1989Pre 

Doctor dies after being hit by truck while bicycling in Windsor | Sun Journal

The "explanation" from the driver just doesn't add-up: If the sun is in one's eyes, one throws down a visor or gets his sunglasses on. If one is driving while unable to see, then that is a criminal neglect of his responsiblity as a driver and a disturbing indication of one's inability to interface with reality. This is an acceptable excuse from a law enforcement officer and authority figure?!

CB HI

I always thought that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. The motorist was driving south, but the sun was still somehow in his eyes, totally blinding him?

CB HI

Central Maine doctor, hit by pickup while biking, dies of injuries - The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram

Straight road as well.

CliffordK

https://www.pressherald.com/2016/10/1...ile-bicycling/

Wingood Road runs from the Northeast to Southwest.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Wi...!4d-69.5393495

By this time of year, the sun would already be swinging south, especially in Maine. Southbound on Wingood appears to be a gentle downhill, so less of a chance to get early evening sun in the eyes.

My guess it wasn't sun in the eyes. Rather, the road jumps from sunny to shady with a couple of large clearings just to the north of the accident spot.

ItsJustMe

This time of year I run high power flashing taillights and reflective/bright vests and keep a nervous eye on my mirror when riding into the sun. It's hard to see anyway, and when you figure a lot of people are going to be driving with dirty or sandblasted windshields, it's almost impossible to see properly. Sure, it's their fault, but I'd rather not get hit anyway.

jon c. 

There's one road in my neighborhood I avoid near sunset as I know driving it in a car it's very hard to see anything. Not that I think that should excuse a driver from liability.

CB HI

No, at the address listed, the road runs more south than southsouthwest SSW, no where near putting the sun in his eyes in late afternoon.

The guy is just lying about the sun.

The sunny to shady is BS too. You try way too hard to find excuses for bad drivers.

CliffordK

Just saying a good cyclist should pay attention to limits of visibility, and evaluate what they can do to become more visible on the road.

mr_bill

466 Wingood Rd

(Google is probably wrong, putting an unknown number address at a default location near the center of the road.)

-mr. bill

keyven

You're oversimplifying it. There have been many times when the sun has gotten into my eyes unexpectedly. It could be fine one minute and the clouds shift and a ray of light hits the area.

A&S too often makes accusations along the lines of "it's unlikely so I doubt it's true". This is plausible - I'm not saying it's what happened but you cannot discount it. Sometimes it's just a bunch of unlikely factors falling into place.

Throughout my 40 years, I've had dozens of "very unlikely" incidents happened to me. I've dropped my car keys onto a drainage grill which would have slipped in 99% of the time but didn't. My kidney chose to rupture right in the middle of a 7 hour flight. I flipped my car 720 degrees sideways on a relatively busy road and no one got hurt.

CB HI

Yes google puts their point in the middle of some country roads.

But you try to put the spot in worst case.

A little more research would have shown the address farther south where the sun would be at the right window stanchion with the driver approaching in a left bend which should make the cyclist farther away from the sun for a good distance.

https://www.trulia.com/property/3229...ndsor-ME-04363

SunCalc - sun position, sunlight phases, sunrise, sunset, dusk and dawn times calculator

CB HI

Are you now claiming this cyclist was NOT a good cyclist because she got hit from behind?

Dave Cutter

Once while driving... I stopped at a traffic light... and was hit by a motorist behind me. It didn't make me happy! But the sun had hit my eyes as well. I adapted... apparently better than the motorist that hit me. It was an accident. The other guy had much more damage than I. If I had been cycling... it would had likely been fatal.

These bicycle accidents are sad. It is a terrible loss. Bicycles will always be vulnerable when riding in traffic.

The sun may be the most forgotten hazard. We tend to ride the same roads and at nearly the same times. Then... one fall afternoon... now nearly evening... the sun is in our eyes. And we become invisible to the traffic behind us. I found myself riding into a sunrise the other day. I was too far out to turn around... and there wasn't a Starbucks or anything close either.

mr_bill

I tried to put the spot where Tom Tom, Bing, Mapquest, and even *gasp* Apple Maps says *466* Wingood Rd is located.

You did "a little more research" and located *491* Wingood Rd, which is down the road a bit. Good for you.


-mr. bill

CliffordK

Nope.

I'm just saying that cyclists are vulnerable to what the Britts call a "Sorry Mate, I Didn't See You" type of accident.

You can rant and rave all you want. The end result is the same. The car driver walks (or drives) away, and the cyclist fills the casket.

As a cyclist, one needs to recognise dangerous situations, and adjust one's riding accordingly.

In particular, recognise that heading into the sun, if the rider can't see, then the drivers behind them can't see either. Likewise sun/shade transitions can be problematic. Rain?

So, recognise the dangers. Look for ways to improve one's safety. Bright colors, lights, watch traffic, lane positioning, mirrors, adjust one's schedule for safe riding, etc. Choose what makes you feel safe for your situation.

And, at some point one also has to decide what is an acceptable risk. 300 million people. 700 annual deaths... 1 in 500,000 per year... Certainly that is far too many, but the odds are still very low.

1989Pre 

Ok, I am still not understanding: I've done my share of driving. Never have I (even momentarily) been in a situation where I could not see properly. If I had encountered such a situation, I would have pulled over, naturally. Like I have said, the flip of a visor or the donning of sunglasses is the remedy to any eye strain or fatigue. Failure of the driver to take any of these precautions, leading to injury or death of another, is criminal dereliction.
Yes, the charge and arrest will not bring the cyclist back, but it may save lives in the future.
Are any of you categorically stating that you have driven without being able to see properly and continued on?

ItsJustMe

Around the time when the sun is coming up around commute time, I tend to shift my commute time later, to wait until the sun is well up, until that gets untenable, then I switch to leaving in time to get to work before the sun comes up. I switched a few weeks ago, from sleeping until 7:30 or so to getting up at 6.

mconlonx

Odd, as a driver of motor vehicles, there have been a few times where I've been momentarily blinded or at least had my vision significantly disrupted by sun glare or sudden transition from shade to sun. And I can tell you that it's a panicky moment.

What does one do when one suddenly can't see, at speed, on the road? Stop suddenly and risk being rear-ended by someone who also probably is suffering the same condition? Pull off the road to the shoulder one can't see or see what's on/in the shoulder? Continue along as best one can from memory, using as much peripheral vision as one has left...?

Alcohol and speed were not involved in this crash. The motorist stopped to give what medical assistance they could. A neighbor along the same road reported the same condition regarding the sun.

Community mourning death of doctor hit by truck in Windsor | WGME

CB HI

DO YOU HAVE ANY EVIDENCE THE CYCLIST DID ANYTHING WRONG?

PS - The sun is a bright yellow, right? So you think a bright yellow jersey is the way to contrast with the sun?

genec

I'm not defending the motorist, because if the sun blinds you, you need to slow or stop until you can ascertain that your way is clear... but way up north, the sun appears more in the southern sky than "east or west."

Up north, the sun rises low in the southeastern sky and follows a low arc to the southwestern sky. In places like Seattle, they even warn of sun blindness on the rare cloud free days.

Being in the low latitudes like you are (what, about 20d N) the sun appears overhead... even at 32d N. At about 45d N, the sun appears to circumscribe a low arc across the southern sky... In summer, the arc is higher, but still has a southern tilt.

genec

Nope, not saying that... But I am saying that being blinded by the sun does happen... The solution is to slow to a dead crawl or move your head, or change the visor... not "continue on."

The "continue on" mentality comes from folks that "must drive the speed limit..." and fail to realize that you can drive slower. Yeah, this is a common problem for some poorly trained drivers. But states grant licenses to just about anyone.

CB HI

I lived in the area for 6 months, the 4 times the sun came out, the locals were blinded even at high noon, while they were looking north.

Dave Cutter

Where to? Where would you have pulled over to... if you can't see where your going?

So now we know for sure... the death penalty does deter murder. So many decades of studies and research on the subject... and now we know. The stiffer the punishment the greater the compliance and the better/safer/more law abiding society. Except... there are places where they've been chopping off the hands of common thieves for 1500 years.... but they still have common thieves.

I've hit the brakes on a car... while trying to look in the rear view mirror. I don't know of anyone who can honestly say they've always been in complete control of their car 100% of the time.

The other day while bicycling... a strong gust of wind blew up a bunch of leafs, dust, and who knows what. I can't say I could see much at all for a little bit... and my left eye had to water and tear-up for a while to clear up.

I ain't no super-human. I am just Joe Average doing the best I can...... just like everyone else. Mistakes are made.

howsteepisit

Not in the unforgiven world of A&S, where the is no mistakes and all accidents are deliberate.

Chris0516

Hmmm....