Making self seen, to oncoming traffic-in low bright sunlight

[RideToWorky]

Hi All,


An issue affecting a lot of commuting cyclist I imagine - in the current low Sunlight in morning and evening:

What's the best way to Making self seen, to oncoming traffic-in low bright sunlight?


To illustrate - My issue this morning:
I turn right, into a side road.
There is a blind tight short slip road off the M32, that brings on-coming traffic right on top of this side road I turn into, worse luck.

I turn't in carefully this morning, as usual
There then came around this blind turn, head onto me, a car going pretty fast!
I got out the way fine this time, but I shudder to think if he didn't see me in the middle of the road though, and carried on ploughing on!

Funnily enough, if at night with Full flashing lights on, I feel I would have been more visible.
However, I'm a bit uncomfortable with the prospect of in bright daylight, the narrow profile if a cyclist, can be very invisible to on-coming, half awake car drivers etc!


Hope you can advise
Martin

[tatanab]

In a blind bend you cannot see around and neither can the approaching driver, so there is nothing you can do. In your specific example I would either use another route or I would go beyond the junction to somewhere I could make a U turn in safety and then come back to the turning.

[Norman H]

Is this a technical issue?

To be honest I'm more concerned with following traffic under such conditions. Especially where trees create dappled dappled sunshine. It's one of the times when I use a rear light in daylight.

[Vorpal]

Well, you *may* be able to make yourself more visible by moving around a bit. I don't know the area, so it's hard to know what I would do. In general, I will either take primary if I think I will be more visible, or even do the opposite, and move out of the flow of traffic (this maybe the only situation where kerb-hugging may improve your safety), but *only* if I think there is nothing I can do to improve my visibility. And I will qualify that with, crossing a slip road, I would not ever move out of primary, except to cross as a pedestrian.

You have to assume that no one can see you and take care for yourself. Don't go if there are any potential conflicts, take another route if you can, or even become a pedestrian and use side paths or other facilities, if they are available.

If you got a copy of Cyclecraft have a look at what John Franklin says.

Crossing slip roads can be hellish under the best of circumstances, not least because seeing traffic is often at a horrible angle for a cyclist. I used to cross one on the A12 sometimes for which I stopped the bike and turned right around because it was the only way I could be certain of assessing the traffic correctly. Even then, I was really cautious crossing it.

[RideToWorky]

Is this a technical issue?

Good point Norman,

My bad, I simply posted to wrong area.

Admin, any chance of moving this post into "on the road" at some point? No rush

Regards
Martin

[Vorpal]

Is this a technical issue?

Admin, any chance of moving this post into "on the road" at some point? No rush

sorted

[RideToWorky]

Thanks Vorpal,

BTW, I've got the cyclecraft now, thinking about it!
Will investigate what the book says

[Norman H]

Apologies, I may have misunderstood your original question. I was assuming it was you who was riding into the sun. I guess it makes more sense if it's the oncoming motorists who have the sun in their eyes. In which case tatanab's suggestion might be the best.

Can you post a google streetview link of the particular junction.

[mjr]

What's the best way to Making self seen, to oncoming traffic-in low bright sunlight?

Wear black. There isn't a light bright enough to compete with the sun (and they're visual pollution anyway) so you might as well go for contrast.

[rmurphy195]

In low/dappled sunlight I either change my route slightly, and/or use flashing lights at both ends just to attract attention.Much depends on whether its me that's dazzled by the sun, or oncoming traffic etc. I have been known to head for the nearest crossing esp if the road is wet as well, which makes low sun even more dazzling!

[cicatriz]

What's the best way to Making self seen, to oncoming traffic-in low bright sunlight?

Wear black. There isn't a light bright enough to compete with the sun (and they're visual pollution anyway) so you might as well go for contrast.

Yep. High contrast is more effective than the generic hi-vis stuff. Fluorescent yellow doesn't stand out too well against bright yellow.

Similarly bright red works well if you're out in countryside next to bright green foliage (unless you're riding past a poppy field).

[Shoogle]

I use a big flag on the back of the bike on low sun days.

[irc]

You can't make low sun conditions safe. I'd rather ride with the sun behind me because then at least I can see what the half blinded drivers are doing. If you are riding into the sun and being overtaken by drivers riding into a low sun you are dicing with death.

http://beyondthekerb.org.uk/2014/01/31/ ... f-the-sun/

Was James Cracknell's crash in the USA not while he was riding into a rising sun? His answer a helmet. My answer get off the road for an hour.


Touring? I'd avoid riding into a low sun by route choice or timing. Commuting? You are down to route choice I suppose. Avoiding where possible roads that are directly into the sun. A few degrees either way makes a big difference.