Can Someone Here Help Me Spread A Message?

Hello there. First off I'm not a cyclist, neither am I an active member of this forum. This is my first post. I ride my mountain bike maybe 3x a year. Cycling isn't a hobby of mine as much as it may be for some of you. However I share the road with a lot of you, yes I'm a motorcyclist and a Dr. I care for my fellow man and I believe we all can be safer out there. Where I ride, Angeles Crest in LA we have many cyclists and most are superb human beings. I've been riding for some years and my philosophy is Safety First, 2nd, 3rd & 4th. So I feel I have something important to share with you. I'm writing this so you all can help me can get a message to ALL cyclists. We share the road with each other and many cars. In that environment, in traffic, our safety issues become the same.

Long story short, I've seen far too many cyclists that are barely visible. I love it when you guys put the blinking light or an attention getter of some sort. But many, many more cyclists have some colorful, tour de france shirt, that is very visible from 5-10 feet, but at 1/4 mile its camouflage. I am a young man with good vision, I don't wear glasses and far too many times I see a cyclist that is barely visible. Yes even the bikes that pull a neon trailer for camping etc,, I've been in a few scenarios where I didn't see them. I can only imagine if I had poor vision, or was distracted, then there is almost no chance of seeing you.

I think part of the problem is the shirts you wear. When your bent over in the riding position, that shirt, however fluorescent or Hi-lighter color style it may be, its incredible difficult to see from distance. First of all it bunches together making its profile much shorter and with a background of trees, mountain side, sun glare etc, it may wash out all those colors and effectively become camouflage.

I'm not going to pretend to know what is out there for the cyclist community. But a $10 flashing battery powered light goes a long way. Day or night, please wear them.

Secondly, riding side by side. That is so so so dangerous. The reality is, any driver, could expect a cyclist on the road. That is reasonable. However, if riding side by side, then you're really taking up 1/2 the lane. I see the benefit; talking to ur buddy etc, but is it worth the risk? I brought this up to a cyclist buddy of mine and he replied; if you can't ride the white line (the shoulder) then you shouldn't be riding a bicycle on the street. When I go up the mountain roads, I see many riders making these mistakes. IMHO, they are mistakes I don't know if you think you can move in time, or juke out of the way, but every time I've seen double riders, I've had to slow down and move to the center line to make a safe pass. I'm a skilled and very safe rider, and I'm telling you; you can't move in time. Riding double, especially the inside rider, is playing Russian roulette.

I sincerely hope I haven't "rubbed anyone the wrong way", after all there is a little bit of division btwn cyclists and motorcyclists. I'm not trying to tell you guys what to do. I'm just sharing my thoughts and opinions to increase safety.

 

You are right on the money Doc. I have a $2 red LED that flashes and is made for bikes I got at the local variety store.
In my area we have a lot of foreign temp workers, they always wear these lights when they are walking and bike riding. Too many of them have been hit on the back roads coming home from a long long shift in the vineyards.
Single file is the law in my neck of the woods.
I think we all have to do out part to reduce the tension between the two users of the roads. The best way is just to use your head, think things though and be respectful to the other parties.

 

I am from Metro Manila and the statistics say 2-wheeled vehicles figuring in accidents occur more than 5 times a day. And the main reason that I see is just that lack of discipline. In EDSA - this is the busiest highway in the Metro - there is a motorcycle lane that also applies to cyclists. But try to observe and it would seem that no rider is respecting that rule. Riders of 2-wheels just go to whatever lanes that could accommodate them. And so accidents happen.

PS. In a traffic stop in an ordinary day and ordinary hour, there would be 20 or more 2-wheels in front of the intersection. That's my own stats.

 

I always use blinking tail lights and an LED headlight. I also put a white scarf around my shoulders. I am riding an upright bike though, so my shoulders should be visible.

As a driver, is white clothing easy to see, or do you need reflectors too?

 

What colors are best? I can't imagine the difference between a motorcyclist and a cycists visibility being that much different. Also, I have posted a thread in the forum as to why people should get close to the curb and how deadly it is. Although they shouldn't cyclist side by side getting into the lane is necessary. Working on increasing g visibility would seem the best solution as it avoids the danger from both the side crunch and the rear end.

 

white clothing is the best