Invisible cyclists

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Davidc

Guru
Location
Somerset UK
Nothing new there then.
 
As davidc says: 'Im Westen nichts neues' or similar. The results are troubling but quite what one would expect. I imagine most road users venture out in the belief that their fellow travellers (?) will be as smitten or distracted by clouds and roadside fauna as they are themselves.

I find myself distracted sometimes while driving and also while cycling. We could all do with concentrating a little more. Any road user (pedestrian included) who takes to the roads after a drink or two is putting themselves and others at risk. I do not write this from a lofty moral position: I've taken calls while cycling and will probably continue to do so.

I recently taught my eldest to drive and am now working on the next one. It is revealing watching someone else acquire driving skills, even someone with years of road cycling behind them. A good game (whether the student is driver or passenger) is to get them to commentate on what they see that might affect their speed or direction. It is a revealing game (not least because they see a lot that I miss) and I am sure that it somehow heightens their awareness both as cyclists and (novice) drivers.

In this age of omnipresent, handheld, multimedia, distraction devices, I'm sure that concentration is being stretched to or beyond what the feeble human mind can manage.

Car design does not help. In my venerable 2cv, I had almost perfect 360-degree vision. In a new econobox hatchback, I see little over my left shoulder apart from the passenger headrest and the pillars. Not meant as excuse or mitigation, but car design has not made great leaps in this area. Or if it has, they have been leaps to the rear.
 

thefollen

Veteran
It's a tricky one. However conscientious with observation a driver is, it's easy to miss a cyclist. It's often down to unfortunate timing. When driving, I've never knocked anyone off or for that matter, had a cyclist shout at me. As a keen commuter and recreational cyclist myself I feel my awareness is high. However, there have been a couple of moments where I've almost pulled out of a junction into a cyclist's path… almost. Sometimes a bike can just 'pop out' on you. Being for the most part silent (assuming daylight) the only real cues to their presence are visual.

Saying this, if cyclists are in a driver's considerations they're more likely to spot them. Blatantly obvious (apologies), but if you're not looking for something it's far less likely you'll see it. Even when something is directly in front of you, and very apparent were you to look back with an alternate mindset- if the brain's looking for something else… nope.

Maybe the answer therefore is more awareness on the driver's part; accepting cyclists are legitimate road users, appreciating their vulnerability and ensuring they consciously look for them.

On the cyclist's part- they have the advantage when it comes to observation: greater field of view, no musical distractions (normally), no glass between them and the sounds of the road, the exposure even provides a better overall 'feel' of traffic. That's why I believe there's perhaps more onus on the cyclist to observe traffic/peds and anticipate potentially dangerous situations. Good to assume that occasionally a car won't spot you and cycle in a manner appropriate for that assumption. It's all common sense stuff. With experience I find you know when someone's (cyclist, ped or driver) going to do something silly from all the little cues, and a situation is usually avoidable.

Sorry for rattling on, just awaiting a brief :-)
 

Herr-B

Senior Member
Location
Keelby
I wonder what difference a powerful rear light makes.
No difference when they pull out in front of you.

And that was just drivers that had these eye-tracking thingys on, thus making them drive a bit more carefully than normal!
 

Fuzzball

Well-Known Member
I thought my visibility on bike was good.
Exposure front light, front light on helmet, back red light on seat post and on helmet and a hi vis pannier cover carried on right hand side of rack to encourage cars to give more distance. For me that was a fair effort, then I got knocked down on a roundabout by a car joining when I was already on it.
Now I have side lights on both wheels that are orange, a flashing red side light on frame. A reflector on rear mudguard, red light on pannier rack, red light on saddle bag, red light on rear of helmet. High vis yellow stickers on helmet, high vis mavic orange gillet, two front lights on handlebars, and one on helmet. Switched to two high vis and reflective pannier bags. Waterproofs are high vis and reflective. I have had no close calls in the new gear, the new bike is black but has reflective high vis decals.
It's side on visibility that concerned me the most after the accident.
I think both drivers and cyclists can do more
Everyone is capable of inattention while driving, I just try and give the driver the best chance to see me now
 

Jdratcliffe

Well-Known Member
Location
Redhill, Surrey
Sorry still trying to align these two phrases in my head
"... Blaming motorists seems like an easy option ..."
and
"... drivers focus their vision, which was often at clouds, buildings and passers-by ..."
It's just not working

this guy from the comments summed it up really
 

Cycling Dan

Cycle Crazy
How exactly is a motorbike easier to see than a cyclist. This personally makes no sense to me. We are about the same size and height what exactly makes them more seeable. Only thing I can think of is drivers look for motorbikes were as they don't care/don't put in the same effort to see cyclists.
 

Cycling Dan

Cycle Crazy
Also what the hell is so appealing about the clouds. Its the UK FFS they all look the same which is shoot as always.
 

Sara_H

Guru
Sorry still trying to align these two phrases in my head
"... Blaming motorists seems like an easy option ..."
and
"... drivers focus their vision, which was often at clouds, buildings and passers-by ..."
It's just not working

this guy from the comments summed it up really
For my part, I shall be having a vest made with the words "I am not a cloud" printed on it - I think that takes care of my share of the responsibility for drivers realising I'm not a cloud :angel:
 
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