Newbie warning: Low Sun.

[MichaelW2]

Newbies! Commuting at this time of year carries added dangers. If your commute is on an East-West axis, chances are that you may find yourself riding into a low sun. Drivers behind will have hard time spotting you. The situation is even worse when the road is wet and reflective. Lights and hi-viz cannot compete with nuclear fusion.
What can you do?
Identify any high risk stretches of road.
Time your ride to avoid riding into a low sun.
Find alternate routes.

Once darkness hits later in the year, it actually becomes much safer.

 

[Venod]

Good advice, it was a low sun to blame for my broken shoulder last December, I was heading North West with the sun behind me a car pulled out of the traffic heading South East to overtake, I was left with nowhere to go to avoid a collision and was lucky to get away with a broken shoulder and a damaged leg, he said he never saw me because of the sun.

 

[summerdays]

And use a rear light in day time.

 

[summerdays]

This was my view last winter one morning when I was having trouble seeing as the light was being reflected up from the damp road too. I choose the narrow, unsuitable cycle path on this occasion.

 

[Stephen Piper]

Great advice. On hearing a car approaching from behind I have pulled off the road as a precaution in such light conditions.

 

[cyberknight]

Not an issue at 6 am
Sound advice though .

 

[Lonestar]

Trouble looking behind today...sun in my eyes.

 

[fossyant]

I saw two accidents at the same spot a few years ago - both low sun only a few days apart.

 

[Lonestar]

This can lead to SMIDSY's on junctions.Obviously.

 

[mjr]

And use a rear light in day time.

Please don't. It can't compete with the sun unless it's also dazzling and dazzling lights are dangerous and illegal.

It's worth learning how to do an emergency turn if you haven't already, plus wear black (not sun like yellow) and sit up and try to make yourself cast a larger shadow.

Try to find quieter or safer routes or vary the time if reasonable, but if you've got to go east or west, you've got to go...

 

[mjr]

Good advice, it was a low sun to blame for my broken shoulder last December, […] he said he never saw me because of the sun.

Sounds like an incompetent driver's to blame, really. I hope he's banned from driving as that could have been much worse.

 

[ColinJ]

Definitely some low sun dazzling issues coming back from today's ride between about 17:30 and 18:00. I was struggling and a couple of drivers seemed to be too ...

The other (related) problem was when doing a fast descent of the Keighley Road from Pecket Well to Hebden Bridge. That stretch of road is wooded and the low evening sun shining through the trees on the western side of the road was acting like the world's most powerful stroboscope. I don't think I have any particular sensitivity to flashing lights but it was too much for me so I slowed down.

 

[Venod]

Sounds like an incompetent driver's to blame, really. I hope he's banned from driving as that could have been much worse.

He was charged with driving without due care and attention, I don't know the outcome, I could find out by contacting the PC who attended the accident.

 

[Blurb]

plus wear black (not sun like yellow)

Will it make any noticeable difference what colour you are wearing if you are silhouetted by the sun?
I prefer to wear bright colours as much as possible because it's just more noticeable (in my mostly urban riding), and in the "silhouette" situation it doesn't make any real difference in my opinion. Now if I regularly rode through fields of sunflowers I might switch out some of my yellow gear :-)
I'll keep in mind the "sit up" suggestion though .

 

[summerdays]

Please don't. It can't compete with the sun unless it's also dazzling and dazzling lights are dangerous and illegal.

It's worth learning how to do an emergency turn if you haven't already, plus wear black (not sun like yellow) and sit up and try to make yourself cast a larger shadow.

Try to find quieter or safer routes or vary the time if reasonable, but if you've got to go east or west, you've got to go...

How is doing an emergency turn going to stop a car hitting you from behind? That's my main concern in these conditions.... I can watch for the car not seeing me at a junction and be prepared. If you look at the photos the only thing that is showing up other than silhouettes are the car rear lights so why can't I also have a rear light on too? Cars drivers are looking out for red lights. They won't notice a shadow...!! And what you wear is immaterial!