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One thing I do that I don't think was mentioned is if I'm coming up to a right turn where I have to cross my lane to the centre a good 50m short I'll actually put my arm out, palm flat, and gesture to slow down / back off. That's before I make any move.
I've got an old neck injury that makes it hard for me to do a check over the shoulder, I have to sit up and tun my body as well as my neck to get a proper view and ideally I want people to know I'm going to look before I do. The 'back off' gesture seems to be one of those universally recognised ones, or at least it makes people think 'was that a right turn signal? Or something else? I'll hang back a bit and see'
I still then look before moving, some people don't get it or ignore it because their journey's still more important, but it generally works.
Made a few changes:
Pulsing lights f&r all the time now.
Changed route to avoid one or two pinch points and badly designed bits of road.
Non-fast bike for the commute instead.
Avoid taxis like the plague!!!
Th change of bike made the biggest difference. Used to use a Boardman Hybrid which was easy to keep at 18-20mph and weave through traffic. I now have a GT Traffic which is heavier and has a more laid-back seating position and character. Only takes me a minute or two longer each way for my 4 mile commute but it's noticeable how much more room drivers give me on a non-racy bike.
Definitely a decent rear light...ideally one with an always on setting with a strobe type flash.
I have a Smart V2.0 which has has 1 and 3 watt focussed beams, it does 4 quick flashes of the 1w and then a double flash of the 3w which is what I use during daytime riding. Can't see it now but there is a Smart Lunar which has a random disco style mode which looks pretty eye catching! (37 seconds)
Happily no incidents to report to trigger any of this - more a question of just looking at other people on the road. The most visible commuter I've seen of late was wearing a lot of reflective stuff, and had three low-powered blinkies on: helmet, bag and bike. Very easy to see, without being overwhelming by *just* brightness.
I'm a daytime lights user too now. Not long ago I replaced my helmet - the first bit of advice from my LBS was to get a white one that fits. I also now tend towards quieter roads or carefully use pavements.
When I run I use a green coloured Glo-Tube on strobe for stuff coming up behind me, as it's an odd enough colour for people to be curious about - red / white / amber are too commonplace.
I've noticed the same general lack of attention thing described in BadlyWiredDog's T5 incident up the page ^. I drive a LR110 (with daytime running lights) and plenty of people seem to be utterly oblivious to that on the road too ?
Part of the thing about using daytime lights is that all modern cars now have them so it's become a bit of an arms race.
To add to that, I was road riding this morning and coming towards me through a tree-lined section of road was a roadie in black shorts and a white/blue Etixx top
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He was pretty much invisible until my front pulsing light flicked off a tiny piece of reflective kit on his shoe and then his shape came into view.
I glanced back at him once we'd passed and again, in spite of that light top, he was incredibly difficult to make out in the light/dark shadows. I know that's one instance and it's anecdotal etc...
I had a gentleman pull out in front as I was riding on the main carriageway home. I was well lit and visible and had just eased off the brakes after making eye contact with the driver and believing he had acknowledged me (he slowed and stopped at the junction) he then pulled straight out in front of me and I hit him in his side at 25mph.
I had an acl separation and damage to my ankle which was never diagnosed but has given it a tendency to roll easily.
Post accident I find I make myself even more obvious with my road position.
I ride further out than before, perhaps 1m as a rule unless I'm in heavy traffic then I'd be somewhere around .5 to .75.
I never assume someone has seen me or given way to me when approaching junctions.
I now assume everyone overtaking me before a left hand junction will turn across me.
I also work on the basis if I can avoid roads I will so take as many cycle paths and non road options as possible.
My accident really scared me as I was about to become a father and I felt I was doing everything reasonable I could to prevent something happening.
I have never had anything but minor bumps on the road - but after EVERY near miss I do some reflection. What happened? what could I have done to avoid it? What lessons to for me to learn?
I find at most near misses better concentration / observation / road positioning would have helped.
So for me its all about knowing what every car around you is doing - I look over my shoulder every 10 seconds and before every manoeuvre. I look into every car parked on the side of the road to see if they might pull away / open the door), I watch the top of the front wheel of every car that might pull out of a side road ( you see the movement here first). When turning right I signal very obviously, sit up and look into the eyes of the driver behind so I know they have seen me. I ride no closer than a metre from the road edge ever ( this gives you somewhere to go if you get a close pass, gives you more time to avoid pedestrians stepping out) and often I ride behind the driver of the car in front ie primary position
I also ride a commuter with discs sticky tyres and flat bars and ride covering the brakes all the times.
Reflect on the crash / near miss and even if its legally 100% the other person at fault you will find usually there is something you could have done differently to minimise / avoid the situation. Learn from every near miss.
I wear those hi-vis running tops that are £3.99 from Decathlon and my bike has dynamo lights that are always on but not so nuclear holocaust bright that they rob the eyesight from any approaching traffic