Dangerous or not?

[derrick]

I was in our nearest town yesterday and saw a fellow cyclist. He was completely dressed in black, with not a hint of anything reflective or a flashing rear light. He was riding a full blown time trial bike in the most aero position possible. My concern is that this was on a busy road bound for Paris. Although it was in full daylight you could barely see him against a dark background. On top of this would his reaction time have been good enough in this situation and would his vision have been good enough?

Am I being over cautious?

Yes.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

When I see people in full time trial mode in daylight I do wonder more about their vision of the road ahead than about seeing them

although they are rare around here they do seen do have their head right down for full aero effect

Personally I will never do it because I am not interested in that side of things - and anyway my eyesight would mean I would have to have some weird specialised glasses in order to be able to see properly
as a reult I have never even tried it so I can;t really tell - but it does look like they can;t see properly

 

[numbnuts]

I have stopped worrying what people do or wear on the road, your dammed if you do or dammed if you don't
it's their life and older enough to know better.

 

[Drago]

I once had a dark blue MG with a cloth roof...

So did Mrs D when I met her. You're not,you couldn't possibly be...darling?

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Dark coloured cars should be banned.

Naaah, make them wear hi-viz.

 

[Time Waster]

Naaah, make them wear hi-viz.

Just not yellow or you'd not see them in the countryside against a hedge!

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Just not yellow or you'd not see them in the countryside against a hedge!

Horses for courses. Yellow for traffic, red for hedges, everyone knows that!

 

[berty bassett]

and so it crops up again , everybody knows black shows up more the bright colours , thats why the army wear fluorescent yellow when they dont want to be seen ... oh wait , they haven't adopted it yet - missing a trick maybe . the argument that 'I didnt see them dressed in dark clothing till I nearly hit them, but I saw them just in time ' crops up a lot on here with people saying ' but you saw them , so its safe . you dont hear people saying , I saw them 500yds away because they were highly visible and well lit so no need for last second reactions and I gave them plenty of room ' because its a non event . but i think its best to leave people do what they think best and not worry about it , just keep yourself safe as you see fit

 

[Ming the Merciless]

There is no cyclist in this picture.

 

[Drago]

and so it crops up again , everybody knows black shows up more the bright colours , thats why the army wear fluorescent yellow when they dont want to be seen ... oh wait , they haven't adopted it yet - missing a trick maybe .

Probably not best to use the army as an example, as the new multicam designed to work in all terrains is hopeless...

And as aforementioned, MREW, ALSAR, etc, wear red (or sometimes combination colour hi vis) when working outdoors away from urban areas for exactly that reason. That's an inconvenient reality for the point you're trying to make.

 

[CAESAR AVGVSTVS]

I’ve had the hi vis and it seems to have made no difference stopping cars pulling out on me. But what works better for me, is a front and rear hi powered flashing light. As a car and van driver I have absolutely no problems with cyclist dresses all in black. It’s my job when driving to look out for cyclists and pedestrians, dogs and anything else that is using the road, Irrespective of colour.
The only time I think it’s dangerous wearing dark clothing is at dusk. We have plenty of idiots that seem to think they are safe with dark clothes and no lighting.

 

[steveindenmark]

Yes you are being over cautious.But I know what you mean. I always look at it as their problem and not mine.

 

[berty bassett]

Probably not best to use the army as an example, as the new multicam designed to work in all terrains is hopeless...

And as aforementioned, MREW, ALSAR, etc, wear red (or sometimes combination colour hi vis) when working outdoors away from urban areas for exactly that reason. That's an inconvenient reality for the point you're trying to make.

if I was being shot at in a field with bushes , I know what colour I would rather be wearing , please feel free to wear whatever colour you would choose

 

[Drago]

if I was being shot at in a field with bushes , I know what colour I would rather be wearing , please feel free to wear whatever colour you would choose

The glib response is all very clever, but how do you explain SAR teams choosing to wear red?

No one is suggesting a florrie is like DMP camo, and the insinuation is facile.

The basic fact remains that against a green background yellow hi vis has been proven to be ineffective and far from conspicuous, and all the smarmy one liners in the world doesn't alter that.

 

[berty bassett]

The glib response is all very clever, but how do you explain SAR teams choosing to wear red?

No one is suggesting a florrie is like DMP camo, and the insinuation is facile.

The basic fact remains that against a green background yellow hi vis has been proven to be ineffective and far from conspicuous, and all the smarmy one liners in the world doesn't alter that.

I dont explain anything and dont feel the need to explain anything to you , you have your opinion and I have mine , I am not a man mountain , I am quite small and have been knocked off bike by a car while not wearing bright colours , since wearing bright colours I haven't been knocked off . that is the only statistic that I need . again I will say each to their own