When I'm out on my bike (03:30-05:30), sometimes it's dark but I've always got my lights on. Every now and then I see a runner, he runs on the road running towards traffic, the road I see him on is a busy one but in the early hours there are very few cars. Sometimes I don't see him until the last few seconds and I move around him, but who should move out of the way? Me or him? Should it be me who moves out of the way or him who can jump onto the pavement or even move further into the road?
as with every moving conflict on road or elsewhere, the more powerful or powered element should cede to the most vulnerable. bikes to peds, cars to bikes, powered boats to sail......
to be a bit devils advocate: if you said on here you were driving a car in the dark and didn't see a cyclist until avoiding them in the last few seconds, there are some who would castigate you viciously for your inadequate driving style & lighting and claim the the poor innocent cyclist (runner) is blameless and allowed to be as irresponsibly unlit or unreflective as they like.
The smug 'yes but you still saw him' schtick that we always get in unlit cyclist threads notwithstanding, last minute avoiding manoeuvres scream that one/both of you have got something going wrong.
What lights do you have? and even though you seem to now be half expecting this guy, you still don't see him until the last moment: Genuine question for your own safety, do you think with the set up you have that you'd avoid a wandering dog or cat or fox or shovel that falls off a truck or a tree branch that falls down or some idiot thinks it is funny to put in the carriageway or......... if you don't see a semi regularly encountered, fully grown human being until the last moment?
maybe as a fellow vulnerable road user you could have a friendly word next time you see him and make him aware how difficult he is to spot for you and that if the worst comes to the worst one or both of you could end up getting badly hurt or he could be ploughed down by another road user not expecting him. I've got free giveaway reflective slap bands coming out of my ears, if you want to send me your address, I'll post you a few and you can hand them over to him. My dogs have blinky LED reflective collars for dark walks and they stay on there lead. I have emergency lights that cost me a few quid from Tesco, I'm no fan of the grey H builders vest reflective things but at that time in the morning at this time of year its better than a trip to hospital. IMO he's got no credible excuse to be playing fast and loose with your safety or his own.
