Originally Posted by
Akth8r
... he had no lights on his bike or reflective gear on his person. He was a black silhouette milliseconds before he came into view. It really bothers me that i failed to notice the man ahead of time, so much so that i created an account on this forum.
Has anyone else had a similar experience?
Sure. It's relatively common, when the other person's taking zero precautions to be seen. Have experienced this on numerous occasions with cyclists, with pedestrians. Life can be tough for those walking around in a fog. Tougher still, when doing so out in traffic with onrushing two-ton vehicles flying about.
Haven't been caught in a similar situation as a pedestrian or cyclist, myself. Been relatively lucky so far, but I also learned early on to be extremely defensive and to beware of any brewing situation on the road. Be well-lit, presume the other guy can't see me, don't stay in the blind spot, don't just rely on mirrors, ...
Glad you both got through it unscathed. Could have been worse. Hopefully, the guy will realize he caused that situation, by taking zero precautions. Hopefully he'll not be the cause of someone else's problem in future, though it's entirely likely he will.