First foray on the road last week prior to SVA re-test and I noticed that a couple of drivers seemed to be unaware of my approach (well one was a
woman in a Volvo on the school run but that's a reason not an excuse).
Whilst I'm used to that on the m/bike is this a common occurrence?
Maybe it's to do with the overall height of the car or the fact it doesn't have a windscreen so the bulk is below the height at which other
motorists normally perceive on-coming traffic.
Anyone else found this?
Is it worth putting running lights on it?
Maybe even flo. tape on the roll-bar?
Cheers, Pewe 
This is a very interesting subject. It could well be that if a person is checkng the road for any cars, that anything that doesn't look like what
they think of as a car doesn't get noticed at all.
Scary thought
John
Just fit a louder exhaust after SVA and then drive your se7en as if every driver is an idiot in their metal cocoon (and therefore oblivious to you)
and you should survive the UK roads.
I;ve put some red tpe ont he back of the rollbar, might do the same on the front one day
Ed
Best bet is always drive like you would on a motorbike - make sure people can see you and have your headlights on all the time.
Oh, and a high level brake light on the rollbar is also a good thing!
7's are too low and not what most people would instantly recognise as a car if only a bit of it is seen. If behind another car they actually look
rather more like a trailer being towed (not that I'm slagging off a 7's looks or anything) it's just what they look like to
others...less familiar with them 
It’s the same problem with motorbikes, most people aren’t looking for them either.
Remember those clips where you are asked to follow the ball being passed around a crowd but amazingly manage to miss the guy dressed as a monkey walk
right past the camera? It’s like that, if your not in an ordinary car, you may as well be invisible to some.
I always drive with my lights on regardless of what I'm in
[Edited on 4/11/08 by Mr Whippy]
I've been caught out on roundabouts - I found that if I steamed into them as fast as the car would allow, people on the side roads just
didn't register (a) that my Locost was a car currently on the roundabout - as mentioned above - and (b) that I was going faster than most cars
could manage.
Most people expect (and look for):
Car - moderate speed, better not pull out.
Lorry - slow speed, may be able to get out if I'm quick.
Motorbike - probably very quick, will be gone soon so I'll wait.
Pushbike - slow speed, so can go if it's safe.
Anything else doesn't fit the expectations...
In the end I had a reality check and realised that I had to slow down to give other drivers a chance - and subsequently gave myself a higher survival
expectation!
[Edited on 4/11/08 by David Jenkins]
One of the reasons I went for Kwaka green
would have had black but most drivers round
here have trouble seeing anything. Even
ambulances get stuck behind cars with all
their lights & sirens going.
Probably due to blacked out windows & bass
boxes for the chavs or wrong glasses & flat
batteries in hearing aids for the oldies
As for foreign lorries........
Nothing new, its been that way for bikers for as long as I can remember, then we get moaned at for having big bright headlights........
I've got a high level brake light in the top of the rear panel, plus red reflective tape on the back of the rollbar. As above, white reflective tape on the front of the rollbar might be a good idea
quote:
Originally posted by r1_pete
Nothing new, its been that way for bikers for as long as I can remember, then we get moaned at for having big bright headlights........
I chose my colour (very close to my avatar) because it is the colour that registers quickest to peoples eyes. As it will be a road car as well as
track I thought it best to be seen.
MK have made their latest show car in the same colour.
[Edited on 4/11/08 by Hammerhead]
the only reason im painting mine yellow ,im a bikes so im invisible to most car drivers and always have my head light on.if i got £1 for evry time i heard i never seen you i would have my car finished lol.
Do i smell that all kit cars should be painted as police cars with blue light on the roll bar? 
This way, we will be noticed
I was hit by a car that turned out of a side road into my side 
I watched his eyes (as I do when I'm in the toy car) and he watched the car in front of me, then his eyes went to the car behind me, totally
skipped over me ! Then he pulled out into the side of the car 
Always watch the other driver's eyes, expect everyone to try and kill you, keep your headlights on and as David Jenkins says, watch for
roundabouts. Drivers don't expect cars going round 'em as quick as our cars can/do 
quote:
Originally posted by UncleFista
I was hit by a car that turned out of a side road into my side
I watched his eyes (as I do when I'm in the toy car) and he watched the car in front of me, then his eyes went to the car behind me, totally skipped over me ! Then he pulled out into the side of the car
Always watch the other driver's eyes, expect everyone to try and kill you, keep your headlights on and as David Jenkins says, watch for roundabouts. Drivers don't expect cars going round 'em as quick as our cars can/do
fair hurt too
I think the cornering speed of our cars on roundabouts is an issue, other motorists assume slower cornering speeds. Lights on during normal driving is a quick fix to visability. You used to be able to get 'driving' lights that gave a spread beam.
Sevens are small cars. Therefore they "look" further away. I've been caught up by this when following my brother in a 7. Very bizarre
feeling when I realised he was a lot closer than I thought (ie when he suddenly braked!!)...
Answer= headlights
BLUE reflective tape - a patch on each side - might get noticed better!
I've noticed this but as a cyclist I'm used to it and have a sixth sence when they're going to do it. They missjudge your
speed/don't see you. Thats why my car's the colour it is. Also noticed that cars pull up very close at junctions and lights.
Given your first sentance, how would you have gone on should an accident have happened?
adrian
Possibly linked, possibly not, but what's then general consensus on mini indicators?
A lot of kit car builders seem to fit them.
Paul G
quote:
Originally posted by 907
Possibly linked, possibly not, but what's then general consensus on mini indicators?
A lot of kit car builders seem to fit them.
Paul G
My wife wants one of those scooter/recumbant bike flags, just to make you look like a complete idiot. But perhaps a visible, alive one, as opposed to an invisible dead one.
Interesting responses - seems as if it's a cause for caution.
A mate was knocked off his m/bike by some tw*t turning right out of a junction . Mate made eye contact etc. etc. but the old begger still turned out
on him - wrote the bike off but luckily not my mate.
As for what would have happened if I'd had an accident it was insured and by VOSA's own declaration you are allowed to drive it to a
pre-booked test - just happened that on the day and on my way there it developed an intermittent fault which meant I was returning home to fix it (no
it really did - officer).
Cheers, Pewe
PS now googling flourescent tape for the roll-bar.
Hence why i painted 85% of my car in Luminous Orange Paint
You do have to take the same attitude as bike riders - make sure you're visible by using bright colours (my car's bright yellow &
silver!), position yourself on the road to see and be seen, treat everyone else as homicidal morons, and so on.
I'm not convinced about having headlights on - if you're on a bumpy road it can look like you're flashing your lights (different from
on a bike).
I only had a couple of proper nearlies, one was a car pulled out in front of me on a roundabout and I had to stop beside his door. He told me I was
going too fast and should be more careful :O. The other was a people carrier, I was in a filter lane nearly at the end turning left and he was in the
straight on lane but decided to turn left and just indicated and turned in on me, I think I was below the level of his mirrors, I gave him some hooter
but had to stop and let him in. He just carried on as if no one was there I am sure I feel safer on the bike even though I am probably more
vulnerable at least there is Think Bike campaign