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Invisible Cyclists in Solstice Dark



 
 
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  #1  
Old December 23rd 05, 09:51 AM posted to uk.rec.cycling,rec.bicycles.misc
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Default Invisible Cyclists in Solstice Dark

In these dark winter months, I am car-pooling with a colleague to get to
work. Although I am impervious to cold, I am not happy about cycling
because of the poor visibility. My road to work is poorly lit, my
eyesight is bad, my balance perturbed by the dancing beam of my front
light and my glasses fog up every time I stop.

In the car, I really do get to notice what can and cannot be seen from a
motorist's point of view. And I am appalled to discover just how hard it
can be to see cyclists and pedestrians, and how few of them seem to be
aware of this.

Much winter clothing is dark or black to begin with. Then many ride
entirely without lights, or just a little reflector. Great aurioles of
light surround the street lights and the headlights of the oncoming
cars, casting everything else around them into a pitch black shadow from
the glare. A few days ago, I was standing on a pavement waiting for a
bus, looking directly into the traffic. Two cyclists swooped right in
front of me - they were less than 30 feet from me before I even noticed
them.

On mornings and even in the broad daylight of the lunch hour, there is
frequently a freezing smog that not only soups up the air but makes the
ground slippery. This smog can come on quite suddenly - all is clear,
then the car descends into a barely perceptible valley and the
windscreen empties like a movie screen with the projector turned off.

For night riding it has been my personal practise to wear a reflector
vest and blinkie lights on armbands. I have a LED headlight and a small
red backlight. But my lesson from this is that perhaps even I need to up
the ante. I shall get myself a yellow reflector parka from Glow Dog, and
wear that even as a pedestrian. And I need more blinkies, especially in
the back.

I know I'm preaching to the choir here, but for those of you who do
cycle in the dark, please make sure you are as visible as you can make
yourselves. Perhaps do a visibility test with your gear - ask family or
a neighbor for feedback on whether you can be seen and at what distance,
especially if you are sharing the road with cars and headlights.

Safe riding to all,

EFR
Ile de France
Ads
  #2  
Old December 23rd 05, 05:02 PM posted to uk.rec.cycling,rec.bicycles.misc
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Default Invisible Cyclists in Solstice Dark


Elisa Francesca Roselli wrote:

In the car, I really do get to notice what can and cannot be seen from a
motorist's point of view. And I am appalled to discover just how hard it
can be to see cyclists and pedestrians, and how few of them seem to be
aware of this.

Much winter clothing is dark or black to begin with. Then many ride
entirely without lights, or just a little reflector. Great aurioles of
light surround the street lights and the headlights of the oncoming
cars, casting everything else around them into a pitch black shadow from
the glare.


With the "great aurioles of light," Elisa makes a point that the
youngsters in the crowd may not be aware of.

About 15 years ago, I visited a museum devoted to medical matters.
They had a display illustrating the effects of aging. Part of that
showed how aged eyes become cloudy. Supposedly, protein changes in the
lens put a cloudy halo around every bright light. I recall thinking
"Hmm. That doesn't happen with me."

And it didn't - back then. But the effect is beginning to be
noticeable now, 15 years later.

Young people don't normally have this problem, and they may make the
mistake of assuming that, since _they_ can see unlit cyclists and peds
at night, everyone else can. Not so!

So you cool young dudes and dudettes - put lights on your bike, and
carry a tiny LED light when you walk (if you ever do actually walk).
Use reflective stuff, too. It doesn't take much, but it takes
_something_ bright to be seen.

Remember, we old fogies are not only unfashionable and confused, we're
half blind!

- Frank Krygowski

  #3  
Old December 23rd 05, 05:31 PM posted to uk.rec.cycling,rec.bicycles.misc
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Default Invisible Cyclists in Solstice Dark


wrote: (clip) Remember, we old fogies are not only
unfashionable and confused, we're half blind!
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I'll be 88 in a couple of weeks, so I guess I have the right to say this.
Older people take longer to form a meaningful picture from what enters their
senses, and longer to react. We try to compensate for these losses, but
many of us don't realize, or hate to admit they occur. The changes are so
gradual we're not always aware of them.

BTW, Elisa, your writing is delightful: "The windscreen empties like a
movie screen with the projector turned off."


  #4  
Old December 23rd 05, 06:00 PM posted to uk.rec.cycling,rec.bicycles.misc
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Default Invisible Cyclists in Solstice Dark

"Elisa Francesca Roselli" wrote in message
...

In the car, I really do get to notice what can and cannot be seen from a
motorist's point of view. And I am appalled to discover just how hard it
can be to see cyclists and pedestrians, and how few of them seem to be
aware of this.



Elisa, I've done this too -- while driving in the dark and passing a
pedestrian or a cyclist, made a note of what it is that I see first. Usually
it's some sort of reflective clothing. Even a tiny reflective patch on a
pair of cycling shoes or reflective piping on a jacket will catch my eye
before the rear blinkie is noticeable. It certainly spurred me to put
reflective tape on my headtube (white) and rear fender (red), and on my
helmet (hi-vis yellow), and wear a fred-like orange vest with a huge
reflective strip, front and back.

I also make a point of complementing peds who are highly visible while I'm
on my bike. Having your dog simply wear a reflective collar makes a huge
difference as you walk with it along the roadway shoulder. I'm not whipping
along so fast that I can't call out, "thank you for being so easy to see!"
as I approach and pass. What I find the worst are the stealth peds -- black
pants, black jacket, dark hair, nothing reflective or illuminated. I don't
think they realize how difficult they are to see.

--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky
Personal page: http://www.geocities.com/cpetersky/
See the books I've set free at:
http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky


  #5  
Old December 23rd 05, 06:01 PM posted to uk.rec.cycling,rec.bicycles.misc
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Default Invisible Cyclists in Solstice Dark


"Elisa Francesca Roselli" wrote in message
...
I know I'm preaching to the choir here, but for those of you who do cycle
in the dark, please make sure you are as visible as you can make
yourselves. Perhaps do a visibility test with your gear - ask family or a
neighbor for feedback on whether you can be seen and at what distance,
especially if you are sharing the road with cars and headlights.


The 'choir' are still awaiting a wafflycat jpeg ...

Safe riding to all,


You too. Although mine is a little mothballed at the moment. New Years
resolutions .. stop being such a lazy ****, learn to pull a reasonable
wheelie and learn to rollerblade better and backwards.



  #6  
Old December 23rd 05, 06:33 PM posted to uk.rec.cycling,rec.bicycles.misc
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Default Invisible Cyclists in Solstice Dark


"Leo Lichtman" wrote in message
...

wrote: (clip) Remember, we old fogies are not only
unfashionable and confused, we're half blind!
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I'll be 88 in a couple of weeks, (clip)

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I guess age has also affected my ability to add, or remember. ake that,
"I'll be 78 in a couple of weeks..."


  #7  
Old December 23rd 05, 06:52 PM posted to uk.rec.cycling,rec.bicycles.misc
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Default Invisible Cyclists in Solstice Dark


Leo Lichtman wrote:
"Leo Lichtman" wrote in message
...

wrote: (clip) Remember, we old fogies are not only
unfashionable and confused, we're half blind!
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I'll be 88 in a couple of weeks, (clip)

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I guess age has also affected my ability to add, or remember. ake that,
"I'll be 78 in a couple of weeks..."


Time does speed up as we age. I know I made it from 50 to 60 a lot
faster than I did 10 to 20
;-)

  #8  
Old December 23rd 05, 07:03 PM posted to uk.rec.cycling,rec.bicycles.misc
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Default Invisible Cyclists in Solstice Dark

Leo Lichtman wrote:
"Leo Lichtman" wrote in message
...

wrote: (clip) Remember, we old fogies are not
only unfashionable and confused, we're half blind!
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I'll be 88 in a couple of weeks, (clip)

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I guess age has also affected my ability to add, or remember. ake
that, "I'll be 78 in a couple of weeks..."


I was gonna say, Leo... 88?!? 78 is impressive enough!


  #9  
Old December 23rd 05, 07:32 PM posted to uk.rec.cycling,rec.bicycles.misc
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Default Invisible Cyclists in Solstice Dark


"Elisa Francesca Roselli" wrote in message
news:43abba84$0$20854

Much winter clothing is dark or black to begin with.


In defence of dark clothing - bright colours don't really work in the dark.
One of my colleagues looked at my dark silver jacket and asked why I didn't
have a yellow one on until I explained that the silver was made of
reflective material and therefore far more visible than any bright colours.

--
Simon Mason


  #10  
Old December 23rd 05, 08:25 PM posted to uk.rec.cycling,rec.bicycles.misc
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Default Invisible Cyclists in Solstice Dark


Simon Mason wrote:
"Elisa Francesca Roselli" wrote in message
news:43abba84$0$20854

Much winter clothing is dark or black to begin with.


In defence of dark clothing - bright colours don't really work in the dark.
One of my colleagues looked at my dark silver jacket and asked why I didn't
have a yellow one on until I explained that the silver was made of
reflective material and therefore far more visible than any bright colours.

--
Simon Mason


Nonsense. Light/bright colours are much more visible than dark colours
when picked up by headlights or any other lights for that matter. Thats
what "light" or "bright" mean more or less i.e. more visible. DARK
CLOTHING IS WHAT YOU'D WEAR IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE SEEN. Or are you
arguing that black is white?

happy christmas
Jacob

 




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