Newbie warning: Low Sun.

[Alex321]

I had the glare problem yesterday evening when cycling back to my sister's house at 18:15. It got so bad that I had to ride one-handed and use my left hand to shield my eyes. It could have been a bit iffy on the narrow lanes if there had been cars about but fortunately the roads were quiet at that time.

My cycling helmet has a peak visor but it is not long enough to be much use. I had to tilt my head so far forwards to cut the sun out that I ended up staring at my front wheel!

That is what I was finding a week or two ago, until I managed to find a baseball type cap that I now wear under my cycling helmet. Makes a huge difference as the peak is so much further forward.

 

[mjr]

That is what I was finding a week or two ago, until I managed to find a baseball type cap that I now wear under my cycling helmet. Makes a huge difference as the peak is so much further forward.

I trust your helmet maker allows for such things, unlike Spesh and others who specifically warn against it.

 

[Slick]

It’s easy to blame white van man, but having been on the A64 heading east to Scarborough, near Malton Nth Yorks, as the sun was coming up, and at the time the glare filled the whole horizon, nobody could see anything, the three vehicles in front of me ran into each other because the first one braked, then the other two hit each other, I had some decent polarised sunglasses perched on my head as I’d twigged what was coming, I just about managed to avoid being number 4 in that collision as I managed to glimpse the wreckage and miss it by centimetres, the glare was so bad that the Police actually closed the road until the sun cleared the road and got higher in the sky later on in the morning

Its easy to blame White Van Man because it was 100% his fault. Who in their right mind thinks its perfectly OK to continue when they can't see? Stopping is an option you know.

 

[mjr]

You acknowledge, I think, that there is probably an attention-grabbing benefit. In the context of a lone rider sporting a flashing rear light (I prefer one which is a variable frequency flash), I'd be keen that the attention of a driver behind behind me is grabbed and if they can't immediately "identify the light's exact position [easily]" I think they are more likely to look for me than just drive along in SMIDSY mode.

I don't think we've any evidence that's more likely than "oh a bike, don't need to worry about that".

Variable frequency flash is currently illegal on UK roads (correctly IMO) and I don't recall it being legal anywhere. If there is an incident, it may be a very big gift to the motorist (or their insurers).

I think I've mentioned elsewhere if not yet in this thread that I'm not convinced SMIDSY happens half as much as it's said. It's often just something motorists say afterwards, clutching at straws to justify their carelessness.

 

[DRM]

Its easy to blame White Van Man because it was 100% his fault. Who in their right mind thinks its perfectly OK to continue when they can't see? Stopping is an option you know.

See what I posted, stopping, in my instance caused a 3 car pile up, on a national speed limit dual carriageway

 

[Ajax Bay]

Variable frequency flash is currently illegal on UK roads (correctly IMO) and I don't recall it being legal anywhere

Was not aware of that. Ref? I thought the legal requirement was that a flashing light had to be capable of a steady light. In other countries is it illegal or just not illegal (AKA legal)?
@DRM yes dodgy 'stopping' on a main road, but a prompt and steady reduction in speed (gentle braking to flash up brake lights) is the policy if the glare makes driving safely difficult, keeping an eagle eye for anything (car/cyclist/pedestrian) immediately ahead.

 

[DRM]

If that was true, then motorists must stop until the glare clears, as required by their driving licence and summarised in the highway code. Driving blind is never legal or acceptable. It's easy to blame the white van man in that case because he did wrong!

When blinded it’s damned if you do, damned if you don’t, either way can cause a pile up, oh and as I also posted the glare was so bad the Police closed the road until the sun was higher, and further away from that particular stretch of road

 

[Alex321]

Was not aware of that. Ref? I thought the legal requirement was that a flashing light had to be capable of a steady light. In other countries is it illegal or just not illegal (AKA legal)?
@DRM yes dodgy 'stopping' on a main road, but a prompt and steady reduction in speed (gentle braking to flash up brake lights) is the policy if the glare makes driving safely difficult, keeping an eagle eye for anything (car/cyclist/pedestrian) immediately ahead.

Schedules 2 & 10 of the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 (As amended 2005).

Schedule 10 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/1796/schedule/10
Says (about rear position lights)
"
(b) In the case of a rear position lamp capable of emitting a flashing light which is fitted to—
(i)a pedal cycle; or
(ii)a trailer drawn by, or a sidecar attached to, a pedal cycle
the light shown by the lamp when flashing shall be displayed not less than 60 nor more than 240 equal times per minute and the intervals between each display of light shall be constant."

Schedule 2 says the same thing about front lights.

 

[Slick]

See what I posted, stopping, in my instance caused a 3 car pile up, on a national speed limit dual carriageway

I saw what you posted but reacted to the comment about the driver who killed the wholly innocent young father cycling to work.