Daytime Visibility

SachaJ

Got myself a bike on the BTW scheme last week and cycled to work two days this week so far. On three of the four journeys I've had cars pull across my path with this morning's lady going through a cross roads and missing me by a metre - I had slowed down at this stage as I knew she hadn't seen me. She gave me a big smile and a wave.

I was wearing a high viz top, white lid and white bike.

So what else can I do? I was thinking a ridiculously bright flashing white LED light on the front (flashing as they may see the movement rather than the actual light).

Any suggestions for such a light?

Chips Lovell

It doesn't matter what you're wearing, if a motorist doesn't look, they won't see you. Learning to anticipate these situations is a better tactic.

SachaJ

Oh she looked right at me this morning alright but didn't see me.

Lumen

Road position is critical.

Cookie_Monster

they're aiming for the ridiculous vest, crimes against fashion

langdang

SachaJ wrote: »

Oh she looked right at me this morning alright but didn't see me.

Usual advice is to make eye contact, if you don't make eye contact assume they didn't see you ("oh but the glasses make me look old, and I'm always losing them":rolleyes:)
Even with eye contact, certain types will still pull out in front of you. In my experience it's been the "PJ's in public and a chip on the shoulder" type.

SachaJ

Yeah I'm 13 years riding motorbikes so I have an inbuilt sense at this stage that I know when someone hasn't seen me. Never happened on the motorbike as I assume the headlight always on caught their eye.

Dermot Illogical

SachaJ wrote: »

Yeah I'm 13 years riding motorbikes so I have an inbuilt sense at this stage that I know when someone hasn't seen me. Never happened on the motorbike as I assume the headlight always on caught their eye.

You did well to go 13 years without achieving invisibility. Used to happen me on the motorbike all the time. I do believe some motorists have a visibility hierarchy. The more likely it is to harm them, the more likely they are to see it.

langdang

SachaJ wrote: »

Yeah I'm 13 years riding motorbikes so I have an inbuilt sense at this stage that I know when someone hasn't seen me. Never happened on the motorbike as I assume the headlight always on caught their eye.

You have some chance of morons recognising you as a valid road user on a motorbike, but there are certain types who just do not appreciate that right of way applies to pedal bikes too. They'll cut out in front of you, overtake you then immediately turn left, expect you to yield to leave them onto roundabouts. "but i'm in a car, they're only on a bike teehee?? what's the problem?"

langdang

RT66 wrote: »

I do believe some motorists have a visibility hierarchy. The more likely it is to harm them, the more likely they are to see it.

Spot on - right of way, rules of the road, common sense and general decency have nothing to do with it.

Some people are just generally incompetent too - "that person is on a bike they must be going slow" . They are just too slow on the uptake to figure out you're going twice the speed they think you are...

Tonyandthewhale

SachaJ wrote: »

I was wearing a high viz top, white lid and white bike.

Some research has shown that driver's are more likely to engage in risky behaviour around cyclists who wear a lot of high vis and safety gear because they see them as being less vunerable. You can't win either way.

As someone mentioned already, road position is key, be prepared to dominate the lane.

monkeyslayer

Yep eye contact, learn how to anticipate things better, watch the motorists too and not just the motor if you can, especially at junctions, its the only sure way to know they can see you. If not don't assume anything, just keep an eye out and look after number one, even if it means bullying drivers a bit

kenmc

Bet you can't wait for a nice wet december evening!
I just realized yesterday as I cycled blissfully untroubled to work: only one more month like this before the morning schoolrun "run-the-gauntlet" carnage begins again

32yg

Problem Solved:D

dayshah

SachaJ wrote: »

I was wearing a high viz top, white lid and white bike.

I have one of these. http://www.wiggle.co.uk/altura-night-vision-evo-waterproof-cycling-jacket/

It gives more hi-viz surface area. Its a bit warm for summer though. I definitely notice a difference in driver behaviour when I wear it, they give me far more space.

The problem with lights and vests is they don't give as much visibility to the side. I have a hub dynamo, so I can have my lights on all the time, but no-one will see them from the side.

Magic Beans

One of the most best devices for cyclists I have ever seen is the reflector on an arm the sticks out about a foot from the side of the bike. http://www.beseenonabike.co.uk/acatalog/flags-bicycle.html#a463001

It's a bit of an optical illusion but it makes the bike look bigger/wider and therefore motorists tend to be more aware and give cyclists that extra bit of room. Also at night the big extra reflector is further to the right so when lit by car lights from a distance it unconciously causes motorists to pull out that bit more.

They look a bit dopey tbh but are terribly effective.

Lumen

Cookie_Monster

Lumen wrote: »

graph

but if we can struggle through to the madness of friday...

seamus

kenmc wrote: »

Bet you can't wait for a nice wet december evening!

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=55125
Best purchase I made last winter.

The highlight was getting flashed by an oncoming Garda car before the realised I was a bicycle.

tomasrojo

To further reduce the panache:

I think what I just posted an another thread is relevant here (if only to dork up the thread even more):

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=73526629&postcount=11

I don't wear any hi-viz now, except for those home-made cuffs during the day. Works for me anyway. I don't think static hi-viz is much use at all, whereas a small bit in motion is much more effective, and less hassle to carry around. (Aesthetics don't apply to me, as I am somewhat slovenly anyway.)