Getting back into cycling - safety

photosmart

Hi All


Just getting back into cycling after extended break. As I'm older now and a lot more risk averse I just wanted to hear some general comments about the safety of cycling on B roads. I'm based in carlow and am a bit concerned about the amount of idiots / young lads driving tractors etc that I see when driving myself.


I have a fair amount of general cycling experience and used to be a courier in dublin but I'd just like to hear your thoughts and if there are any carlow cyclists maybe you could recommend a safe route?


cheers
P

Bigus

Ware the brightest loudest colour clothes you can find for starters, has saved me numerous times, particularly when a motorist is concentrating on an obstacle on their side coming against you. And just give trucks a complete wide birth or even stop,if in town and let them go.
Get out and enjoy as I’d say in general motorists are more aware these days that cyclists may be about.

If buying his vis cycling gear , i personally think orange stands out better than the more common yellow.

ED E

High Vis makes the motorists pass closer. If anything get daytime lights.

cdaly_

Ride out in the road, not in the ditch. I reckon drivers are looking out for stuff in their direct line of travel and a bike off to the left is not in that line of travel and so becomes invisible. If it is in the direct line, it (and hence you) becomes something the driver needs to take acount of.

I run decent lights both day and night. I figure these help a lot also.

Bigus

ED E wrote: »

High Vis makes the motorists pass closer. If anything get daytime lights.

Any link to a study on this ? Re the his vis

ED E

TRL (UK dept of transportation)
http://www.trl.co.uk/online_store/reports_publications/trl_reports/cat_road_user_safety/report_literature_review_of_interventions_to_improve_the_conspicuity_of_motorcyclists_and_help_avoid_looked_but_failed_to_see_accidents.htm

Bath Uni
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/24333770/

Bigus

ED E wrote: »

TRL (UK dept of transportation)
http://www.trl.co.uk/online_store/reports_publications/trl_reports/cat_road_user_safety/report_literature_review_of_interventions_to_improve_the_conspicuity_of_motorcyclists_and_help_avoid_looked_but_failed_to_see_accidents.htm

Bath Uni
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/24333770/

Your first link is dead and the second link contradicts what you stated, so I think you should edit or retract your incorrect remarks “that his vis makes motorists pass closer”

Here’s the info from the second link you posted

“This study looked at whether drivers overtaking a bicyclist changed the proximities of their passes in response to the level of experience and skill signalled by the bicyclist's appearance. Seven outfits were tested, ranging from a stereotypical sport rider's outfit, portraying high experience and skill, to a vest with 'novice cyclist' printed on the back, portraying low experience. A high-visibility bicycling jacket was also used, as were two commercially available safety vests, one featuring a prominent mention of the word 'police' and a warning that the rider was video-recording their journey, and one modelled after a police officer's jacket but with a letter changed so it read 'POLITE'. An ultrasonic distance sensor recorded the space left by vehicles passing the bicyclist on a regular commuting route. 5690 data points fulfilled the criteria for the study and were included in the analyses. The only outfit associated with a significant change in mean passing proximities was the police/video-recording jacket. Contrary to predictions, drivers treated the sports outfit and the 'novice cyclist' outfit equivalently, suggesting they do not adjust overtaking proximity as a function of a rider's perceived experience. Notably, whilst some outfits seemed to discourage motorists from passing within 1m of the rider, approximately 1-2% of overtakes came within 50 cm no matter what outfit was worn. This suggests there is little riders can do, by altering their appearance, to prevent the very closest overtakes; it is suggested that infrastructural, educational or legal measures are more promising for preventing drivers from passing extremely close to bicyclists.”

photosmart

Thanks All


I like the advice about riding out in the road - that the first thing I used to tell people about riding in Dublin - don't hug footpath.



Re daytime lights - does anyone have a good recommendation re brands

for daytime running lights on Bike? ie with Flashing mode etc?


cheers


P

Mickiemcfist

photosmart wrote: »

Thanks All


I like the advice about riding out in the road - that the first thing I used to tell people about riding in Dublin - don't hug footpath.



Re daytime lights - does anyone have a good recommendation re brands

for daytime running lights on Bike? ie with Flashing mode etc?


cheers


P

Yea i tend to stay left on straights when there's room to overtake & then go as far right as I can on a left turn & as far left as i can on a right turn, gives cars more time to see you in both cases.

Re: Lights, I got a really good set last year in Aldi, c.20 euro, use them on flash mode day & night no matter what the weather.

smacl

cdaly_ wrote: »

Ride out in the road, not in the ditch.

I ride l-roads by choice where possible and find this makes a huge difference. If I'm in the lane, know there's traffic behind and pull in to let them past as soon as it is safe enough to do so, drivers tend to be grateful. Hug the edge of the road and they pass sooner and closer, seeing you more as an obstacle. Being out from the edge also gives you space to pull in in a hurry if needed, being at the edge leaves you nowhere to go but the ditch.

Also, I've a bar end mirror which is useful.

cdaly_

photosmart wrote: »

Re daytime lights - does anyone have a good recommendation re brands

for daytime running lights on Bike? ie with Flashing mode etc?

This is my Dynamo Light setup. Always on, never have to worry about batteries and oncoming drivers often mistake me for a motorbike and pull over on narrow roads.

Large bottle small glass

photosmart wrote: »

Thanks All


I like the advice about riding out in the road - that the first thing I used to tell people about riding in Dublin - don't hug footpath.



Re daytime lights - does anyone have a good recommendation re brands

for daytime running lights on Bike? ie with Flashing mode etc?


cheers


P

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cyclecraft-complete-enjoyable-cycling-children/dp/0117037400#

Be sure to buy the UK edition as there is a USA one also.

Long winded for what you asked but worth a read.

The more confident, assertive and predictable you are the safer you will be.

Road rage incidents, like most aggressive incidents between humans, have a ritual/pattern to them so don't dance! Wave/smile no matter how much you want to hop their head of the road 😀

tomasrojo

I find Cyclecraft a helpful book too.