Invisible cyclists

[Cycling Dan]

http://cloudappreciationsociety.org/

Was a sarky joke lol. Some clouds do look nice but its nowhere near the top of things to look at when in a car or on my bike.

 

[theclaud]

The so-called research is by a User Experience consultant called "Bunnyfoot", FFS.

Dr Ian Walker, a traffic psychologist at the University of Bath, said:
"I have various questions about the methods. Most critically, it appears that the measure taken is whether or not other road users were fixated in a driver's central vision. However, I don't think this is a good measure of whether or not the driver was aware of those other road users. Road users who are behaving as a driver expects them to will often not be fixated in the centre of the driver's vision - but this does not necessarily mean the driver is unaware of that road user or that the road user is in any way "invisible" or at greater risk. It would be no surprise at all to me that pedestrians stepping out into the road are fixed in central vision more than, say, a cyclist riding down the road - that's probably just a sign of the pedestrian being far more unexpected in that context, rather than their being more visible or safer."

 

[Davidc]

I wonder what difference a powerful rear light makes.

Not at your level, but day and night, front and back.

I don't know, but it's not going to reduce the likelihood of being seen is it?

 

[markharry66]

Just an excuse for bad driving looking helps, driving safely helps even more.

 

[BalkanExpress]

The so-called research is by a User Experience consultant called "Bunnyfoot", FFS.

Dr Ian Walker, a traffic psychologist at the University of Bath, said:
"I have various questions about the methods. Most critically, it appears that the measure taken is whether or not other road users were fixated in a driver's central vision. However, I don't think this is a good measure of whether or not the driver was aware of those other road users. Road users who are behaving as a driver expects them to will often not be fixated in the centre of the driver's vision - but this does not necessarily mean the driver is unaware of that road user or that the road user is in any way "invisible" or at greater risk. It would be no surprise at all to me that pedestrians stepping out into the road are fixed in central vision more than, say, a cyclist riding down the road - that's probably just a sign of the pedestrian being far more unexpected in that context, rather than their being more visible or safer."

If Dr Ian "slap a blond wig on my head and cars give me a wide berth" Walker says the methodology is shonky it must be dodgy as hell

 

[Pat "5mph"]

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

Good for you, you got more lights than me
Be avare, nevertheless, of the blind drivers: one looked at me this morning, promptly started to pull out of the junction. Broad daylight, nobody else on that road apart from me on my bike

 

[RussellZero]

The so-called research is by a User Experience consultant called "Bunnyfoot", FFS.

Dr Ian Walker, a traffic psychologist at the University of Bath, said:
"I have various questions about the methods. Most critically, it appears that the measure taken is whether or not other road users were fixated in a driver's central vision. However, I don't think this is a good measure of whether or not the driver was aware of those other road users. Road users who are behaving as a driver expects them to will often not be fixated in the centre of the driver's vision - but this does not necessarily mean the driver is unaware of that road user or that the road user is in any way "invisible" or at greater risk. It would be no surprise at all to me that pedestrians stepping out into the road are fixed in central vision more than, say, a cyclist riding down the road - that's probably just a sign of the pedestrian being far more unexpected in that context, rather than their being more visible or safer."

I was going to make this point, human eyes pick up movement far better with the periphery vision than your direct focus. The experiment is flawed in my opinion. I'd probably be focusing more on bikes than those drivers not because I'm more aware, but because I'd be trying to see what make/model/etc it was!

 

[Nigeyy]

Well, I don't think it takes a study to validate humans can get distracted and look in the wrong places or look but don't necessarily see.......

To be fair, I do think it's easy to overlook a cyclist -or even another vehicle. I think everyone here must have had an experience where they've missed something and thought "how did I do that?". It's only human (let's be honest, people make mistakes, and I understand that; but it's when they consciously do unnecessary things that will reduce their ability to observe and react i.e. texting, talking on a phone, changing or adjusting a radio, watching a video, etc while driving that I refuse to understand). This also makes me think of this video which was posted some time ago I think:


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJG698U2Mvo


I remember once near Lincoln many years ago where there was a car full of us, and my friend nearly pulled out of junction flattening a cyclist. He'd looked right, then left, then right sort of thing, and he just missed the cyclist (we'd thought he'd seen him) -my best guess was the first time the pillar obscured his view, the second time the cyclist was almost directly in front of him, and not to his right, so his brain didn't expect anything in front of him when he was sweeping his head to the right. In the split second he lurched forward all of us shouted at him to stop...... I do believe my friend was paying attention too.

 

[Boris Bajic]

I saw that video on a training course (Robust Strategic Implementation of Achivables Going Forward, or similar) many years ago.

I was one of the half of the delegates who failed to see the ape. I even thought the second viewing was a different tape....

Bizarrely, the next day I was playing basketball in the jungle and a gorilla ran right through the game. had I not seen the training video, I would have missed it.

The first two sentences of this post are true. The third is a fib.

Carry on.

 

[dondare]

I have noticed that cyclists in cycle-lanes are invisible. Pedestrians crossing the road don't see them, motorists don't see them and even I don't always see them even though I'm looking.

 

[ufkacbln]

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.

It isn't any easier to see, but presents a bigger threat therefore is more likely to register.

 

[Boris Bajic]

I've been trying to count invisible cyclists since this thread emerged.

I have yet to see a single one.

What am I doing wrong?

 

[GrasB]

I have noticed that cyclists in cycle-lanes are invisible. Pedestrians crossing the road don't see them, motorists don't see them and even I don't always see them even though I'm looking.

The key to great observation isn't looking for objects it's looking for changes. A change means something & it's the changes that become important. My fav one was 'object behind fence into road' as I did an emergency stop, half a second latter a ball followed by a young boy came flying out from behind a fence & car. OH's reply "How the **** did you see that?", my reply "movement in that window (pointing to a car the other side of the road) & shadow in the bushes".

Two interesting points to make on my comment, first is I used the word ''object", not boy or ball but object. Also I say is "into road". I'm not looking for particular things, I'm looking for changes & movement. In this case I'd used a reflection & shadow to identify something was about to enter the road space, I was only concerned about the movement & potential outcome not the details.

 

[Slaav]

The key to great observation isn't looking for objects it's looking for changes. A change means something & it's the changes that become important. My fav one was 'object behind fence into road' as I did an emergency stop, half a second latter a ball followed by a young boy came flying out from behind a fence & car. OH's reply "How the **** did you see that?", my reply "movement in that window (pointing to a car the other side of the road) & shadow in the bushes".

Two interesting points to make on my comment, first is I used the word ''object", not boy or ball but object. Also I say is "into road". I'm not looking for particular things, I'm looking for changes & movement. In this case I'd used a reflection & shadow to identify something was about to enter the road space, I was only concerned about the movement & potential outcome not the details.

Unfortunately you have hit the nail on the head with 'movement' or change.

Without dragging this off on a complete tangent, stealth in war game scenarios and paint ball games is key often. If you creep up, sit tight, move a little, sit tight etc, it is quite easy to get very close without being spotted.

On a motorbike, your movement is generally much more obvious; a cursory glance right at a fast moving object and it would generally get spotted - a slow moving one, not. Unfortunately that is IMHO fact....

So - ride more and get faster

Hope that helps?

 

[buggi]

i was recently talking to a cycle trainer. he gets his trainees to draw a man on a bike. they all draw it side on. he then draws it face on and tells them to think about why drivers don't see cyclists. they are not tuned in to what they should be looking for.