UKC

Though there hasn't been much sun this year, I just thought I'd mention a near disaster I suffered last time the sun shone and I was out for a ride. Going almost straight into a low sun around 3pm I was riding more or less on road memory when I suddenly, luckily, shaded my eyes only to see the back of a horse a few yards ahead which despite its rider wearing hi-viz had been completely invisible in the shade of a tall hedge. I avoided it, but keep thinking what an awful chain of events it could have set off if I hadn't. It also reminded me of the danger we might place ourselves in when we are riding into a low sun and vehicles come up behind us with their drivers' vision similarly impaired. Take care out there!

In reply to Rog Wilko:

Whats nearly got me in the past is riding through Chorlton in manchester with a low sun behind me, seeing a car up ahead waiting to come out of the road on the left. She couldn't see me because the sun was blinding her.

Somehow, I knew she hadn't seen me (the long shadow ahead of me seemed to make me aware of the sun)....and the fact she was squinting a bit.

So I luckily slowed down. she pulled out in front of me and carried on, oblivious.

In reply to ThunderCat:

On my way back from driving the children to catch the school bus, the rising sun is almost directly in my line of vision, at least at this time of year. I always wear sunglasses. It's even worse if the road is wet, as the extra reflections reduce your vision even more.

In reply to Rog Wilko:

I thoroughly agree with you. I don't go out on such days, as, being a driver also, I'm aware of what I cannot see. I would suggest that most drivers wouldn't stop if visibility was so poor, and they would carry on regardless?
Mornings are worst. Add in a defrosting windscreen and a rushed person, and it's an accident waiting to happen. I find that red clothing is more visible than dayglo on such days.

In reply to Skol:

Red clothing, eh? Interesting. It's very poor in grey and gloomy conditions, in my opinion. I am beginning to think about exactly which roads I will ride on in such conditions. Fortunately, the position of the sun is fairly predictable, but I guess we can all miscalculate.

In reply to Rog Wilko:

A colleague at work got splatted by a coach that didn't see him. They were both heading into the sun and the coach just drove stragight into him from behind. He wasn't very well as a result and his rather lovely bike was destroyed.

The courts did not agree that the 'sun was in my eyes' was a reasonable defence for running him over and found the driver guilty of something, i don't reacll what.

Didn't help my colleague much, and his new bike has been a complete pain from the outset (high end Pinnacle carbon, and Evans less than helpful.

Anyway, full set of flashing lights front and back for me this morning in bright sunlight.

In reply to Rog Wilko:


Probably a good point.

I wear a dayglo hi visit jacket when I ride which is good for when it's dark (*), but probably not the best for low sun. Maybe red would be better







(*)Although in a lot of cases it seems to function as a klingon cloak of invisibility

In reply to Rog Wilko:

Roger, yesterday I drove past the two white bikes marking the site of the deaths of two sons of a friend of mine who were killed in similar winter circumstances. Very sad.

I'm afraid realistically, particularly in winter, due to the limitations of vision and driver ability, cyclists and pedestrians must take 100% responsibility for NOT being mowed down. There may be a desire to blame or lay responsibility at the driver's door, but in practice they can not see. So pragmatically, I don't give them 1% chance of killing me.
DC.

In reply to Dave Cumberland:

I think you could not be more wrong there, it is the responsibility of the driver / cyclists to go at a speed proportional to the conditions.
You should never drive faster than you can see (crap phrase but it gets the point across)
Had the op run in to the horse it would be 100% his fault, if a car had run in to the back of the op then it would have been 100% the car drivers fault.
I do agree with not putting yourself in danger due to the conditions though.

In reply to Dax H:

I'm with Dave C; it seems ludicrous to argue about who is in the right with a 1 tonne car.

I always use powerfull lights front and rear when the sun is low in winter

In reply to Dave Cumberland:
You've got to be taking the piss? If you can't see when you are driving you need to slow down and not a little bit you need to slow to the point that you can stop within the distance you can see as with driving in any other conditions

Edit:
Having re-read your post, perhaps you simply mean that Cyclists and PEds neeed to take extra care in such conditions rather than excusing cars from mowing people down

In reply to Rog Wilko:

I avoided it, but keep thinking what an awful chain of events it could have set off if I hadn't

And the vet bills for having ones head removed from the horses a**e would be astronomical

In reply to kipper12:

I knew someone would have to lower the tone. ;oD

In reply to wilkesley:

Are your glasses polarized?
Makes a massive difference in the conditions you describe.

In reply to Rog Wilko:

One of my OH's colleagues was killed a few years ago in just such circumstances on Ringinglow Road in Sheffield. A car ploughed into the back of him, having completely failed to pick him out against the low sun. I get very edgy riding in those conditions.

In reply to Rog Wilko:

I also have a friend (cyclist) who was driven into from behind under these conditions. Resulting in a broken leg and a wrecked bike.

I am now very wary about cycling in such conditions.

Sometimes when driving in such conditions when you suddenly come round a corner or emerge from some trees into low sunlight the glare makes it impossible to see a good part of the road, in these conditions I don't think lights, high vis or red clothing would make any difference. The driver slowing down very quickly is the only thing that would help.