Advice from the postman

[Auntie Helen]

Today as I was cycling home from Uni a postman in a transit van flashed at me and wound down his window, so I pulled over for a chat (quiet road).

He said that it was good that I was wearing high-vis (Altura Night Vision yellow jacket as it was raining) but that I couldn't be seen from behind.

My trike had (today - doesn't always) some bright red panniers on the back. Very red. It also has my fluorescent orange flag and still has the British and German flags attached to the flagpole too - that's a lot of flag waving.

My shoulders (with night vision yellow) are visible for 3-4 centimetres above the back of the seat.

Anyway, I explained to the postie that I thought I was pretty obvious, what with the bright red panniers and flags etc, but he said I should definitely have some high vis all down the back of the bike (although no idea how I could fix it on).

I was unable to find out from him, before some traffic came and we had to move on, whether he had actually driven behind me at all ever, or whether he was just assuming I'm hard to see.

Anyone who's cycled with me got an opinion? It did make me think, but I have always assumed (given I'm given such a wide berth) that I'm dead obvious in the road!

 

[gbb]

Indivual peoples vision may come into it...i know when i see blue or red cycling tops in the distance, they 'blend' into the surroundings very easily. The red surprises me ! but it just does'nt jump out at me from a distance.

 

[Globalti]

Posties don't even seem to be able to see the edges of kerbs so I would take his comment with a pinch of salt.

 

[Fnaar]

... and they "do not bend" in their arguments

 

[rich p]

He may well be wrong and I'm sure you don't agree but visibilty and vulnerability is one of the reasons I hope I never have to ride a recumbent.

 

[marinyork]

I expect they were just spooked at seeing a recumbent.

 

[Arch]

He may well be wrong and I'm sure you don't agree but visibilty and vulnerability is one of the reasons I hope I never have to ride a recumbent.

I get far more room and notice on my trike than I ever do on my bike. And as for not being seen, sometimes, you wish people wouldn't notice you, and let you get on in peace and stop asking stupid questions like 'is it comfortable?'

Auntie Helen, I think that postie was either blind, or making the kind of assumption people make when they've never ridden one. How did he see you to tell you you were invisible?

If you have pair of bright red panniers on, and flags, you already have greater visibility than a lot of upright cyclists in muted clothing.

I suspect he drifted off a bit, noticed you suddenly and was trying to justify to himself that he wasn't a bad driver. If you'd been on an upright, in hi-vis, he'd have been stumped for something to say.

 

[John the Monkey]

He may well be wrong and I'm sure you don't agree but visibilty and vulnerability is one of the reasons I hope I never have to ride a recumbent.

I've said it before, but recumbents have a certain WTF!!!??!?!? factor that makes them very hi-vis indeed.

I see one in Manchester about twice a year, and drivers give it so much room, it's as though they think of it as a tiny predator ready to eat them and their car if they pass too close.

 

[Arch]

I've said it before, but recumbents have a certain WTF!!!??!?!? factor that makes them very hi-vis indeed.

I see one in Manchester about twice a year, and drivers give it so much room, it's as though they think of it as a tiny predator ready to eat them and their car if they pass too close.

With trikes, I reckon it's the knowledge that instead of nice soft shoulder, the widest part is a nice scratchy wheel hub....

 

[Auntie Helen]

The most weird thing was that he approached me from in front - where my High-vis is so obvious. He said that I was really easy to see from the front, but that from the back was a different story. But I had no idea if he'd ever seen me from the back. It was most odd!

 

[magnatom]

Is it possible that he fancied you and just wanted an excuse for a chat?

 

[Chuffy]

From what you describe it seems as if he was trying to be friendly and helpful. It’s a shame you didn’t get longer to talk to him.

It sometimes seems that we, collectively, are very quick to simply dismiss anything that one of the ‘other lot’ say if it doesn’t fit with what we perceive as being correct...

 

[grhm]

I think he might have just *assumed* your not visible from behind - if you see him again, see if you can stop and ask him.

Some people just seem to think that you must have a solid hi-viz area to fore and aft on anything that's not a car or bigger. It's because they don't think a tiny ickle bike is visible (probably because they don't pay enough attention themselves).

Being bright and visible helps, but it's not going to stop everything.

I can't offer an opinion of your visibility - I think I've only ever seen one (two-wheeled) bent rider round here and only ever when I'm on my bike. I've never seen a bent when in the car, so have no idea how visible or otherwise they appear at motoring speeds.

EDIT: Actually I have seen a bent whilst in the car, in Cambs when I lived there for a bit - but it was during winter, always dark evening commutes and he had more lights on the back than strictly necessary. I'd guess at 8+ solid and flashing LED lights on bike and panniers.

 

[Tony B]

Perhaps he is colour blind and can't make out the colour Red. I know hes a postie, but you never know nowadays.

 

[Yellow Fang]

Today as I was cycling home from Uni a postman in a transit van flashed at me and wound down his window, so I pulled over for a chat (quiet road).

Sorry to bring the tone down, but my initial reaction was why did you stop to chat to him.