Originally Posted by sbhikes
The trouble with the whole silhouette thing is that if the sun is bright and glaring enough, you won't be able to create a silhouette. So I wouldn't want to be in front of a car under those conditions.
Regardless of whether I did choose to take the lane, I would have to move over to the side anyway to let people pass. I wouldn't consider it to be safe to stay in the lane as it would be difficult to ascertain whether they can see me, and whether the person behind them can see that there is slow traffic in front, and so on.
Well, my experience is different as is how I use dynamic lane positioning from how your interpret it.
In my experience (riding directly into a very low sun) I find I create a silhouette significant enough to cause most (but not all) approaching same direction vehicles (traveling at 45mph+) to notice me. Some move into adjacent lane (multilane road) some slow or move a bit right.
But I don't rely on anyone seeing me - that would be stupid especially in those conditions. For those that appear like they don't see me I move right in sufficient time so that if they take no action (like they didn't see me) then I will not be in their path. Of course this puts me at the same risk as if I had been far right and they didn't see me in that case. For those that do seem to see me I move right if safe (except for the cases when the driver moves fully into adjacent lane)
As to being able to tell driver reaction from my centerish position I find it most easy in this low angle light condition as the low light illuminates the view behind me so very well (and I enjoy looking behind me more as the view to the front is so bright.
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One thing is certain, I am more (but still not very) likely to be seen as a dark silhoutte against a bright sky, than a dark shadow against a dark roadside with glare in the observers window.
Al