Dangers of riding with the sun in your eyes..

neeb

even with shades on.

One thing I've realised over the years is that dark shades are actually next to useless for low angled sunlight and glare, basically any time where there is a lot of contrast. The direct light is so bright that anything dark enough to block it will make silhouetted / shaded objects invisible just as much as if you were not wearing them. Sunglasses are really only effective when the light is more or less evenly reflected from all surfaces, as it is when the sun is overhead. The only exception is that where the problem is light reflected from the road, polarised glasses may help, but you don't want them to be too dark.

mk1markfalkirk

This has been a major worry of mines this year, gives me the fear. I time my rides differently now.

Sad to hear about the rider.

Bordersroadie

What a very sad tale, I really feel for the cyclist and his famiy. I hope he recovers.

I find it pretty scary riding into a low sun, as I often do on my morning commute, on narrow country lanes. When it's combined with a wet road it makes me paranoid I might get hit from behind. What I've done on such mornings is pull over into the verge when I hear a car coming from behind me. I'm lucky that I see very few cars for my entire route, so it's practical for me to pull over but I appreciate that it may not be for others, and in any case I might not hear the car coming that could hit me.

The other options are ride a different route but this would not avoid the situation completely, or ride at a different time but this isn't practical for work and family reasons. Or take the car.

Phil Fouracre

Sad tale, but, as usual crap driving - not much chance for cyclists, my missus was taken out on her horse on a country lane in similar situation a few years ago. Lovely day, could hear car coming up behind her, nowhere to go, no change in engine note - she thought she was just going to die. Her and horse over bonnet, bloody big horse too! both survived. Totally destroyed her faith in riding on the roads, after years of enjoying it. Hate to admit it, but, I would happily beaten the shit out of the driver - 100% their fault!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

de_sisti

Phil Fouracre wrote:

Her and horse over bonnet, bloody big horse too! both survived.

Hope the car was a write-off, with the appropriate hike in insurance premiums.

cougie

A clubmate of mine was killed in similar circumstances a few years ago. Empty wide dual carriageway - blinded by the sun he hit two cyclists and narrowly missed a third. The driver got a £400 fine and banned for 6 months.......

Since then I do pay attention to the sun. If I'm struggling to see in the sun - then I think that a nob in a souped up Corsa with a dirty windscreen and on the phone to his mates would struggle too. So I'll change my route if I can asap.

Bright lights might make a difference - but most lights are pathetic in normal daylight - let alone these circumstances.
People don't seem to get that you need to change batteries once in a while.

dodgy

cougie wrote:

A clubmate of mine was killed in similar circumstances a few years ago. Empty wide dual carriageway - blinded by the sun he hit two cyclists and narrowly missed a third. The driver got a £400 fine and banned for 6 months.......

Since then I do pay attention to the sun. If I'm struggling to see in the sun - then I think that a doorknob in a souped up Corsa with a dirty windscreen and on the phone to his mates would struggle too. So I'll change my route if I can asap.

Bright lights might make a difference - but most lights are pathetic in normal daylight - let alone these circumstances.
People don't seem to get that you need to change batteries once in a while.

Very same incident I referred to further up the thread (Mel). I am surprised at how many posters have admitted on this thread that they've never even considered this a risk, that's why I'm glad the thread has been put up.

Bustacapp

so the rider didn't make it?

depressing as hell!!

Monty Dog

The road I travel to work is like this and one of the reasons I rarely ride that way in winter - few people adjust their speed to compensate for the few seconds of near-blindness. Luckily, there's a section of forest track that runs parallel and so I compensate by making my 5 mile commute by road into a 10 mile trip via forest trail and singletrack, thus turning-up 40 minutes later and covered in mud

steve6690

Bustacapp wrote:

so the rider didn't make it?

depressing as hell!!

Still critically ill.

Briggo

DrKJM wrote:

And driving at 10mph is NOT going to kill someone

You can categorically state that as factually correct can you?

Mikey23

Thanks to the op. I had not considered that if I am struggling in low sun, then so is the motorist behind me