Motorcycle mounted safety lasers

[Skeeter Cruz]

Hey everybody, new to the forum and lasers in general, but in need of help and advice.

I'm a motorcycle rider and, after numerous too-close calls where drivers "didn't see me" I've decided I need something to make the bike a little more "noticeable" and to help certain drivers wake up in the morning. I'd like to mount a laser on the motorcycle somehow with a trigger on the handlebar. It's better than getting run over.

I have no idea how to do this. I don't know anything about lasers or how to get them into a 12V system. I'll show restraint and say, ideally, let's not burn those absent minded drivers... yet. Any advice would be appreciated!

:thanks:

 

[rangedunits]

Bad idea, get this instead

DealExtreme: $21.60 Car 7-Mode 49*5050 Colorful LED Knight Rider Strip Light

 

[DrSid]

If common floodlight is not enough, I think safe-power laser will not be enough either. Also you don't want to dazzle the driver.
Are you talking day time or night time ?

 

[Cyparagon]

Turn your headlights on.

 

[rangedunits]

You could add some SSC-90 Led to it. They produce 2200lumens, that should be enough.

 

[Skeeter Cruz]

Definitely don't want to shine it at faces/eyes (not looking to start trouble) but if I could shoot it straight down the road in front of me, maybe they would see it in front of them before they pulled out straight in to me.

Bike is already decked out with LEDs and my gear has reflective tape. Looking to take it up a notch.

 

[AUTO XX]

Definitely don't want to shine it at faces/eyes (not looking to start trouble) but if I could shoot it straight down the road in front of me, maybe they would see it in front of them before they pulled out straight in to me.

Bike is already decked out with LEDs and my gear has reflective tape. Looking to take it up a notch.

Bad idea, getting caught could mean jail time.
Get this instead
Stebel Nautilus Compact Motorcycle Air Horn - Black: eBay Motors (item 260678992807 end time Oct-19-10 11:46:41 PDT)
I usually just roar my engine at people that piss me off, it's louder and easier to use when you are dodging some a$$hole that just cut you off.
I have a cbr 954 with akra full exhaust though ^_^

 

[DrSid]

If you wanted the dot on the ground to be bright enough, it would mean the laser would be in dangerous range if it would hit eyes. And you can never stop that for from happening, especially not on motocycle. If something would work, it would be defocused laser pointing forward (or backward) .. intended to hit eyes. In other words, strong colored light. Some blinking would help too. But LEDs can handle that in same way these days.

 

[inuboi8]

are we really gonna try to acknowledge this guy's desire to knowingly shine lasers at moving vehicles -_-

 

[Cheech]

I saw this awhile back

"Laser fires an elliptical beam around your bike that makes it appear larger than life. Your bike looks to be the size of a car so motor vehiclists are more likely to see and avoid you. And if they don't, the laser turns from green to red and horns within the system will start blaring until they move around you... or freak out and swerve into the other lane and hit an oncoming bicyclist who doesn't have the fortune of owning a Laser system of his own. "
http://inventorspot.com/articles/bike_laser_making_streets_safer_bicyclists_28787

I also ride motorcycles and have thought to mount a high power red laser with a line generating lens on the back of my bikes. Pointed at the ground about 3 feet from the back of the bike. It would really only be good for night time. With the laser pointing down at about a 30 degrees from vertical I don't believe there would be a lot of safety concerns except for other bikers directly beside the back of your bike getting a reflection from a puddle or reflector. In that case you really wouldn't need it on.
One of my buddies had a strobe flash blue/white/blue right when he hit the brakes which I thought made him very visible.

 

[Tech_Junkie]

Turn your headlights on.

You can have 5 headlights and people wont see you. When cars do any maneuvers they quickly look to see if there are other cars around, not bikes. The majority of bike accidents are cause by people not seeing the bike. Its so bad that avoiding accidents are almost a daily occurrence.

 

[00Giorge]

I used to ride until my bike got totaled out twice from people not seeing me (women both times) so I never got another bike, it had 2 headlights and they still didn't see me.

I have a grocery store about a mile down the road and on Friday a lady pulled out and broadsided a new cop car it's one of the Dodge Chargers. The lady that hit him said she didn't see him!
So do you think she is going to see a motorcycle? Not!

 

[Tech_Junkie]

I always drove like an a$$hole. Whenever I sat on a bike I turned into a hard core speed freak, and adrenaline junkie. Literally almost lost my life a dozen times. I just never cared, and drove it like I stole it. Then I entered into my first serious relationship, and I had stop riding. So I stared driving street/strip cars like an a$$hole instead. :eg:

 

[00Giorge]

I still have my hot rod and like to go fast. The fastest that I have been on a bike is 155mph and in a car was 175mph.

 

[inuboi8]

it might just be me but any laser that is affixed to a moving vehicle is a hazard and will always be a hazard if u want to be more visible drive a car, when buying/using a motorcycle being not as noticeable is a trade off for 2 less wheels that you knowingly accept

 

[Tech_Junkie]

I still have my hot rod and like to go fast. The fastest that I have been on a bike is 155mph and in a car was 175mph.

My 1978 Honda CBX with NOS used to pull 10.7s @ ~130mph till I detonated the motor, and lifted the head. Speedometer only went to 120mph, but I know it was way faster obviously. Hitting the NOS at 100 almost pulled you off the bike. I was king of white lining.

I've owned a pile of drag cars, but they all were built for bottom end. I used to buy junks, hot rod them, and sell em. My fastest was a pro-street 1980 Z28, with a LS6 454, 4 Speed Muncie, 4:11s, ect. Ran low 12s naturally aspirated.

Always wanted to build a 200mph car, but never had the money.