The last 3 plus months of sunshine on Skye while the rest of the UK came close to drowning has seen a swell in cyclist numbers passing through Skye.
For some reason a significant number of these cyclists appear reluctant to wear tops/ jackets which raise their profile to other motorists on what is a narrow but busy Trunk road which is subject to traffic surges from both the Uig and the Armadale Ferry. Are cyclist becoming more conservative in their apparel or am I missing something? I suspect the bland touring cyclist I saw taking to the hills or the verge at any rate on the outskirts of Broadford today may have had dire need of his spare shorts! Being visible to traffic is important most of the time but certain roads press this need more than others....
donnieban
Be Safe, Be Seen.
-
thirdcrank
- Posts: 36781
- Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 2:44pm
Re: Be Safe, Be Seen.
donnieban wrote:... am I missing something? I suspect the bland touring cyclist I saw ...
This is just to get the debate straight to the subject, without any preliminary skimishing.
Re: Be Safe, Be Seen.
I was there 2 months ago and it [inappropriate term removed] down (and snowed) solidly for the entire week!
Re: Be Safe, Be Seen.
Be safe LOOK WHERE YOU'RE GOING.
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
Re: Be Safe, Be Seen.
thirdcrank,
Your perception does you credit as did mine earlier today, but the point I had served to illustrate on topic was that those we are obliged to share the road with sometimes don't see enough - smidsy! The chap who overtook a string of traffic didnt see the lone cyclist bedecked in mourning cloth. I did, I came to a halt. The point was, had the cyclist been more visible perhaps the overtake wouldnt have been considered?
For the record, I hate cycle helmets, and get ample grief for it but I will always wear hi viz on a busy double track road.
donnieban
Your perception does you credit as did mine earlier today, but the point I had served to illustrate on topic was that those we are obliged to share the road with sometimes don't see enough - smidsy! The chap who overtook a string of traffic didnt see the lone cyclist bedecked in mourning cloth. I did, I came to a halt. The point was, had the cyclist been more visible perhaps the overtake wouldnt have been considered?
For the record, I hate cycle helmets, and get ample grief for it but I will always wear hi viz on a busy double track road.
donnieban
Re: Be Safe, Be Seen.
peter99 wrote:I was there 2 months ago and it [inappropriate term removed] down (and snowed) solidly for the entire week!
Ha, glad we were able to pull out all the weather stops for you peter99. In fairness, I think you may have been right about that week in May, but I would oherwise standby my comment about the exceptional weather here on Skye. Scottish Water have had to haul in artic tankers of water to compensate for our long dry spell.
donnieban
Re: Be Safe, Be Seen.
Having been taken out by a car in Feb when my very bright LED light was within 4-5 feet of the assailents head (yet still decided to run into the back of my bike) and various other incidents plus reading factless statements about high visibility efficacy I can say with absolute certainty that 'bright' clothing makes no difference.
People choose to see what they want to see, when they want to see it. Their actions thereafter (the observance) are also not predictable in the sense that they may still end up hindering or worse endangering you. That people still pander to/believe in wearing hi-vis will end up doing cyclists as a whole an injustice when a judge (not too far into the future) deem the none wearing of such to be part of the reason why a cyclist got killed/injured and (partly) blame them for not doing so.
Remember the judge who mentioned that a cyclist didn't have a bright enough light recently, that it wasn't noted that the light was 'illegally' below the minium should send waves through the cycling fraternity, what will be the required amount of light (over and above the present 4 candela) and for that matter hi-vis to offset any potential blame which will no doubt be used as leverage by defendants lawyers...
People choose to see what they want to see, when they want to see it. Their actions thereafter (the observance) are also not predictable in the sense that they may still end up hindering or worse endangering you. That people still pander to/believe in wearing hi-vis will end up doing cyclists as a whole an injustice when a judge (not too far into the future) deem the none wearing of such to be part of the reason why a cyclist got killed/injured and (partly) blame them for not doing so.
Remember the judge who mentioned that a cyclist didn't have a bright enough light recently, that it wasn't noted that the light was 'illegally' below the minium should send waves through the cycling fraternity, what will be the required amount of light (over and above the present 4 candela) and for that matter hi-vis to offset any potential blame which will no doubt be used as leverage by defendants lawyers...
Re: Be Safe, Be Seen.
Whilst I don't go out of my way to stick out like a sore thumb, hi viz clothing does make you more visable. The next time you're out on your bike, remember how much easier it was to notice the brightly clothed cyclist than the not so brightly coloured.
On anything less than a sunny day, I run my lights in broad daylight. If it's a good idea for a 2 ton Volvo to do this, it sure as hell is for a cyclist.
On anything less than a sunny day, I run my lights in broad daylight. If it's a good idea for a 2 ton Volvo to do this, it sure as hell is for a cyclist.
Bill
“Ride as much or as little, or as long or as short as you feel. But ride.” ~ Eddy Merckx
It's a rich man whos children run to him when his pockets are empty.
“Ride as much or as little, or as long or as short as you feel. But ride.” ~ Eddy Merckx
It's a rich man whos children run to him when his pockets are empty.
Re: Be Safe, Be Seen.
It is not the first time that the safety of cyclists on trunk roads on Skye has been highlighted.
Time for a lowering of the trunk road speed limit on Skye perhaps ?
Time for a lowering of the trunk road speed limit on Skye perhaps ?
Re: Be Safe, Be Seen.
IrishBill76 wrote:On anything less than a sunny day, I run my lights in broad daylight. If it's a good idea for a 2 ton Volvo to do this, it sure as hell is for a cyclist.
You'd think so wouldn't you? Yet I've had more near misses than I can count in the dark with 2x5W uber bright LED's on full chat - they light up road signs nearly a mile away so I *know* they work!
If people don't look they don't see and when they do look they see - even if you're not lit up like a Christmas tree.
Re: Be Safe, Be Seen.
My helmet is white. I have put reflective Scotchbright strips all over it. Since I never get on a bike without it, it hardly matters what I wear other than that, I am always visible. The days I spent on Skye back in May were awful, torrential rain and high winds all day. Lucky we had brilliant weather the time before and saw it in all its beauty.
Al
Al
Reuse, recycle, thus do your bit to save the planet.... Get stuff at auctions, Dump, Charity Shops, Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, Car Boots. Choose an Old House, and a Banger ..... And cycle as often as you can......
Re: Be Safe, Be Seen.
IrishBill76 wrote:Whilst I don't go out of my way to stick out like a sore thumb, hi viz clothing does make you more visable. The next time you're out on your bike, remember how much easier it was to notice the brightly clothed cyclist than the not so brightly coloured.
On anything less than a sunny day, I run my lights in broad daylight. If it's a good idea for a 2 ton Volvo to do this, it sure as hell is for a cyclist.
Yes, but we're not in sweden - where DRL's are mandated. The research there is based on a low sun angle, what with them being in the arctic circle and all.
It's also based on virtually unlimited power being available - not the case for cycle lights.
In fact in this country it is likely to make drivers even more lax in their observations, as the only thing they need to look for is military grade searchlights....
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
Re: Be Safe, Be Seen.
donnieban wrote: I will always wear hi viz on a busy double track road.
donnieban
I always wondered why black is the dominant retail of choice for most cyclist clothing until a maintenance mag pointed out that an exposed chain that runs next to trousers or any breakdown maintenance quickly reveals the answer.
This topic has been debated to death but making yourself visible can also be achieved by good road positioning and you don’t need special clothing for that.
For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for nature cannot be fooled - Richard Feynman
Re: Be Safe, Be Seen.
[XAP]Bob wrote:In fact in this country it is likely to make drivers even more lax in their observations, as the only thing they need to look for is military grade searchlights....
Quite.
How bicycle lights are going to compete with car headlights is anyone's guess and the reduction in 'looking' time for motorists can't bode well.
I suppose we could lug around some permanently on 10W leds (a pair would suffice) then either enjoy the extra drag of a 30w dynamo (including approx losses) or carry several KG of battery which would need charging every night and replacing annually.
Touring cyclists need not apply.
Re: Be Safe, Be Seen.
Lights on approaching vehicles are a dangerous distraction from real hazards which can be closer to the cyclist.