[PLEASE APPLY] Visibility On The Road

[ChrisF]

Also helps to not cycle like an inconsiderate ass hat.

 

Was in the car the other day on an narrow lane road, and the f***** on the bicycle decided he wanted to ride in the middle of the bloody lane instead of along the pavement like the other 3 cyclists in front of and behind him.

 

I agree, does help to be more visible so that cars can see us, but it probably helps more to jsut get the **** out of the way too, it's much harder to get ridden over when you not cycling in the middle of the damned road.

 

Reme WELCOME to the Forum

 

 

You WILL get some flack for this post ....      I should know, since I have made similar posts .... 

 

 

Sadly SOME cyclists are OUR worst enemy .... P!ssing off motorists dont hep our cause at all ....

 

 

 

but bet your socks you WILL see a diagram shortly showing why cyclists "should" ride in the middle of the road ....             

[ChrisF]

During daytime I believe a front flashing light to be effective in improving visibility, typically when you go straight at an intersection and there is oncoming traffic wanting to turn across your path. With a front light they think twice about taking a chance and turning in front of you.

 

That is the general idea ....

 

TWO flashing lights did not help much this morning when the lady looked straight at me, turned in front of me, and then looked away while driving in front of me .....

 

 

 

We CAN make ourselves "visible" .... but understand that SOME car drivers just dont care, and would rather drive over you than wait a few seconds .....

 

 

Be ALERT and stay alive out there ....

[Halfdoesyn]

Also helps to not cycle like an inconsiderate ass hat.

 

Was in the car the other day on an narrow lane road, and the f***** on the bicycle decided he wanted to ride in the middle of the bloody lane instead of along the pavement like the other 3 cyclists in front of and behind him.

 

I agree, does help to be more visible so that cars can see us, but it probably helps more to jsut get the **** out of the way too, it's much harder to get ridden over when you not cycling in the middle of the damned road.

It's attitudes like this that gets cyclists killed.

 

Do you know why he rode there? Did you consider that he possibly tried to avoid something? Are you aware that a cyclist is a road user just like you? Do you also react like this towards farm tractors and slow trucks?

 

We need more patience on the road. Inconsiderate and aggressive swearing is not helping anyone.

 

And stick to the topic.

 

[Reme Le Hane]

Reme WELCOME to the Forum

 

 

You WILL get some flack for this post ....      I should know, since I have made similar posts .... 

 

 

Sadly SOME cyclists are OUR worst enemy .... P!ssing off motorists dont hep our cause at all ....

 

 

 

but bet your socks you WILL see a diagram shortly showing why cyclists "should" ride in the middle of the road ....             

 

Let the flack come, like seriously, I was a cyclist in a car, in the passenger seat and this tit was riding in like with the freaking handbrake next to me.

 

Yeah sure, there may be some safety aspects to doing it, like maybe increasing visibility, but your now handing 100% of your safety to the attentiveness of EVERY single driver behind you, assuming that every single one of them is 100% focused on the road and not having a conve over the hands free, or looking around after bieng distracted by a taxi's loud music, or shouting at thier kids.

 

It is entirely in your control as ot how much risk you take, and yes riding on the edge does not mean your not oging to get hit, but at least that way the driver needs to first needs to actually change direction to hit you, as opposed ot being going in a straigh line, well within thier legal rights and get distracted and crush you because you are ridding in the wrong.

[Reme Le Hane]

It's attitudes like this that gets cyclists killed.

 

Do you know why he rode there? Did you consider that he possibly tried to avoid something? Are you aware that a cyclist is a road user just like you? Do you also react like this towards farm tractors and slow trucks?

 

We need more patience on the road. Inconsiderate and aggressive swearing is not helping anyone.

 

And stick to the topic.

 

 

I can only assume he was being an incosiderate ass, as he was not riding there for a few seconds, he rode there the entire lenght of the road while 2 cyclists in front of him and 1 behind him remained as close to the pavement as possible, all 4 of them and myself where heading to the same place, he even cut off 2 cars are the next 2 turns.

 

We could not overtake as there was oncoming traffic in the other lane, and well thats just generally dangerous.

 

I am very patient on the road, I owuld not bother bitching for some cyclist being in my way for 2 seconds, thats being an ass, this was more like 2 minutes. There was nothing on the left or right of him other than a pavement and fresh air.

[Quagga]

Here is an interesting read.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/11/26/cyclists-high-visibility-jackets-increase-odds-crash/

 

High visibility clothing may increase the chances cyclists have an accident rather than keeping them safer, research has suggested.

A study of 76 accidents by academics found “no evidence” that those who wore reflective clothing “were at reduced risk”.

[Fat Boab]

I can only assume he was being an incosiderate ass, as he was not riding there for a few seconds, he rode there the entire lenght of the road while 2 cyclists in front of him and 1 behind him remained as close to the pavement as possible, all 4 of them and myself where heading to the same place, he even cut off 2 cars are the next 2 turns.

 

We could not overtake as there was oncoming traffic in the other lane, and well thats just generally dangerous.

 

I am very patient on the road, I owuld not bother bitching for some cyclist being in my way for 2 seconds, thats being an ass, this was more like 2 minutes. There was nothing on the left or right of him other than a pavement and fresh air.

 

The details of this incident are less interesting, ie the rights and wrongs of it all, than the fervour which the incident has incited. I wonder what it is that revs people up, when their journey is delayed by 2 minutes or so and they have to exercise a bit of consideration for a fellow road user? (And you can substitute bicycle, car, taxi, truck etc wherever you wish). Human are such strange organisms...

[ChrisF]

The details of this incident are less interesting, ie the rights and wrongs of it all, than the fervour which the incident has incited. I wonder what it is that revs people up, when their journey is delayed by 2 minutes or so and they have to exercise a bit of consideration for a fellow road user? (And you can substitute bicycle, car, taxi, truck etc wherever you wish). Human are such strange organisms...

 

Maybe, just maybe, it relates to the "cause" or "reason" for the hold-up ....

 

 

Out in the country it is par of the course when you get held up by a tractor  (though my experience is that the tractors move over as soon as possible).

 

 

Where we share roads with trucks it is a reality that you get held sometimes .....  NICE when the trucks try to let you pass when possible.  I have heard of incidents along the N1 where trucks form a convoy and actively block cars from passing - NOT nice.  I have not yet experienced that myself.

 

 

And so each "road block" has its own character .....

 

 

 

So where do cycles fit into this ?  Well there are MANY different types of cycling road-blocks :

 

- Training peleton with trailing vehicle ....  

 

- group training, riding 2 or 3 abreast - with the last rider encrouching into the care lane.  

 

- group training, riding 2 or 3 abreast - same as above, BUT all cyclists staying IN the yellow lane section    

 

- single cyclist - riding in such a manner that cars have to move over to pass him safely 

 

 

WHY the " " ??

 

On a STRAIGHT section I can SEE this cyclist, and adjust my driving to not endanger him.  Loosing a few seconds does not phase me.  My "gripe" relates to when I come around a blind bend or over a blind rise to find an object in the middle of the road ....        I am traveling at a legal 100km/h, this object is doodling along at 10 to 30km/h .... the difference in speed is immense !!!!  ONE second of lapse in concentration and the cyclist will be in hospital or dead before the driver reacts !!

 

 

Driver in an accident ... bit of paperwork, bit of schlep with the insurance ...

 

Cyclist in such an accident     I have attended TOO many funerals to entertain self richeous reasonings for why the cyclist may be in the middle of the road !!  "Right" or "wrong" means NOTHING when a car could not see you in time .....

 

 

 

 

o-well, that is me off the pulpit .... 

[Matt]

Moderator note: Please stick to the topic of visibility. While cyclist behaviour is related to the safety issue in general it's a fiery topic which risks derailing this thread altogether.

 

Please rather start a separate discussion on the topic. Further off topic commentary here will be removed.

['Dale]

Cool hey

 

https://cyclingtips.com/2017/12/metier-beacon-proviz-nightrider-led-jacket-reviews/

 

 

[Simon Kolin]

http://cyclingtips.com/2016/06/does-reflective-and-fluorescent-clothing-make-us-safer/

Don't mean to be a downer on this, but the study mentioned in that article, although interesting, is highly flawed.

 

In the test the researchers told the drivers, "be on the lookout for cyclists. When you see them, press the touchpad". This primes the participants to expect to see cyclists in varying degrees of visibility.

 

The reality is that most people don't expect to see cyclists, and even if a cyclist is lit up like a christmas tree, they don't "see" them. This failure to see the obvious is demonstrated in the "Invisible Gorilla" experiment.

 

It would be interesting to note how many of the drivers in the test, without being primed to "see cyclists" actually made any observations at all (regardless of age or visibility).

 

How do we get road users to "see" what they don't expect? I don't know, but I'm happy to have suggestions.

Edited December 15, 2017 by Simon Kolin

['Dale]

The ABC of Awareness by Bontrager

 

https://cyclingtips.com/2017/12/abcs-of-awareness-bontragers-mission-to-make-cyclists-more-visible/

 

 

[Sepia]

The ABC of Awareness by Bontrager

 

https://cyclingtips.com/2017/12/abcs-of-awareness-bontragers-mission-to-make-cyclists-more-visible/

 

 

Great article.  Nice to refresh yourself on these points made with examples.

Fluorescent vs reflective  -- Huge difference which is not understood by some.

[Anatomic Sportswear]

If you're looking for a nice top for your early morning and evening rides, our Bionic Elite Cycling jersey is a great option, bright bold coloration combined with strategically placed 3M reflective visi strips on the lower back and sleeves will make you stand out from all angles while on the road.

 

Safe riding this weekend guys and girls 

[Sepia]

I have just received my Gillet/safety cycling jacket made by Altura.

It is one of those which has reflective and luminous qualities for night and day use.

Sewed a pocket on the back, and made it narrower.

Hope it saves my life someday.

Edited February 9, 2018 by Sepia

[Halfdoesyn]

I have just received my Gillet/safety cycling jacket made by Altura.

It is one of those which has reflective and luminous qualities for night and day use.

Sewed a pocket on the back, and made it narrower.

Hope it saves my life someday.

 

Hope it doesn't need to.