It's been very much an Indian Summer of late, with fantastic autumn weather resulting in dry, clear tarmac. The biggest problem has been the rising and setting sun though.
My two daily journeys mean that for sections of each, I have to ride straight into the sun, which is both uncomfortable and dangerous.
In the Bikerdown! course where I volunteer, we discuss this issue and ways in which we can help ourselves, both when heading into and also away from the sun.
If the sun is behind us, our visibility won't be compromised, but any drivers coming the other way, aren't going to be able to see a thing. As such, we need to ride in a smarter way to really limit the risk.
Being invisible is not a new problem for bikes and now, here in the UK, the clocks have gone back which means that, for me, every journey home from work until April, will now take place in the dark.
I often see lots of riders who are covered head to toe in black kit. My Rukka kit is black, but has reflective strips built into it, however, I don't think this is enough, so I have the added colour of a hi viz vest. Its nothing special, but it helps raise my presence when on the road.
The vest helps the driver see me as they following in a line of vehicles. Its so easy for us to disappear into the lights of the vehicle in front when favouring the right side of the lane as we position ourselves for maximum personal visibility.
For a small section of our sub culture, hi viz is not cool and so, they won't wear it, but it really does make a difference. For me, I find it helps me stand out against the background. I ride in an area with very little light pollution from shop fronts or street lights, so the bright colours and reflective panels work. In the city however, this may not be the case so much, as the bright yellow itself can blend into the background.
My only advise when it comes to making yourself visible on the road, is to evaluate where you are riding and then select an option that will maximise how people see you. Don't just rely on them seeing the tiny rear light, or your headlight. If you are riding in a mixture of environments, then wear a mixture of different colours, so that during any one instance, there is always one part of you that is dramatically contrasting against your background.
My two daily journeys mean that for sections of each, I have to ride straight into the sun, which is both uncomfortable and dangerous.
In the Bikerdown! course where I volunteer, we discuss this issue and ways in which we can help ourselves, both when heading into and also away from the sun.
If the sun is behind us, our visibility won't be compromised, but any drivers coming the other way, aren't going to be able to see a thing. As such, we need to ride in a smarter way to really limit the risk.
Being invisible is not a new problem for bikes and now, here in the UK, the clocks have gone back which means that, for me, every journey home from work until April, will now take place in the dark.
I often see lots of riders who are covered head to toe in black kit. My Rukka kit is black, but has reflective strips built into it, however, I don't think this is enough, so I have the added colour of a hi viz vest. Its nothing special, but it helps raise my presence when on the road.
The vest helps the driver see me as they following in a line of vehicles. Its so easy for us to disappear into the lights of the vehicle in front when favouring the right side of the lane as we position ourselves for maximum personal visibility.
For a small section of our sub culture, hi viz is not cool and so, they won't wear it, but it really does make a difference. For me, I find it helps me stand out against the background. I ride in an area with very little light pollution from shop fronts or street lights, so the bright colours and reflective panels work. In the city however, this may not be the case so much, as the bright yellow itself can blend into the background.
My only advise when it comes to making yourself visible on the road, is to evaluate where you are riding and then select an option that will maximise how people see you. Don't just rely on them seeing the tiny rear light, or your headlight. If you are riding in a mixture of environments, then wear a mixture of different colours, so that during any one instance, there is always one part of you that is dramatically contrasting against your background.
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