Mr Taxi Driver - the Fashion Police

[snapper_37]

Nearly got taken out today by a taxi turning right out of a road I was passing to my left. I had a feeling he wasn't going to wait so slowed down, kept eye contact and basically pulled around his bonnet. It wasn't until I had stopped right in front of him that I think he noticed I was there.

I shouted, 'Bloody hell mate, are you blind?'. His reply 'Well what do you expect when you're wearing f*cking black?'

Mmmm let's see. 1 blackburn on my back pack, 1 cateye on the seat post, 1 blackburn flea on the front, 1 pair of altura night vision trousers.

Is it me? Should I be wearing some kind of glow-in-the-dark effect outfit to assist these numpties.

 

[Trevrev]

Nearly got taken out today by a taxi turning right out of a road I was passing to my left. I had a feeling he wasn't going to wait so slowed down, kept eye contact and basically pulled around his bonnet. It wasn't until I had stopped right in front of him that I think he noticed I was there.

The very same thing happened to me on the way home from work last night! Taxi drivers eh!!!!

 

[Brommie77]

Taxi drivers should have to take compulsary cycle awareness training - regularly - I appreciate that their job is to drive all the time, and they have to put up with bad traffic, but their attittude stinks, and they are not afraid to push road users out of the way - car or bikes.

The number of near misses I have near the station purely due to taxi drivers pushing past at pinch points because they cant wait a second more.

 

[jmaccyd]

Nearly got taken out today by a taxi turning right out of a road I was passing to my left. I had a feeling he wasn't going to wait so slowed down, kept eye contact and basically pulled around his bonnet. It wasn't until I had stopped right in front of him that I think he noticed I was there.

I shouted, 'Bloody hell mate, are you blind?'. His reply 'Well what do you expect when you're wearing f*cking black?'

Mmmm let's see. 1 blackburn on my back pack, 1 cateye on the seat post, 1 blackburn flea on the front, 1 pair of altura night vision trousers.

Is it me? Should I be wearing some kind of glow-in-the-dark effect outfit to assist these numpties.

You do seem to be well illuminated. I think the latest research show that luminous ankle/wrist bands are actually the most effective for catching the attention of other road users rather than the full on North Sea survival suit look. However, the HUGE number of cyclists that do not light up correctly, dress in black and then wander round like the Force is on their side is shocking.

I must admit to pulling out across a cyclist recently, despite looking, who was reasonably well light up. But his lights where swamped by the much brighter lights of (car) traffic behind him, it was an inky black morning and maybe I was just not as alert as I would normally be. Sorry about that to the cyclist involved who had sensed (as you do when you are on a bike) that I had not seen him. The best will in the world it can and will happen.

My advice for what it is worth, is luminous ankle/wrist bands, a steady and blinking light front and back. Oh, and watch out early and on those inky black mornings and don't assume that because you are well illuminated that you WILL be seen. Hell, people pull out on two tonnes of London cab with main beam on some mornings that they have not seen.

 

[fossyant]

1 Blackburn Flea on the front - is that it ? Night vision stuff is no good if his lights aren't shining at you.

I'd upgrade the front lights if I were you.

PS they still won't see you.

 

[Piemaster]

You do seem to be well illuminated. I think the latest research show that luminous ankle/wrist bands are actually the most effective for catching the attention of other road users rather than the full on North Sea survival suit look. However, the HUGE number of cyclists that do not light up correctly, dress in black and then wander round like the Force is on their side is shocking.

I'm tempted to have a go and let you know how I get on once I get back to work. I reckon I'll get noticed in a "don't look and catch the loonys eye" way but it will be a bit boil-in-the-bag. Pedalling and holding the bars may be tricky.

 

[snapper_37]

1 Blackburn Flea on the front - is that it ?

I thought the flea was a decent light tbh. Thanks for the advice.

 

[Moodyman]

I'm going to irk a few people on here, but when I'm driving, I find cyclists who wear reflectives with big Scotchlite tapes a lot more visible than those with lights alone.

In a urban environment there are many lights (cars, street lights, shops) and a cyclists light (no matter how good), gets lost in their environment.

There isn’t much else that mirrors a builder’s waistcoat.

And, yes that taxi driver should be paying more attention

 

[fossyant]

I thought the flea was a decent light tbh. Thanks for the advice.

It's a backup light.

You need something with more punch to stand out. I have a Knog Toad, which is far brighter than a Flea, but it's just a backup flasher - I wouldn't rely on it in traffic. Don't forget you are competing with an awful lot of light 'pollution' on the roads - and you need to stand out.

To moodyman - reflective's won't help if you are off to the side of a car as the headlights won't be bouncing back. Great if you are infront of a car, useless if off to the side. (I was doing a 'personal safety' badge with Beavers last night and we proved that reflectives are no good if there are no light sources bouncing off them - even 6 year olds can get that !).

 

[HLaB]

I've taken to wearing a Hi Viz on top of my Black jacket, not because its effective but I don't want to give prates that excuse.

If black was that bad; it would be banned altogether for everyone; maybe that wouldn't be a bad thing with all the black cabs out there!

 

[skudupnorth]

It must be the more lit up you are the more they do not see you ! I finally got my Niteriders back from repair and they are super bright for road use but since i put them on last night i have had two left hooks Might strobe tonight,that gets the buggers attention !
Or better still lets go Ninja,they never get run over !

 

[400bhp]

I shouted, 'Bloody hell mate, are you blind?'. His reply 'Well what do you expect when you're wearing f*cking black?'

That reply, if given without a short to medium pause, sounds he did see you as he had time to realise what colour clothing you were wearing.

 

[HLaB]

Or better still lets go Ninja,they never get run over !

I've not heard anymore about the unfortunate Garry Mason but one of the reports was he was riding Ninja. I wouldn't always believe the reports though; a local baker was killed in the early morning (about 1am), the reports said similar, in fact the lying barsteward of a driver used that excuse in court. It turns out that the cyclist did have lights it was him driving on the wrong side of the road and speeding which caused the collision :-(

 

[skudupnorth]

I've not heard anymore about the unfortunate Garry Mason but one of the reports was he was riding Ninja. I wouldn't always believe the reports though; a local baker was killed in the early morning (about 1am), the reports said similar, in fact the lying barsteward of a driver used that excuse in court. It turns out that the cyclist did have lights it was him driving on the wrong side of the road and speeding which caused the collision :-(

Just makes my blood boil that no matter what we do to be seen we are always at fault Ahhhhhhhhh ! Yet this morning in the gloom i lost count how many Numb nuts in cars were driving with no lights !

 

[Skyfoil]

To moodyman - reflective's won't help if you are off to the side of a car as the headlights won't be bouncing back. Great if you are infront of a car, useless if off to the side. (I was doing a 'personal safety' badge with Beavers last night and we proved that reflectives are no good if there are no light sources bouncing off them - even 6 year olds can get that !).

I saw a commuter in Birmingham last week with a couple of cheap Cat-Eyes shining onto his Hi-Viz jacket. One was mounted backwards on his bar and the other was fixed to the rear of his pannier rack. I thought that was a good idea.