That’s better. Drivers need all the help they can get to spot cyclists. Photo: Pedal Power ACT.
It’s pretty well accepted that white cars are the least likely to be involved in an accident and that black cars are the most likely.
You can probably put grey (sorry, silver) in the latter category as well.
Why?
Because they tend to blend into the road background, and of course, at night, they are just so much less visible.
So why do some cyclists, aka vulnerable road users, persist in trying to be the dark knights of the road?
Recent experience has put the wind up me and I’ll do what cyclists tend to say and try to be more alert for their presence.
But in the flat light of a Canberra morning or evening, try picking up a small, thin fast, fast-moving black or grey object heading towards you in a cycling lane while you’re waiting for a break in the traffic to turn into a busy road.
“Where the f… did he [it’s mostly he] come from?” That’s accompanied by a cold sweat as the sliding door possibility of that close encounter sinks into your adrenalised brain.
Not only was the cyclist on a black bike but clad in black from head to toe. The blinking red rear light is irrelevant from front on.
Not a skerrick of colour, high viz or something to contrast with the tarmac.
There are plenty of kaleidoscopic and hi-viz kits out there that are for day and night, city and country travel, and plenty of cyclists do like to be seen.
But lately, I’ve noticed – and maybe it’s winter – a hardcore of two-wheelers who seem to prefer stealth mode.
Cyclists will argue the studies on this are inconclusive and that it’s motorists who need to keep a proper lookout, but a bike rider does not have a margin for error if something goes wrong.
We’re all best served by being defensive on the road and ready for the unexpected.
There is an unwritten hierarchy on the road from biggest to smallest. When I’m driving, trucks tend to be given a wide berth and generous leeway. Given the size ratio and damage that can be inflicted, it’s just the prudent thing to do. Arguing ‘but I was in the right’ from a hospital bed is no comfort.
Go to a building site and yellow is a favoured colour for good reason. Tradies aren’t really worried about looking uncool. A bit more of that OH&S spirit would go a long way.
So here’s the deal. I’ll keep tuning my radar for cyclists – ok, scooters too – and argue for more separated bikeways if you’ll come over from the dark side and find some colour, reflective material, lights, anything so you don’t vanish and reappear suddenly before it’s too late.
By the way, I’ve driven a white car for decades. They’ve served me well.
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