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When it's dark and wet

Clever PunClever Pun Posts: 6,778
edited September 2010 in Commuting chat
It's really very hard to see

the lights coming towards you reflect off everything so sods law you hit every pothole going

Any tips on how to see? or is it a case of skwinting and keeping the front wheel super light? :?
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  • MonkeyMonsterMonkeyMonster Posts: 4,628
    yellow lenses? cut down on the ol glare and make it easier to pick out the pot holeys...

    no idea to effectiveness - never worn
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  • greg66_tri_v2.0greg66_tri_v2.0 Posts: 7,172
    The only tip I have, which I was properly failing to follow last night, is to have memorised where all the holes, cracks and ironworks on your route are. And use the Force.

    But generally, it is sh!t when it is that wet. It's very easy to miss white lines - they seem particularly invisible in the reflected light from the road surface.
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  • iainmossiainmoss Posts: 88
    Polarized clear lenses...if there are such things!

    (Helpful, huh?!)
  • Clever PunClever Pun Posts: 6,778
    I know Greg, the route is well known but occasionally there that crunch and the wincing

    MM I've got photo chromatic lenses, removing the light from the road means it's still hard to see
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  • asprillaasprilla Posts: 8,440
    Clever Pun wrote:
    MM I've got photo chromatic lenses, removing the light from the road means it's still hard to see

    I'm in the same boat, phto chomatic OR polarising, you can't have both unfortunately.
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  • kelsenkelsen Posts: 2,003
    MonkeyMonster wrote:
    yellow lenses? cut down on the ol glare and make it easier to pick out the pot holeys...

    no idea to effectiveness - never worn

    I use these sometimes. Wouldn't say they make it any easier to pick out potholes, but they do give a brighter outlook on life!
  • ride_wheneverride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    Get a proper set of lights and you wont have any trouble.

    Yellow lenses are okay, but tbh there isn't much you can do!
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  • greg66_tri_v2.0greg66_tri_v2.0 Posts: 7,172
    I use yellow lenses in the dark. They're better than anything else I've used, but TBH, they're still not good at dealing with reflected light off a wet road.

    And whatever lens you have, when it's raining and the lens is covered with droplets, your glasses are fooked. I go for naked eye at that point.
    Swim. Bike. Run. Yeah. That's what I used to do.

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  • tgotbtgotb Posts: 4,714
    What about everyone else? I have no trouble seeing road markings, potholes etc (apart from the underwater ones, which I can just about remember) but everyone around me (motorists, other cyclists and especially pedestrians) seems to have huge problems seeing either each other or me :-(

    In particular, can anyone recommend a strategy for being seen through a pedestrian's umbrella? High vis top and super-bright headlamp don't appear to be sufficient...
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  • HeadhuunterHeadhuunter Posts: 6,494
    I wear glasses because I have to (I'm short sighted) but I would prefer not to when it's wet and dark. I definitely wouldn't recommend actually going out and buying them if you don't need them, polarising/yellow lenses or no.

    Last night I biked home along OKR at about 9pm. My glasses steamed up every time I stopped at lights or to manoevre round traffic, the lenses were constantly covered in a fine spray of rain or up from the roads. My eyesight is horrible without glasses but it was so bad I actually consdered taking them off and riding without.
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  • rjsterryrjsterry Posts: 18,921
    If you wear a helmet with a clip-on visor, they can be helpful - tilting your head down cuts out a lot of the glare from headlights. It also keeps a lot of the rain off any glasses you are wearing, but in last night's downpour, I think no glasses or contact lenses if needed would be the best bet.
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  • gbsahne001gbsahne001 Posts: 1,962
    at night if it's raining; no glasses and squint for me, as the drops of rain reflect the oncoming headlights
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  • R_T_AR_T_A Posts: 488
    Yellow lenses work quite well at reducing glare, and you don't have to pay a fortune.

    I use safety specs - £7 delivered:

    http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Bolle-Viper-Safety-Specs-Glasses-Yellow-Lens-NEW-/130366420043?pt=UK_BOI_ProtectiveGear_RL&hash=item1e5a71b44b#ht_500wt_1154

    However, they were rubbish in the rain last night. I tilt the helmet visor low and use my innate spidey senses.
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  • greg66_tri_v2.0greg66_tri_v2.0 Posts: 7,172
    tgotb wrote:
    What about everyone else? I have no trouble seeing road markings, potholes etc (apart from the underwater ones, which I can just about remember) but everyone around me (motorists, other cyclists and especially pedestrians) seems to have huge problems seeing either each other or me :-(

    In particular, can anyone recommend a strategy for being seen through a pedestrian's umbrella? High vis top and super-bright headlamp don't appear to be sufficient...

    I have some sympathy with drivers in these conditions. They can cut through the reflected light no better than us. Often their wing mirrors will be largely useless due to the water droplets on both the surface of the mirror and the window that they have to look through. The only strategy is to assume that they haven't and can't seen you.
    Swim. Bike. Run. Yeah. That's what I used to do.

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  • PufftmwPufftmw Posts: 1,941
    Last night, I tended not to notice other headlights causing me problems - my view was focused about 20ft ahead of me searching for puddles/potholes, then used my peripheral vision for other road-users/dangers. A bloke pulled up beside me & I bemoaned the weather and he said that he couldn't see anything! I didn't have that problem at all. No glasses but a visor on the helmet.
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  • rodgers73rodgers73 Posts: 2,626
    Headhuunter wrote:
    I wear glasses because I have to (I'm short sighted) but I would prefer not to when it's wet and dark. I definitely wouldn't recommend actually going out and buying them if you don't need them, polarising/yellow lenses or no.

    Last night I biked home along OKR at about 9pm. My glasses steamed up every time I stopped at lights or to manoevre round traffic, the lenses were constantly covered in a fine spray of rain or up from the roads. My eyesight is horrible without glasses but it was so bad I actually consdered taking them off and riding without.


    I have an anti-glare coating on mine - works a treat in the car and on the bike.
  • tgotbtgotb Posts: 4,714
    Greg66 wrote:
    I have some sympathy with drivers in these conditions. They can cut through the reflected light no better than us. Often their wing mirrors will be largely useless due to the water droplets on both the surface of the mirror and the window that they have to look through. The only strategy is to assume that they haven't and can't seen you.
    I agree to a point, but last night I saw two cars nearly have a head-on collision as they went opposite ways through a light which had been red for at least 5 seconds. And whilst my working assumption is that any pedestrian strolling down the pavement with a brolly is about to jump out in front of me, it nevertheless irks me when they actually do...
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  • HeadhuunterHeadhuunter Posts: 6,494
    rodgers73 wrote:
    Headhuunter wrote:
    I wear glasses because I have to (I'm short sighted) but I would prefer not to when it's wet and dark. I definitely wouldn't recommend actually going out and buying them if you don't need them, polarising/yellow lenses or no.

    Last night I biked home along OKR at about 9pm. My glasses steamed up every time I stopped at lights or to manoevre round traffic, the lenses were constantly covered in a fine spray of rain or up from the roads. My eyesight is horrible without glasses but it was so bad I actually consdered taking them off and riding without.


    I have an anti-glare coating on mine - works a treat in the car and on the bike.

    Its' not glare that's the problem for me, it's fogging and rain/spray from the roads...
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  • BarteosBarteos Posts: 657
    A helmet with a PEAK (visor?) makes a massive difference and I can't imagine riding without it.
    I'm amazed that so many people will never consider wearing it while on a road bike, just to conform to some fashion rules.
  • HeadhuunterHeadhuunter Posts: 6,494
    Barteos wrote:
    A helmet with a PEAK (visor?) makes a massive difference and I can't imagine riding without it.
    I'm amazed that so many people will never consider wearing it while on a road bike, just to conform to some fashion rules.

    My old helmet used to have one but my current one doesn't have a peak. I ride with a cap under the helmet but I find the peak cuts visibility
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  • essex-commuteressex-commuter Posts: 2,188
    Headhuunter wrote:
    but I find the peak cuts visibility

    Same here. I use my MTB helmet through the Winter; that has a peak and when I ride in the drops it really bugs me.
  • BarteosBarteos Posts: 657
    Many helmets have adjustable peaks. I use Giro E2 and it's brilliant 8)
  • OrigamistOrigamist Posts: 807
    tgotb wrote:
    In particular, can anyone recommend a strategy for being seen through a pedestrian's umbrella? High vis top and super-bright headlamp don't appear to be sufficient...

    I opt for an effete: "woo-hoo" as I've yet to find a way to be seen through a brolly:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CGhxztbtS0
    Folders
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