Be Seen to be Safe (II)

In the first part of this thread I responded to the untimely death of a promising young man who died as a result of an “accident” involving his motorcycle and a car. In the course of the investigation, the motorist said that he just didn’t see the young man. In far too many incidents, such as that one, the driver has the same response. I had therefore suggested that riders of cycles, motorized or otherwise, should take the simple step to remove this excuse by making certain they can be seen.

Recently, I have become a motorcycle rider. On the first day I rode I was without a reflective vest. I was very embarrassed as I was not taking my own advice. It was not so much a case of being recognized, but I knew, and that was enough for me to be embarrassed and to feel guilty.

So I got my vest, and now, I never leave home without it, whether by day or night. In doing this, I am taking my lead from policemen who wear the vest as part of their uniform.

The point in doing that is those vests, especially the lime-green ones have been around for such a long time, that even a fleeting glimpse of one tells us of the presence of a human being. As a driver of car or truck we know instantly that we have to exercise caution, and that the person wearing the vest might be a police-person.

Gone is the usual excuse of I didn’t see him or her.

On the day that I rode without a vest I was treated differently to the way I am now. Traffic is definitely more courteous and I get more space. I can make a comparison with a person walking along a road and a person using a pedestrian crossing. We know that if we hit someone on a pedestrian crossing our penalty will be greater. Strike a cyclist who is wearing a reflective vest and you have no excuse at all.

So, I re-submit the suggestion that as cyclists, if we want to save ourselves the experience of being involved in a crash, we have to warn off the oncoming driver. Make sure that you stand out from the landscape by making ourselves as visible as possible. Remember, we have no idea of how easy or difficult it is for the motorist to see us, especially when coming from behind.

Stay safe. “Be Seen to be Safe!”

Copyright © 2008 Eugene Carmichael