horizontal flag, modified!

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The 'horizontal flag' (you, know, the one sticking out on the left of the bike, to sway traffic away) looks great for commuters, but why not back it up with a consequential threat? Design them with coil springs (something like the springs used on CB/Ham radio antennas, with the proper 'torsion', however), hard steel bars, and a pointy tip (or MULTIPLE tips, if possible) to pose the threat of paint scratches, should the driver decide to get too close! OR, once bent, a HOLLOW (albeit rigid) bar system could be designed to spray PAINT all over the car (kinda like dye-pack explosives, huh?):eek: A switch in the coil spring system could activate it.
If motorcyclists can place pointy tips on both their helmets (the 'Colonel Klink' look) AND their wheels, why not?:D

LOL. I think you have too much time on your hands! :rolleyes:

Although probably correct, 'Pete', I tried a home made version of that Horizontal Flag today, by cutting a fiberglass vertical pole down to size, and wire-tying it to the back of my seat. DESPITE the fact that the weight I added to hold down the flag tip blew off (leaving the flag to flutter in the breeze-- is that how the 'commercial' versions are set up to do?), I placed it about two inches beyond the length of my handlebar, and was QUITE SUPRISED at the room that was given to me :) ! It made me feel a LITTLE safer out there in the streets!

So what do I have now: Single blinky LED up front, Cygo-lite 'dually' up front, four red LEDs in the back, reflective tape between six spoke holes on both wheels, prototype 'generic' flag on side, loud mouth :D .... Sound safe enough?