A very silly boy!

[Dave 123]

Drove back from Plymouth to Cambridge today. The weather in Devon was fairly gloomy to say the least. On the way up the A38 between the Ivybridge and Wrangaton junctions was a bloke all in black, on a black bike riding "superman" triathlon style. He needed to be super human to get off that road safely dressed like that. I hope there was no incident.
Is there any wonder why cyclists have a bad name? I'd have though that at least some sort of flourescent kit would have been wise on what is effectively a motorway.
Rant over...

 

[gaz]

As someone who lived in Plymouth and traveled along the A38 many times... I would never cycle on that road.

 

[snorri]

It's a sad reflection on the nation that some users of our transport system are urged to wear the colours of a projectile vomit.

 

[Dave 123]

Adrian- Yes. Luckily he was on a stretch of road with no other users, I had a clear view. Add a few more vehicles to the mix and reduce the line of sight...

 

[Chris S]

... On the way up the A38 between the Ivybridge and Wrangaton junctions was a bloke all in black, on a black bike riding "superman" triathlon style ... Is there any wonder why cyclists have a bad name?

In this case they're known as 'Ninja cyclists'.

 

[dodgy]

Is there any wonder why cyclists have a bad name?

Cyclists don't have a bad name because they wear the 'wrong' clothes. It's because of any reason that a motorist might find to justify the fact they don't like sharing the roads. That cyclist could have been dressed up like a Christmas tree and he would still be giving cyclists a bad name in the eyes of motorists.

I don't care one bit about 'giving cyclists a bad name'. I am me, not a 100,000 other cyclists, just me.

 

[Brandane]

I don't care one bit about 'giving cyclists a bad name'. I am me, not a 100,000 other cyclists, just me.

Yes, me too. I would rather dress up like a Christmas tree and/or wear something hi-viz to increase my chances of survival in the conditions described by the OP.. Better still, I would rather avoid busy trunk roads altogether. It is perfectly legal to cycle on the A8 in Glasgow, on the stretch which joins 2 sections of motorway. It is a dual carriageway, but basically a motorway in all but classification. I wouldn't cycle on it for all the money in the world. I can think of many similar roads. Each to their own, but I prefer to stay alive rather than try to make a point.

Common sense dictates that you should be visible. Even when driving the car in murky conditions I will use dipped headlights. On the motorbike, it's dipped headlights all the time.

 

[Edwards80]

with a reasonable expectation that other road users are reasonable people driving in a competent fashion.

That is not a reasonable expectation unfortunately :S

 

[Norm]

Drove back from Plymouth to Cambridge today. The weather in Devon was fairly gloomy to say the least. On the way up the A38 between the Ivybridge and Wrangaton junctions was a bloke all in black, on a black bike riding "superman" triathlon style. He needed to be super human to get off that road safely dressed like that. I hope there was no incident.

Did you see any black / silver / grey cars along the way which you didn't feel obliged to comment upon?

A single solid colour is far more recognisable than the profusion of colours, often arranged as vertical stripes, that appear on many cyclists clothing. The world around us is arranged in near-vertical stripes and such decoration, even in otherwise bright colours, will act as great camouflage when out on the roads and trails. A single solid block of colour, though, even if it is black, will be instantly recognisable as a human from a long distance.

 

[User269]

Best way to be seen on a bike, black clothing, no lights at night etc. Everyone notices the idiot. It's the high vis riders that nobody sees.

 

[simon.r]

I really don't get the objection to wearing hi-viz / bright colours when cycling in traffic and/or murky conditions.

As a car driver it is a FACT that I sometimes don't notice other road users as soon as I would like. I would challenge ANY driver to honestly say that they ALWAYS notice every other road user in good time. I think I'm a reasonably competent driver (several hundred thouand miles and no blameworthy accidents, some advanced driver (and motorcycle) training, a motorcyclist and a cyclist, good eyesight etc etc...) but I have, over the years, had a few near misses because I've not seen others early enough. Vulnerable road users DO stand out more when clad in bright colours.

In an ideal world every driver would see every other road user in plenty of time, but in the real world it just doesn't happen. I do sometimes question how much experience of driving (as opposed to cycling) some posters on here have.

Surely it makes sense to take a pragmatic view of this?

I do realise I'm setting myself up to be knocked down here, but I'm not trolling, just being candid.

 

[Red Light]

Best way to be seen on a bike, black clothing, no lights at night etc. Everyone notices the idiot. It's the high vis riders that nobody sees.

Not just high viz riders. Drivers in large numbers also fail to see bright orange hi-viz speed cameras. Hi-viz's alternate name of urban camouflage is for a good reason. There is so much of it about that drivers just ignore it. Black seems to be a quite visible (lack of) colour if you are going to choose anything. Blue is quite good too IMO.

 

[Norm]

I really don't get the objection to wearing hi-viz / bright colours when cycling in traffic and/or murky conditions.

Do you see anyone objecting to it? I don't see anyone objecting to it. I wear a hi-viz jacket or "builder's vest" most of the time and, when I wear a rucksack over that, my rucksack cover is hi-viz.

I don't like the idea that a cyclist gets criticised for not wearing a colour which is not available on any car manufacturer's spec list, I don't like the idea that a cyclist is criticised for wearing a solid block of colour and I don't like the idea that a cyclist is made blameworthy for the potential failings of car drivers but I've no objection to people wearing hi viz.

 

[Crackle]

I really don't get the objection to wearing hi-viz / bright colours when cycling in traffic and/or murky conditions.

As a car driver it is a FACT that I sometimes don't notice other road users as soon as I would like. I would challenge ANY driver to honestly say that they ALWAYS notice every other road user in good time. I think I'm a reasonably competent driver (several hundred thouand miles and no blameworthy accidents, some advanced driver (and motorcycle) training, a motorcyclist and a cyclist, good eyesight etc etc...) but I have, over the years, had a few near misses because I've not seen others early enough. Vulnerable road users DO stand out more when clad in bright colours.

In an ideal world every driver would see every other road user in plenty of time, but in the real world it just doesn't happen. I do sometimes question how much experience of driving (as opposed to cycling) some posters on here have.

Surely it makes sense to take a pragmatic view of this?

I do realise I'm setting myself up to be knocked down here, but I'm not trolling, just being candid.

I don't agree with this Simon. The fact is, if you're on a road, you should notice anything else on the road with you. I most often notice cyclists a long way off by their movement, not their clothing. Same with cats, dogs, people at the side of the road, you should see them all and if the conditions are such that you can't see well, you simply need to adjust your driving, low sun, reflective road etc...

Hi viz is so prolific, I just see Hi viz now and have to concentrate to see if it's the binman, someone going to the shops or a cyclist. It also distracts in quite a selfish way because it causes people to fixate on you rather than their surroundings. It has it's place but it's far too common for my liking.

 

[Boris Bajic]

Or more precisely a bloke using the road in a perfectly legal fashion with a reasonable expectation that other road users are reasonable people driving in a competent fashion.

Adrian, you are quite right but I'd venture that this may sometimes not be the best way.

I witnessed an accident about two years ago where a motorist just before dusk pulled out on a motorcycle combination which struck his front bumper, sending the rider over his bonnet.

I'd been in a perfect posiion to see the combination but hadn't. He was riding (not long before dusk but in fair visibility) a matt black combo, with black clothing and a black helmet. No lights. All perfectly legal, but in the conditions he was so hard to see that no witness was aware of his presence until a fraction of a second before impact.

I was the first to get to the prostrate rider and thought him dead until I heard a snuffling snore-type sound from behind his visor. The rider was riding perfectly legally and within the speed limit. The motorist who pulled out on him was driving with caution.

I'm not a faddist for multiple lights and the latest shiny-fandango cyclegear. I frequently ride helmetless. Nonetheless, I do feel some sort of responsibility for giving other road users a fair chance of seeing me.

As a driver and motorcyclist I've frequently seen 'ninja' cyclists far later than I might have. This has been because they were inadequately lit. It is perfectly possible to be driving/rding perfectly legally and at the same time be making it harder than it ought to be for others to see you.

I don't get wound up by ninja riders, but many of us have seen people out there who are loading the dice unhelpfully through their clothing and lamp choices.