Solar trailer rides again!

[guerney]

Yet to settle on a video upload location. Youtube? WordPress blog?

People are much more likely to see your quoted offending number plates and incidents on Youtube, though you could also embed Youtube vids into a Wordpress blog, which far fewer people will see. Vimeo offers the best quality, but has low upload limits per month, also very few visits compared to Youtube.

 

[guerney]

When I get home, another blue pipe buffer is going on, either just the offside corner, or same as the front. Then I would be nudged sideways instead of receiving all the kinetic energy of the vehicle behind.

What all cylists need is a hologrphic projection which looks like a car around us. It's not as unlikely as it sounds - a mate years ago was trying to make real time holographic projections, although his was geared towards digital signage in large low-res, and a high-res version for converting CT scan data into real-time holograms, to assist in surgical procedures. I don't know how far he got with either. Lots of nVidia graphics card programming, and an expired military patent, with his patents. Even simple big holographic blocks glowing and floating a few feet away from the bike could be useful. Sadly, I don't think we're there yet, and certainly not in daylight and the projector last time I checked was big, so was the utterly bonkers LCD with nanoscale features it shone through, to produce the holograms. Someday we'll have a choice of vehicles to resemble on the road...

 

[guerney]

When I get home, another blue pipe buffer is going on, either just the offside corner, or same as the front. Then I would be nudged sideways instead of receiving all the kinetic energy of the vehicle behind.

There might be thick bright pool noodles available on your journey somewhere?

Pardon our interruption...

 

[Nealh]

That is very good to hear Matt, the driver should receive a " without due care and attention for that " I some how though don't think he will get away with just 3 points and a fine, he will be lucky to get away with 5 points on his licence.
There was no need for them to do that to you and I bet didn't think about a camera either, you got him bang to rights there.
More and more forces are now takong action on dangerous driving, there have been two recent public cases where both got 6 points and heavyish fines. Their stoopidness will cost them for a few years now with higher premiums.
Looking at the pics again I would go as far as saying, he may even get a driving ban.

 

[matthewslack]

That is very good to hear Matt, the driver should receive a " without due care and attention for that " I some how though don't think he will get away with just 3 points and a fine, he will be lucky to get away with 5 points on his licence.
There was no need for them to do that to you and I bet didn't think about a camera either, you got him bang to rights there.
More and more forces are now takong action on dangerous driving, there have been two recent public cases where both got 6 points and heavyish fines. Their stoopidness will cost them for a few years now with higher premiums.

I'm learning about law and procedure here too. The driver is not local to where the offence happened, I live 50 odd miles away, and I'm now100 miles further on and that will increase by 70 odd a day.

The police only have 14 days to initiate action, it has to be a Fort William area officer to handle it because that's where it happened and so on.

I might end in an interview in a police station up the road a bit. Not that there are many!

 

[matthewslack]

Numbers for the day. This is what happens when I get wall to wall sunshine and ride in level 2 assist with unlimited energy profligacy! I can't use more energy without having assistance to a higher speed, or adding needless baggage. So this is a benchmark perfect day for the present setup.

1224Wh generated, 1225 consumed, 131km, some good hills. 9.35Wh/km, 15.0Wh/mile. 50% up on my normal because no reason not to.

Morning break, Cluanie Inn and the south Affric hills.



Lunchtime with skip.



View from the Skye bridge.

 

[guerney]

I'm going to make another, much longer version of this for my trailers, with springs and reflectors sticking out about 10 inches either side. Or two shorter bars, either way they'll stick out enough to encourage drivers to give me room when overtaking.





Springs will spring back after cars hit the reflectors.

 

[guerney]

Affric hills.

 

[cyclebuddy]

I'm lovin' it so far. A tour of the West Coast from my sofa! I remember well my 80's stays at Craignish Castle, drinking at the Galley of Lorne, and trips up to Oban, Fort William and beyond. Good times.

I think something needs to be done to increase your visibility. The trailer body is clearly visible, but maybe the full width of the panels atop aren't being fully appreciated by passing traffic, maybe because of the very narrow profile when viewed by a driver approaching from a lower angle? It's certainly not a structure or shape most drivers would be expecting to encounter. Maybe LED strip (low mw consumption), red-striped checker tape, or maybe just more/corner reflectors?

 

[guerney]

I think something needs to be done to increase your visibility.

Something needs to be done ASAP IMHO - maybe bend the tent pole to make a bow (else it's too long) using string, then lay that flat over the solar panels do that the bow is facing forwards, and the string is in line with the rear edge of the trailer... then gaffa tape a couple of brightly coloured inflatable swimming arm band floats onto both ends of the tent pole?

Or tape on a cheap double ended paddle sideways, lightly secured so it breaks away in a collision? Or a pair of flexible neon coloured flippers taped onto either end of a long broomstick handle? Wouldn't cut out much sunshine...

Or stop at a hardware store, buy a cheap mop with handle to stick out the passing side? You could cover the handle with bright foam or bubblewrap to prevent damage to the panels?

Secure a big inflatable beach ball to the end of the trailer, passing side? Increased drag and safety, won't damage cars if it gets loose.

There's bound to be something you could improvise en route.

Prevention is better than Police action after the fact.

 

[I893469365902345609348566]

I was thinking of you today, as I had the camera facing forward, so captured several overtakes into the face of oncoming traffic, like yours a while back.

No excuse for any of them as clear road with many overtaking opps, and me getting out of the way at every layby.

When I find the footage, today's stars are mostly motorbikes, with a few SUVs and an Asda deliver van.

They misjudge my speed quite often and run out of space while overtaking. I've had a couple of cars start to overtake and screech out of shot, when they realised they're about to collide with oncoming traffic, but of course those videos can't show that because the field of view is narrower than my eyesight.

On quiet roads at night, sometimes they drive over the other side of the road to avoid crashing into traffic islands.

I couldn't believe this was happening, didn't expect such a mad manoeuvre. I saw the minivan driver approaching in my mirrors and assumed he was not insane. Installed fresh brake pads when I got home.

LK63 WSO or LK63 WS0

 

[Andy-Mat]

Close pass of the day award goes to DY71PJJ. Images are taken at 0.5 second intervals.

View attachment 47265

View attachment 47264

View attachment 47266

How did he miss me?

You need some cheap extra trailer reflectors, on (strong) spring mounts, with a metal (sharp!) edged frame(s), that exceed 2" in extra width, by say 6" at least, both sides.
Movable, but not strong enough to deflect the trailer.
A few scratches on his car may may him more careful in the future... But I feel that he will simply keep a greater distance, him and his "ilk".
He is MOST unlikely to tell the police just how close he was!!
Great pictures, that may interest the police!
Stay safe, and keep us all informed please.
regards
Andy

 

[nigelbb]

I'm learning about law and procedure here too. The driver is not local to where the offence happened, I live 50 odd miles away, and I'm now100 miles further on and that will increase by 70 odd a day.

The police only have 14 days to initiate action, it has to be a Fort William area officer to handle it because that's where it happened and so on.

I might end in an interview in a police station up the road a bit. Not that there are many!

The police have 14 days to deliver a notice to the registered keeper requesting details of the driver. Although many cars only ever have one driver it is not thought reasonable to ask someone to remember who was driving a particular car more than a fortnight ago.

In this case there is a prima face case that a driving offence has been committed so you would think that they could be pro-active by sending out a notice. Your time-lapse photos show that it's not a photo taken when you were both stationary. It would be even better if the individual images were visibly time stamped as then the speed of the car could be easily calculated. I know that the time stamp is embedded into the Exif information in the images but visible time stamps would be easier for Plod to understand.

BTW I'm really impressed with your enterprise & look forward to regular updates on your journey.

 

[Andy-Mat]

They misjudge my speed quite often and run out of space while overtaking. I've had a couple of cars start to overtake and screech out of shot, when they realised they're about to collide with oncoming traffic, but of course those videos can't show that because the field of view is narrower than my eyesight.

On quiet roads at night, sometimes they drive over the other side of the road to avoid crashing into traffic islands.

I couldn't believe this was happening, didn't expect such a mad manoeuvre. I saw the minivan driver approaching in my mirrors and assumed he was not insane. Installed fresh brake pads when I got home.

LK63 WSO or LK63 WS0

You also need a "Long Vehicle" sign I feel, joke and fact!!
You also need a couple of those bike width reflectors on your bike.By the way, you could get your solar cells damaged by one of these idiots!! Maybe move them slightly to the nearside?
regards
Andy

 

[guerney]

These 192W 12V 16A(?) waterproof LED light panels may be overkill, but they would be visible in daylight.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rextin-Waterproof-Decorative-Advertising-Adhesive/dp/B07RN3J956/ref=

 

[matthewslack]

I'm a bit late tonight, trying to get to grips with this video malarky. Good news is no serious traffic incidents today, in 142km.

Haven't done the numbers, but battery full all day. New for the Gopro, I ran it off USB from the bike battery all day, worked a treat. Hit 40+km/h at times, which makes the timelapse footage look like 375mph!

Tremendous scenery all day, from Strathcarron to Dundonnel via the coast road, minus Bealach na Ba, for which I do not have the gearing.

Many hills, wall to wall sunshine, highish temperatures and for the first time I pushed the motor or controller into thermal limiting mode. It cuts the assistance down to level 1 and seems also to reduce cutoff speed by half, although hard to tell when dumped a level on a first gear hill!

Took a long break to cool down at a potential camp spot where one set of van occupants forced tea on me, and then a pair of big campervan ladies of leisure (big vans) whiled away lots of time with talk of further north.

A Morgan, I think.



New sign for 'that hill'. The old one is now a sacrificial place for people to leave their mark.



Mountains.





A village.



Heavy machinery at roadwork making one of the remaining single track sections into two way road.



More tomorrow!

Thanks for all your suggestions. There is now red reflective tape across the rear edge of the frame, which the ladies in the vans happened to have, and I hit the big town tomorrow, Ullapool, so I'll be looking out for soft spongy bright things, or pipe insulation and more tape otherwise, for a waggly arm on the offside rear corner.

 

[Nealh]

Beautiful scenery, weather to go with it and your journey, be safe & stay safe.

 

[guerney]

I'll be looking out for soft spongy bright things, or pipe insulation and more tape otherwise, for a waggly arm on the offside rear corner.

Waggly cheapo sprung car aerial sticking 40cm out, covered in hiviz tape, with reflector or bright thing on the end? Radio 4 reception would be a bonus.

XtremeAuto® Universal Black Large 40cm Car Whip Aerial Antenna FM / AM Radio Reception Includes Adapters : Amazon.co.uk: Electronics & Photo

XtremeAuto® Universal Black Large 40cm Car Whip Aerial Antenna FM / AM Radio Reception Includes Adapters : Amazon.co.uk: Electronics & Photo

www.amazon.co.uk

 

[I893469365902345609348566]

You also need a "Long Vehicle" sign I feel, joke and fact!!
You also need a couple of those bike width reflectors on your bike.By the way, you could get your solar cells damaged by one of these idiots!! Maybe move them slightly to the nearside?
regards
Andy

It's @matthewslack with the solar cells, but v.wide reflectors I do need indeed!

 

[matthewslack]

Yesterday's energy numbers: 1477Wh generated, and had I needed more could have had it as battery close to full all day. Just at the top of the hills full recharge rate was in use.

1405Wh consumed, highest daily total yet, and probably 20 higher as this data logger channel has an offset error of about -2Wh pet hour.

Difference is down to running camera off USB. But not exact, my homegrown logger is not to be relied upon to high precision.

Road highlight going back to Saturday is this group of 5 motorcyclists. First two or three OK, last one OK, but number 4 down the middle forcing two cars to the edge at a closing speed of about 100mph.



Sunset and sunrise.





Non-EU red tape.



All well here, time to pack and go.