks at you

By: fred_dot_u

fred_dot_u — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 23:30:39 +0000

waco, do you have medians in locations other than the center? Just kidding. The local television newscasters appear to be fond of the term too.

Since I drive a velomobile, too often a driver will pace me in the same manner you describe. This backs up traffic until the driver is sated, but when I need to move over for a left turn, it causes congestion making it more difficult to get in the lane.

Communication is important, but sometimes one cannot get the point across, no pun intended.

By: waco

waco — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 22:21:35 +0000

Speaking of not understanding hand signals, the other day I was going down Preston road here in Dallas (6 lane arterial with center median). It was morning rush hour and I was in the right lane about to start working my way over to the left for a left turn. I did a head check and there were two cars about to pass me in the center lane, and plenty of space behind them. As they were passing me and in preparation for my move into the lane behind them, I signaled–arm and fingers straight, text book left turn signal as far as I’m concerned. The driver of the first car must have caught the signal out of the corner of her eye or in her side mirror because as soon as I signaled, she immediately slowed to my speed and just stared at me through the passenger window eyes alternating between my face and my still outstretched arm. It was obvious that she was totally confused, and I think she must have thought that I was pointing at her or her car. Or perhaps she thought I was Lenin saluting the Soviet masses from his bicycle, or a voodoo priest throwing down a curse–cross this line and… Anyway, her windows were down so I shouted in a friendly voice something like,”I’m just trying to change lanes!” which I think confused her even more since she didn’t appear to speak English. She continued to pace me and it was clear that I wasn’t going to make my left turn, so I ended up making a right and then U-turn. I just wish I knew what she was thinking!

Oh well, at least she didn’t honk at me and try to peck at my shoe laces.

I’m afraid of semaphore signals–they look too much like pop-up targets at a shooting gallery!

By: Steve A

Steve A — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 23:32:50 +0000

Taking things a step further…

By: fred_dot_u

fred_dot_u — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 19:10:36 +0000

JohnB, after reading that article, I will have a new thought in my alleged mind after a motorist honks a horn at me. It will be, “Thank you for your kind wish. I am one with the road and appreciate your recognition of the same”.

By: JohnB

JohnB — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 16:13:12 +0000

Here’s a unique and helpful interpretation of the honk and other associated motorist behavior:

http://www.bicyclemeditations.org/road.html

By: Dwight

Dwight — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 00:41:41 +0000

Joining the queue at a red light to turn left onto southbound Blair Stone Road from Mahan Drive this afternoon, I found myself behind a motor scooter and a tan-colored sedan.

When our light turned green, we made our turn and began the gentle climb (maybe 40 ft, over about 0.4 mi) to the bridge that crosses the CSX tracks. The motor scooter could do only slightly more than 30 mph on the rise. The left lane was open, but the car driver persisted in the right lane, approaching the scooter ever more closely. Becoming concerned, I kept behind the car (on my motorcycle).

It seemed the car was coming shockingly close to the scooter. The scooter driver put her left hand down to motion the car driver to stay back, but Mr./Ms. Citizen Speed Discipline Enforcer didn’t seem inclined to back away. Our column of three reached the bridge. As the grade leveled and began to descend, the scooter’s speed began increasing. Before she could reach 35 mph (the speed limit), CSDE, evidently realizing their work here was done, merged into the left lane and quickly moved ahead.

By: fred_dot_u

fred_dot_u — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 22:36:10 +0000

Prior to installing the pop-out LED turn signals, my means of signaling was to extend my right arm out of the left side of the cockpit visor, which provided about 12″ of visible body part. Curiously, that was enough to elicit polite delays from other road users, sufficient for a lane change approaching a left turn, for example.

The LEDs curently in place are 2″ x 6″ SuperbrightLEDs truck taillights and are blindingly bright, even in daylight. I think the novelty of the velomobile, combined with the legitimacy and familiarity of the illuminated turn signals provide approximately the same courtesy from road users when I need to change lanes.

I don’t count on them, however. I do keep my eyes open and my senses on edge, except when I’m texting or making a cell phone call.

By: Steve A

Steve A — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 17:10:39 +0000

Pop-out turn signals. I will have to do a post on such things at dfwptp sometime. They were “the bee’s knees” on British cars at one time. They were called “semaphore” turn signals.

Nowadays, people laugh at them. Keep that in mind with the Velomobile and stay safe. I get concerned motorists sometimes don’t understand hand signals nowadays. I make them anyway – I’m just a worrywart.

By: fred_dot_u

fred_dot_u — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 13:21:30 +0000

okay, that happened automatically, disregard

By: fred_dot_u

fred_dot_u — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 13:21:09 +0000

Terribly timely and topical:
http://comics.com/frazz/2009-07-11/
If you don’t read Pearls Before Swine, you might miss the last panel.

How does one create a live link for the url?