{"id":172975,"date":"2019-03-26T13:39:55","date_gmt":"2019-03-26T13:39:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/?p=172975"},"modified":"2019-04-09T12:07:38","modified_gmt":"2019-04-09T12:07:38","slug":"death-is-lurking-in-the-dark","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/2019\/03\/26\/death-is-lurking-in-the-dark\/","title":{"rendered":"Cycling and Visibility: Death Is Lurking in the Dark"},"content":{"rendered":"

What should you wear to be visible to other road users? Why is it unwise to unlock your iPhone while driving? This and much more is explained in this article on the visibility of cyclists.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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According to the analyses of \u0160koda Traffic Safety Research Centre, night accidents between cars and cyclists have more serious consequences, which closely relates to poor visibility. \u201cInterestingly enough, collisions mainly occur on straight roads outside towns and cities. The cause is usually high speed. Another contributing factor is poor luminous intensity of bicycle lights,\u201d says Ji\u0159\u00ed Polomis from Czech agency BESIP, which seeks to improve road safety. So what is the most dangerous behaviour and how to prevent it?<\/p>\n

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Why do cyclists think they are visible when they aren\u2019t?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Each moment behind the steering wheel brings tens or hundreds of pieces of input information we take in, which determines our driving style. Most circumstances are dealt with subconsciously, and we only direct our thoughts to potentially dangerous situations. As a result, it\u2019s natural for drivers to focus their attention on places where another car could show up. One would assume that the largest portion of collisions between car and bike happens on complicated road sections, such as junctions. However, numerous studies have shown that one half of accidents happen on straight roads.<\/p>\n

While cyclists may quickly come with the explanation that the cause is inattention of drivers, the truth is much simpler: the driver just didn\u2019t see the cyclist. Tens of similar situations happen in countries around the world. The conclusion is clear: cyclists tend to overestimate their own visibility. In other words, they think they are more visible than they actually are. The problem is that they perceive the reality from their own point of view. They perceive the world from the position of a relatively slowly moving observer who can see and hear a loud and illuminated car from far away. They don\u2019t realize how much they blend in with their surroundings in the eyes of a driver.<\/p>\n

What colours work best?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Already in 2004, a series of studies proved that fluorescent colours can be seen earlier, better, and at a greater distance by drivers than other colours. Fluorescent colours reflect invisible UV radiation in a spectrum that can be seen by the human eye, even 200% more clearly than conventional colours.<\/p>\n

The most suitable colours are orange and yellow, which are very rare in nature, and drivers respond to them well because they are associated with warning signs. Fluorescent tights rank among the most suitable pieces of clothing, as they were spotted 3.3 times earlier by drivers than fluorescent jackets. Nevertheless, cyclists should be aware of the fact that fluorescent colours don\u2019t work at night, as car lights don\u2019t emit UV rays.<\/p>\n

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The most suitable colours are orange and yellow. \u00a9Profimedia<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When the sun goes down<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Reflective materials come in handy after dark, as they can reflect artificial light. On the other hand, their poor breathability makes them unsuitable as materials for clothes, which is why they are mostly used on vests. \u201cAt night, reflective material is visible at a 3 times greater distance than white clothing and at a 10 times greater distance than blue clothing,\u201d says Ji\u0159\u00ed Polomis from BESIP agency.<\/p>\n

Finding out whether a bright yellow jacket can actually prevent collision between bike and car was the aim of the largest known research, which was carried out in Sweden between 2012 and 2013 and which involved 6,793 cyclists. In order to get enough volunteers, the researchers were recruiting them with the help of media, and even organized a prize draw to give volunteers a proper motivation. The participants were divided into two groups, with one group riding in yellow garments (coming in sizes XS to XXL) and the other group biking in their own clothes. When the results were compared a year later, it turned out that the group in yellow experienced 47% less accidents in general, and a whole 55% less collisions with motorized vehicles.<\/p>\n

Another study from the same time period by Dr Rick Tyrrel from Clemson University, South Carolina, showed that cyclists wearing reflective vests have a 67% chance to be registered in time by drivers. The chances increase to 94% if the vests are supplemented with reflective knee and ankle bands. It\u2019s been proven that drivers respond better to moving objects. While a vest remains on the same level the whole time, and may thus be mistaken for road signing, cyclist\u2019s ankles keep moving up and down, which makes them easily recognizable even at a distance. Another contributing factor is that the car headlights are pointed from the cyclist\u2019s waist down.<\/p>\n

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Turn on your lights even in the daytime. \u00a9Profimedia, Alamy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Why turn on lights in the daytime?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

It goes without saying that cyclists carry front and rear lights at night or in poor visibility conditions. Research has shown, however, that daytime lighting improves safety to a great extent. According to a Danish study from 2012, the risk of collision with a car decreased by 19% in cyclists who used their lights during the day. It may be disappointing that most night lights will be useless during the daytime, as they must be powerful enough to \u2018beat\u2019 daylight. The output of a suitable front light should be at least 100 lumens. Today the market offers lights with an output of several hundreds or thousands of lumens, the more the better. Quite naturally, better quality and higher output increase the price. For example, a set of front (1,100 lumens) and rear light (300 lumens) by Lezyne costs 130 euros.<\/p>\n

While steady front light is recommended for night rides, during the day it\u2019s advisable to use flashing mode, as it quickly distinguishes the cyclist from their surroundings. It\u2019s not all about intensity, the light should also be mounted at a correct angle. It\u2019s been proven that deviating the rear light on the seat post by a mere 10\u00b0 from the centre line of your trail significantly decreases your chances to be seen in time by an oncoming driver.<\/p>\n

What you can do to improve your visibility<\/strong><\/h2>\n