[andrewflnr]

I have a smiley face rendered in retroreflective tape on the back of mine. I figure it's both bright and triggers the very sensitive human visual system for detecting faces. It's hard to say how much it helps, especially since I put it on basically the same time I started riding at all, but I don't often have people tailgating me. ed: and it was only a couple bucks, that's nice.

[globular-toast]

When I was into road cycling I find having a banana sticking out my rear jersey pocket would make drivers treat me better. I later saw a study that drivers think cyclists are less human, so my theory is it reminded them that I am, in fact, just a person using the road.

Alas, even the banana stopped working, though. Road cycling is horrible now. Too many cars.

[david-gpu]

Riding with a pannier does wonders to reduce close passes. The more drivers see you as a person on a bicycle rather than as a vehicle, the better.

Another reason may be that they are more concerned about scratching their paint than they are about your well-being.

[aziaziazi]

Nice idea! Cars owner sometime use a "children inside" sticker. Won’t work for a solo bike obviously but wonder if some other messages might be effective like "Dad of toddlers", "I might be a cop", "vulnerable human"… the smiley is easier to read through.

[kelnos]

I have a negative visceral reaction to the "baby on board" stickers on cars. It feels really entitled; to me it says, "be extra careful with me, because my small child is more deserving of safety than other people".

[subscribed]

That's unnecessary.

Think more like "I can be really distracted and suddenly swerve because my toddler threw their drink at me".

Like with L-plate drivers. Be very careful, don't hate, they're just danger to themselves and everyone else around. They're not entitled, they're warning.

[jajko]

Yeah I get the logic but its still flawed and wrong (saying this as a father of 2 small kids who drives them around frequently).

You either are road-worthy driver who can drive safely or not. L ones are an approved exception and the list and law and expectations ends right there.

Nobody is babysitting 27 categories or potentially distracted or otherwise dysfunctional drivers. If you can't drive safely either have somebody else drive, use public transport or stay home. No excuses, you can very easily kill people including your own kids.

[mc3301]

I interpret them similarly. I also think, "I might be lacking sleep, in a hurry, or have way too much on my mind."

Becoming a parent brought upon quite an increase in my empathy for other parents.

[huhkerrf]

If you'd like to be less unnecessarily cynical, you can instead read it as "there's someone in the vehicle who is more fragile, and less likely to survive an accident."

[aziaziazi]

I’d like to see it like that too but we don’t observe much « oldie inside » stickers. I don’t think he’s cynical and understand the sticker as a polite way to say the driver have more care for his baby than others human being, which is not to blame of course.

[Cthulhu_]

IIRC it's also there so that in the case of an accident, people will look for the baby in case it's trapped somewhere or somehow left the car.

[tomjakubowski]

Then there's the guy in the "armed cyclist" jersey who goes on a cross-country ride every year.

[GuinansEyebrows]

heh, or you could join an OMC (outlaw motorcycle club) and get patched up * for an implied 'i will literally kill you if you get close to me'

* don't do this

[andrewflnr]

Ha, I have heard a couple motorcyclists sincerely recommend open-carrying a gun to scare off murderous asshole drivers (which, to be clear, absolutely exist). Neither of those options are on my to-do list though. :)

[paulryanrogers]

IMO, there are very few circumstances where "more guns" is an improvement. I don't think introducing guns to motorvehicle altercations is one of them.

[psunavy03]

Anyone who open carries anywhere other than the wilderness or in the field while hunting is at best an attention whore with main-character syndrome . . . at best.

What's more, notwithstanding the freakouts from Europeans and blue-staters about so-called "gun culture," you have no right to employ a firearm anywhere in the US unless someone is actively threatening to kill or maim you or a person near you. Not because you got in a road-rage pissing contest.

If anything, bringing a gun into a situation like that is a great way to get a felony assault/brandishing charge and lose your ability to own a gun period.

[andrewflnr]

I didn't say it was a good idea, rather the opposite. But people do try to flat out murder motorcyclists.

[aziaziazi]

Agree, but does the comparaison of "threatening to kill" and "flat out murder [while driving, right?]" stands? I’m not sure you’re allowed to use you gun to clear out your way because the priority violation was intentional.

[andrewflnr]

If I was putting a sign on my bike, it would be "Put down your phone [you asshat]". Personal insults optional, but definitely deserved. Maybe a graphic of a mangled and cracked phone would do it.