Mist and fog tactics to be seen?

[biggs682]

i use a hi viz with built in flashing leds front & back then normal lights

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

last time I cycled in dense fog, my husband came to 'collect' me. After he drove passed me and pulled over, he actually stated I was more visible than most of the cars were simply because of my rear light. It was reflecting/bouncing its flashing light off the water droplets in the air and highlighting much more of them than any of the cars' lights were on the unlit road I was on at the time. I have a cateye TL-LD1100 rear light and only had a single strip on flashing (it is a dual strip light). I was also wearing my normal hi-viz dhb waterproof top as well.

What we have found (on tour) is that putting a workman's hi-viz top over your waterproof (if breathable) kills the waterproof superbly - in that it can't now breath and you get very wet. Better to get something with plenty of built in hi-viz or find some other way of attaching hi-viz/reflectives to you or your bike.

I've noticed the way that the builders waistcoat stops the waterproof working. I think I'll just invest in some ridiculously powerful lights and run them on low unless in fog.

The Hope vision 4 and rear District was amazing and the customer after sales service is second to none.

That said tho, I do like the C and B seen products and are a fraction of the cost of Hope lights.

 

[ComedyPilot]

Very powerful lights front and rear.

I wear black with reflective strips.

Fog is a thick cloud of water droplets suspended in the atmosphere at or near the earth's surface and is light coloured - black contrasts it perfectly - white/dayglo blends in IMO

 

[DrLex]

[...] Better to get something with plenty of built in hi-viz or find some other way of attaching hi-viz/reflectives to you or your bike.

I use a reflective Sam Browne in dark or poor visibility conditions - works well, according to colleagues who spot me on the commute.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I use a reflective Sam Browne in dark or poor visibility conditions - works well, according to colleagues who spot me on the commute.

mine's black and white houndstooth check.

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

Forgot about Sam Browne belts....yippee.

 

[ComedyPilot]

Oh, while I am in rant mode - if the media seem obsessed with making cyclists wear bob the builder hi-viz vests, then EVERY SINGLE driver involved in the recent fog crash down south should be forced to paint their vehicles day-glo

 

[andrew_s]

I use red waterproofs, a Smart 1W rear light, and an Edelux (much the same as a B+M Cyo 60).

If it's daylight I might tip the Ededlux up a little so the top of the beam reaches eye level, and the Smart will be on flash.

If it's dark, the German-legal lights with the horizontal cut-off are vastly better than something like a Magicshine or XML-T6 where the backscatter off the fog is so bright you can't see even if the fog isn't all that thick.

 

[DCLane]

In fog/winter bad weather I resort to a hi-viz backpack cover and double rear lights.

The commuter's got 2xfront & 2xrear anyway, so that's OK with me.

 

[DrLex]

mine's black and white houndstooth check.

Very natty, dear fellow! Baker's Boy cap at a rakish angle to set off the whole ensemble?

;-)

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Oh, while I am in rant mode - if the media seem obsessed with making cyclists wear bob the builder hi-viz vests, then EVERY SINGLE driver involved in the recent fog crash down south should be forced to paint their vehicles day-glo

perhaps those of us who ride unlit national speed limit roads routinely prefer to stay alive. having been hit once and 'gotten' away with it (I'm still here) I prefer to make myself visible to drivers whose attention is not on the roads/me or anything else and would rather be texting/talking/read a newspaper etc whilst driving than considering the life of a cyclist as more important. (I used to teach advanced level driving - I know exactly how bad drivers can be).

 

[ComedyPilot]

perhaps those of us who ride unlit national speed limit roads routinely prefer to stay alive. having been hit once and 'gotten' away with it (I'm still here) I prefer to make myself visible to drivers whose attention is not on the roads/me or anything else and would rather be texting/talking/read a newspaper etc whilst driving than considering the life of a cyclist as more important. (I used to teach advanced level driving - I know exactly how bad drivers can be).

If the driver isn't even looking, then no amount of H&S bullshit will save a cyclist.

I ride with the view that EVERY driver hasn't seen me, and is likely to hit me.

I have avoided being hit on a number of occasions - the drivers took zero avoiding action.

A good mirror, and plenty of shoulder checks keeps me safe - and 90-95% of my riding is on unlit NSL roads.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

If the driver isn't even looking, then no amount of H&S bulls*** will save a cyclist.

I ride with the view that EVERY driver hasn't seen me, and is likely to hit me.

I have avoided being hit on a number of occasions - the drivers took zero avoiding action.

A good mirror, and plenty of shoulder checks keeps me safe - and 90-95% of my riding is on unlit NSL roads.

I don't hack the H&S crap, never have done, never will. people need some degree of common sense, but when it comes to riding in fog, then if there is a chance it can catch any drivers' attention and could help, it is IMO worth trying in foggy conditions and like you, most/if not all of my cycling is on unlit NSL roads because I live rurally.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

If the driver isn't even looking, then no amount of H&S bulls*** will save a cyclist.

I ride with the view that EVERY driver hasn't seen me, and is likely to hit me.

I have avoided being hit on a number of occasions - the drivers took zero avoiding action.

A good mirror, and plenty of shoulder checks keeps me safe - and 90-95% of my riding is on unlit NSL roads.

How so? Your actions don't affect the bad driver's inaction surely?

 

[2Loose]

I wont forget catching someone in the last morning fog we had, she was wearing bright yellow and had a decent rear light (Smart R1) - I saw her from fifty meters, but her light from closer to twenty. I guess the fog diffused quite a lot, but it did influence my autumn\winter jersey purchase - lime anyone?