Dopey driver, hope the cylist's on the mend
- Thread starter Mazz
- Start date
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figbat
Former slippery scientist
- Location
- South Oxfordshire, UK
I agree there is a ‘look but didn’t see’ factor, as well as the ‘didn’t even look’ or ‘was fiddling with something trivial’, but could there also be a design factor - ‘hidden by the A-pillar’?.
Just the other day I had to intervene as my daughter approached a roundabout and was about to enter it despite there being a car to her right. Her approach angle and speed had caused the other car to be hidden by the A-pillar. I advise her to always ‘clear the pillar’ by moving her head to see around it. Modern cars have large pillars and mirror housings that can fully hide a vehicle, let alone a cyclist.
Just the other day I had to intervene as my daughter approached a roundabout and was about to enter it despite there being a car to her right. Her approach angle and speed had caused the other car to be hidden by the A-pillar. I advise her to always ‘clear the pillar’ by moving her head to see around it. Modern cars have large pillars and mirror housings that can fully hide a vehicle, let alone a cyclist.
cyberknight
As long as I breathe, I attack.
- Location
- Land of confusion
edited for accuracy
briantrumpet
Legendary Member
- Location
- Devon & Die
I saw this monstrosity on Bluesky, and wondered if they could actually see a bus from inside. Windows appear to be an optional extra.
Alex321
Guru
- Location
- South Wales
You have to remember, it will have a battery basically taking up most of the floorpan, so the seats will be significantly higher than in a regular ICE car. The winsows only look small because there is so much space below them.
No, the battery doesn't make the seats in an Escalade IQ higher
; in fact, its placement on the flat floor of the EV platform creates more interior space, especially in the second row. While the third row can feel lower due to the battery pack, this design maximizes legroom and comfort in the other rows.
- Second-row: Thanks to the EV platform and flat floor, the second row has more space and a more comfortable seating position compared to the gas version.
- Third-row: The third row is the most affected by the battery pack's placement. Passengers in the back might find the seat height lower and their knees pushed up, as the battery is directly underneath.
- Overall: The battery pack is a structural part of the vehicle's floor, enabling the flat floor design that generally increases interior space and comfort
Alex321
Guru
- Location
- South Wales
I think it does.
That doesn't contradict the seats being higher.
There is more space mainly because there is no transmission tunnel running down the middle of the vehicle.
I would be pretty sure thaht the seats are high enough to give plenty of visibility through those windows.
DRM
Guru
- Location
- West Yorks
And twice already this week, I've seen parcel couriers driving old VW Passat estates rammed with parcels from the tailgate to the passenger side dash board, right up to the headlining, the only windows the driver could see out of was the drivers side door window & windscreen, every other piece of glass was blocked by parcels
- Location
- Glasgow
This happened to me today: a driver coming out of a side street.
My work's entrance, actually, but I came out of the back carpark, so I was already cycling on the main road.
Due to temporary traffic lights on red way behind, the road was empty apart from me on it, bike lights on, reflectives, it was 2pm, not even dark.
The driver looks right for a bit, wanting to turn left: they completely did not see me: had I not swerved into the next lane they would have driven into me.
Had there been traffic I would have been squashed!
Only if there's no traffic behind you or in the next lane!
briantrumpet
Legendary Member
- Location
- Devon & Die
It happened to me too, in broad daylight, when I was about 14, on the Downs in Bristol. I saw him look 'at' me, then he pulled out, knocking me (thankfully) fairly gently onto the road (no helmet in those days, obvs). He was really shocked at what he'd done, apologised profusely, offered to pay for repairs to the bike (I think only the mudguard was bent), took me and bike back to my home, where mum recalled he was shaking.
All the most serious accidents (involving cars) of people I know well have been when the cyclist has been on the main road and the driver hasn't seen them when joining from a side road.
- Location
- Glasgow
Well, as I said the driver was coming out of a side road that has an entrance to my work place: I work in a hospital, really do hope the driver wasn't staff!
briantrumpet
Legendary Member
- Location
- Devon & Die
Well, here's the cockpit view from the driver's perspective: sitting in a drive, see how little of the road he's turning into he can see straight ahead or to the right.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fi24Xo3UsdQ
Alex321
Guru
- Location
- South Wales
That doesn't look the greatest - though that is the petrol version.
The driver is high enough to be able to see out of the windows, but as you say, visibility to the passenger side is definitely a bit limited.
The driver is high enough to be able to see out of the windows, but as you say, visibility to the passenger side is definitely a bit limited.
Indeed, my driver was running late to pick up his daughter !
A motorcycle instructor told me that very thing. Someone can literally not see you. Spooked me tbh. It's why I will sometimes weave a little approaching a junction, just to disturb the waiting driver's plane of perception. Kinda like shouting 'hey, I'm here'
On a (push) bike, it's still an issue (ever seen a pedestrian looking through/past you?) but you at least have more time to react/stop if needed.
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