this post was submitted on 09 Jan 2024
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The influence of a bicycle commuter's appearance on drivers’ overtaking proximities: an on-road test of bicyclist stereotypes, high-visibility clothing and safety aids in the United Kingdom (researchportal.bath.ac.uk)
submitted 10 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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The only outfit associated with a significant change in mean passing proximities was the **police/video-recording jacket. **

Notably, whilst some outfits seemed to discourage motorists from passing within 1 metre of the rider, approximately 1-2% of overtakes came within 50 cm no matter what outfit was worn. This suggests there is little riders can do, by altering their appearance, to prevent the very closest overtakes

This is quite discouraging, but it seems to ring true in my experience. I've had quite a few drivers, who have come close to hitting me (even while walking at a crosswalk), claim that they "didn't see me" while I wore high-viz everything and had lights to further improve visibility.

How do we, as cyclists, even deal with “driver blindness”?

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

The city is trying hard. The roundabout is on the main cycle route into the CBD from the South and there are a few hundred bikes through that intersection in that one direction every day.

At the time of day I ride (early morning, in the dark in winter) I have never seen a cyclist use the bike lane

Once you're in town it's kerb separated bike lanes and at grade bike and pedestrian road crossings, and one pedestrianised street and another "shared" street where cars are limited to 20km/h (try that speed mph 20-is-plenty complainers!)

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Good to know the rest of the city is good. I personally avoid roundabouts on my bike because even fewer people expect to see a cyclist there, and most don't even have pedestrian crossings so cars don't even expect me at the entrances to the roundabout.

I love roundabouts, just not as a cyclist. They're fun to ride around, but I'm always scared I'll get run over since people are just looking for their exit.

If you have the chance to give feedback, recommend putting the cycle lanes combined with pedestrian crossings at the entrances, like this. That way the lanes are mostly protected, and bikes cross where cars expect them.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

Canberra has so many roundabouts. I can't get out of my street without a roundabout - one at each end