Is it compulsory for a cyclist use a cycle lane or a cycle path?
- Thread starter Páid
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There are studies that back that up. That drivers drove closer to cyclists in Hi-Viz than those without.
It's not the sliver bullet people assume it is. It's counter intuitive so many people won't get it.
Brendan Burgess
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I've linked to a few of those over the years, here's one where they measured passing distances with and without high-vis and found no difference in rates of dangerous overtakes.
Drivers crash into walls, bridges, bollards, other vehicles all the time, in most of those cases the I didn't see it excuse isn't offered. When hitting a pedestrian or cyclist it's easier for the driver to say they came from nowhere than admit they were on the phone.
Brendan Burgess
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Very interesting.
Does that mean that bicycle lights are pointless as well?
I have a dynamo so I have my lights on all the time. But I feel much safer with the hi viz on. Maybe it's an illusion.
Brendan
Does that mean that bicycle lights are pointless as well?
I have a dynamo so I have my lights on all the time. But I feel much safer with the hi viz on. Maybe it's an illusion.
Brendan
Unfortunately no. Search on Google has become unreliable as it's no longer returns old articles, instead it will return popular or sponsored articles. Lots of old reports and studies I know were there at one time have disappeared. Things on RTB or SEAI. Like the way AI is distorting information.
From memory it's was drivers drove closer to cyclists. However now all I can find is cyclists cycle riskier and Hi Viz either has no effect or is slightly better because those cyclists cycle more carefully.
Theres a narrative that cyclists can make a driver look up from their phone by what they wear. It's the difference between visibility and not actually looking.
More you have to be aware of the limitations. I had 5 lights and hi Viz on when I got knocked off. Empty city street with almost no traffic. Passer by said how did you not see him he's lit like a Xmas tree.
Driver just not paying attention. However it was a mistake assuming a driver was looking out of the window or at me. Often people seem to staring at you but are actually looking through you. 1000yrd stare etc.
The other anecdote is if you park in an empty car park. Some people will park beside you rather a distance away. Human nature. Drivers do something similar like blindly following lights at night. Etc. I assume that's what they do with cyclists.
In my experience good lights are vastly better than hi Viz and are the law. That's what should be the priority.
I haven't thrown my leg over the bike in over two years now so can't speak about it in todays environment
but in 22' it didn't seem to make a blind bit of difference whether I had a piece of Hi-Viz clothing on are not,
A driver is going to do what they do regardless of the colour of your clothing
Though I would agree with @AlbacoreA above that lights do seem to make a small difference even during the day
Which is why I spent a small fortune on getting the brightest lights both front and rear to try and protect myself
but even then it all depends on the driver and what's going on in their mind as to whether they see you or not
Cycling generally demands all of your attention to your ever changing environment, driving not as much!!
but in 22' it didn't seem to make a blind bit of difference whether I had a piece of Hi-Viz clothing on are not,
A driver is going to do what they do regardless of the colour of your clothing
Though I would agree with @AlbacoreA above that lights do seem to make a small difference even during the day
Which is why I spent a small fortune on getting the brightest lights both front and rear to try and protect myself
but even then it all depends on the driver and what's going on in their mind as to whether they see you or not
Cycling generally demands all of your attention to your ever changing environment, driving not as much!!
Yes, a lot of cyclist's are the authors of their own misfortunes including myself
Perhaps an element of target fixation. It's sometimes considered a factor in drivers hitting a vehicle stopped on the shoulder of motorways. Humans have a natural instinct to move towards an object they are focussed on, hence sports like skiing, cycling, etc. train participants to focus intently on where they want to go particularly when around obstacles.
Dynamo lights don't meet the legal requirement for bikes to be lit after dark
Brendan Burgess
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Interesting. Why?
Both my front and back are much brighter than the normal light.
And they stay on for a while after I stop.
Some dynamos have a capacitor to keep the lights on when stopped. Sounds like @Brendan Burgess has one of those.
Could you quote the legislation you're inferring exists.
I can find people saying it's an EU law. But no actual references to such a law. Google is so broken these days..
After nearly three pages on the subject, we’re no nearer a conclusion or solution than when the thread was started. I’m a cyclist and a motorist and I think Common Sense is largely being ignored here. Because of the dangers I quit public road cycling some years ago and now I drive to whatever greenway with the bike mounted on a rack attached to the car.
Our roads have become death traps for cyclists, some of which is of their their own making. Nobody wants to concede space or time and careless road users insist on terms to the letter of the law and common sense and gentlemanly conduct become scarce. And all because of a car length of space or a few seconds in time.
Every time I drive the car I see Road users with the apparent IQ of zero or less. 8.00am yesterday while driving through a green light a cyclist broke red on my right causing black skid marks on the road from my car and a near heart attack for me. This is not an isolated incident, it seems to be happening more and more often that people gamble with living and dying.
I can’t offer a solution because Common Sense is not so common.
Our roads have become death traps for cyclists, some of which is of their their own making. Nobody wants to concede space or time and careless road users insist on terms to the letter of the law and common sense and gentlemanly conduct become scarce. And all because of a car length of space or a few seconds in time.
Every time I drive the car I see Road users with the apparent IQ of zero or less. 8.00am yesterday while driving through a green light a cyclist broke red on my right causing black skid marks on the road from my car and a near heart attack for me. This is not an isolated incident, it seems to be happening more and more often that people gamble with living and dying.
I can’t offer a solution because Common Sense is not so common.
Statistically red light breaking it's not a big cause of accidents for cyclists. Though motorists mention it a lot.
Statistically roads deaths are increasing but cycling deaths don't seem to increasing at the same rate. So suggesting cycling is somehow dramatically more dangerous seems inaccurate.
Road safety getting worse is nothing to do with cycling.
Statistically roads deaths are increasing but cycling deaths don't seem to increasing at the same rate. So suggesting cycling is somehow dramatically more dangerous seems inaccurate.
Road safety getting worse is nothing to do with cycling.
I don't think @Leper or anybody is suggesting that the roads are death traps but rather it can be a dangerous environment for all road users
and that you need, be you a walker, cyclist or a driver, to give it your full attention