Skater horn?

[ese002]

I'm looking at getting a horn to alert oblivious drivers that they are about to do something stupid like pull out out of driveway in the path of a skater doing 30+.

It might also be useful if I were to repeat New York 100K as encouragement to recreational cyclist to clear a path.

I actually purchased an aerosol horn a few months back but the canister arrived empty. I gather that is a common problem with these kinds of horns. Even if you can avoid self discharge, you only get a handful of blasts before the gas runs out. It may not work when I need it and it certainly won't do for the 19 laps of New York 100K.

A small, electric Bicycle Horn looks like a more practical solution but there any non-obvious practical considerations to work out. All the ones I have found and mean to be bar-mounted and often have a remote activator.

Has anyone here used a horn while skating? Which one? How did you carry it?

[wyodinosaur]

Do you think a coach's whistle would be loud enough? It might work and it would be very easy to carry.

[ursle]

I agree with the whistle.

Personally, I spend lots of hours on a road bike and am very aware of what's going on, and have many-many times stopped people moving into my path with my voice.
What irks me are cars and trucks with the drivers window darkened, when I can't see the drivers eyes I'm not going to get in front of them, they can wait until I see them tru the windshield or open their front window, as I slowly roll by, vs keep the usual speed, if they don't like it I just laugh, I'm not the lawbreaker, I'm the on trying not to get hit.

Twice I've had cars on my right, knowing I was there, turn left on me into a driveway, ha, I just slap up against the car and ride the turn with them coming to a stop, then I give them some loud commentary. They get dents in the roof where I pound, letting them know they have a passenger

[nickajshelden]

practice your whistle. a fingers-in-the-mouth or a through-the-teeth can be every bit as shrill and loud as an air horn. I use the through-the-teeth a lot. Usually though I've found that if I alert other people to my presence, they try to dodge and usually end up making the situation worse. I'll take a tight margin that's predictable over unpredictability. I only whistle when i really have to.

[Skatervideoguy]

Hi ese002,

You are quite right to be concerned about your Safety when Skating on the Street. It's generally quite Dangerous to do, even more so than riding a Bike on the Street. You're a very Small - Moving- Target to be Seen against most every Environment you're in – much smaller than every Motor Cycle, Car, and Truck on the Road.

Most of us are dependent on our Eyesight to do most all our activities, like Skating and Driving. In most States you only need 20/40 Vision in one eye to get a License. That's not nearly as good as 20/20 with both eyes. Lots of folks Driving don't See as well as you might think. So even less chance of seeing You. So DO NOT Assume that you will be easily seen, you won't. Assume everybody else is Seeing 20/40 out of one eye (less distance and peripheral Vision).


DO NOT Assume that anyone can Hear any of those Noise Devices your considering, or your Yelling at them. There are some folks that are Deaf, and many others with Hearing Impairment (and lots of them don't wear Hearing Aids). So it's also best assume that you won't be Heard. Not to mention the Rolled Up Windows, Better Sound Deadening used in Vehicles, and of Course the Radios and Cell Phones. Also, many folks just are not Listening or Watching out.


Sooo, your Best Option is to Dress in the Bright or Fluorescent type of Shirts and Pants/Shorts and Helmets, and perhaps one of those Bright Flashing LED Lites on your Helmet that will make YOU Maximally VISABLE, and then Skate as Defensively as you can. Even Drivers with 20/20 Vision in both eyes, are not generally looking for Skaters or Bikers rolling down the Street. Maybe they should be, but it's not likely they are.

Anything Less, is putting your Life & Limb in someone else's hands. It's always up to You to protect yourself !!

This is all based on my observations over 57+ years of Driving, and 60+ years of Skating experience.

Safe Skating !!

Harold

[nickajshelden]

Originally Posted by Skatervideoguy

Hi ese002,

You are quite right to be concerned about your Safety when Skating on the Street. It's generally quite Dangerous to do, even more so than riding a Bike on the Street. You're a very Small - Moving- Target to be Seen against most every Environment you're in – much smaller than every Motor Cycle, Car, and Truck on the Road.

Most of us are dependent on our Eyesight to do most all our activities, like Skating and Driving. In most States you only need 20/40 Vision in one eye to get a License. That's not nearly as good as 20/20 with both eyes. Lots of folks Driving don't See as well as you might think. So even less chance of seeing You. So DO NOT Assume that you will be easily seen, you won't. Assume everybody else is Seeing 20/40 out of one eye (less distance and peripheral Vision).


DO NOT Assume that anyone can Hear any of those Noise Devices your considering, or your Yelling at them. There are some folks that are Deaf, and many others with Hearing Impairment (and lots of them don't wear Hearing Aids). So it's also best assume that you won't be Heard. Not to mention the Rolled Up Windows, Better Sound Deadening used in Vehicles, and of Course the Radios and Cell Phones. Also, many folks just are not Listening or Watching out.


Sooo, your Best Option is to Dress in the Bright or Fluorescent type of Shirts and Pants/Shorts and Helmets, and perhaps one of those Bright Flashing LED Lites on your Helmet that will make YOU Maximally VISABLE, and then Skate as Defensively as you can. Even Drivers with 20/20 Vision in both eyes, are not generally looking for Skaters or Bikers rolling down the Street. Maybe they should be, but it's not likely they are.

Anything Less, is putting your Life & Limb in someone else's hands. It's always up to You to protect yourself !!

This is all based on my observations over 57+ years of Driving, and 60+ years of Skating experience.

Safe Skating !!

Harold

+1

it may be tacky to summarily quote for such, but here it really is true....