gpolly1

I wear reflective vest, helmet, reflectors, and lights when I leave at 5:30 am. I'm just playing defense hoping that it might help - not a 100% solution. But it does irk me when I see someone else on a bike with nothing to make them visible. I can't see them until the last second they're in front of me, but there's a better chance that they can see me.

Black wallnut 

It is the duty of drivers to expect the unexpected.

In Dave's defense I've been hit in bright daylight while I was wearing lightly colored clothing. White and red jersey in stark contrast to the background. Whitish/ silverish helmet while I was riding in the center of a lane. I live on the edge of a college town and drive through the college often. I see all manners of folks on bicycles with the full range of clothing lights and lack of lights. Hi-viz is not any more visible than dark clothing to me in that I can see bikes from usually two blocks away even with the rider wearing black.

My background is a career in truck transportation, 1 million plus miles. Plus a short time as Law enforcement. When I am driving and when I am riding my bike I am looking to see dangers ahead. Most motorists simply do not do this in my experience. Many now drive with distractions. I've had many close calls, with drivers looking right at me, making eye contact and still cutting in front of me. I think there is a disconnect between how fast we ride vs how fast they think we are able to ride. No malice, just ignorance.

kimpw

1. Please ride with some lights at night, reflectors at least. A lot of accidents can be avoided this way.
2. Don't bike like a jerk. The one that irks me is riding in between lanes to get to the front of the intersection or stop light, only to slow car traffic as they try to pass you. I don't know how many times I've seen biker's scratch or hit the cars losing balance doing this. Also I've seen so many times where a driver is trying to switch lanes and hits a biker. I know we have a lot of important people needed to be at important places, but you're riding a bike. A bike. That you power with your human legs. Relax and enjoy the ride.

Black wallnut 

3 weeks ago at night on my way home I was nearly run over while I had a light on by a woman who was exiting a parking lot on the left. I swerved to the right to avoid an impact then back left so that she could see my light directly in her rearview mirror. She pulled over and rolling down her window said "I'm sorry I did not see you!"

There is a real disconnect between people looking but not seeing. Lights, bright colors and reflective materials only work for people that are actually seeing what they are looking at.

There is also a blind spot in nearly every motor vehicle that can obscure an approaching full size pick-up or anything smaller. The front window corner post roof support, really bad when looking right.

Sullalto

I believe route choice has more to do with safety than anything else, personally.

I have to say, I think I go months between seeing texting cyclists, and I live in a hipster area. Seeing no hands riding on fixies is a daily occurrence.

Given the choice, I'll buy hi viz clothing over a stealth kit, but mainly it's for placating my worrying mother than any belief in boosted safety. If somebody drifts out of their lane texting, it won't matter.

Wow, judgmental much? I suspect most of them don't think about trying to be seen, they're not actively hiding.



I hit a cyclist once before. They were barreling downhill as fast as they can go, about 3:30, 4:00 am. On the sidewalk, around a mostly blind(shallow turn, but unlit trees blocked view). On what would've been against traffic. I don't feel bad.

downwinded

Very true. A few years back a young lady in a nearby community pulled out of a driveway in front of a loaded tandem axle dump truck. Unfortunately, she did not survive the accident. This was on an access road that ran parallel to the "main" road. It was broad daylight, the truck was not speeding (not even close) and there was nothing to obscure the view. This was long enough ago that she was not texting either. She just looked, but didn't "see".

Dave Cutter

Let me see..... judgmental:
1. involving the use or exercise of judgment. 2. tending to make moral judgments

Yeah.... despite it's unpopularity.... I sure hope I exercise the use of good moral judgment. Thanks for noticing.

Then I can see how you are emotionally bound to the assignment of blame. Although accepting that it is unavoidable that people will bump into each other... also dissolves some blame and responsibility as well. In the natural course of bumping heads.... cars will always present a clear advantage over and danger to.... bicyclists. I can't assign that as blame to the motorist... OR the cyclist.

Life does hurt! And so far... life has always proven to be fatal. I have a hard time blaming ether cyclist or motorist because of behaviors that are in the ranges of normal.

downwinded

Unfortunately, some do prove that stupid is in the range of normal.

Dave Cutter

Of course it is. And when it comes to stupid behavior on the public road ways... I think we all take our turns being the stupid one. Motorists and cyclists alike. Although... stupid behavior rarely causes accidents.

downwinded

We all make mistakes. Mistakes cause accidents. For example. If someone runs a stop sign and crashes into another vehicle (bike or car), that could be considered a mistake. If someone routinely runs stop signs (or rides ninja), I would consider that stupid, and it also causes accidents.

Dave Cutter

I am familiar with the concept of assigning blame (fault/guilt/responsibility). Lawyers, police, judges, and many other law enforcement people make their living on the idea of blame and punishment. But human brains have not yet evolved at the rate or to the level of out legal system. I've seen motorist look directly at me in my bright and reflective outfit.... and see right through me as if I was completely invisible. And... I've also seen cars magically appear within inches from me.... that I know I never saw.

Our brains don't work perfectly enough for traffic. It isn't JUST that we make bad or stupid decisions. As humans we fail to see the dangers that are often right in front of our eyes. And THAT is what causes accidents. There is NO known way to fix that... as long as humans are allowed to guide their own travel. The defective nature of the human guidance system... will cause accidents.