A car drivers mindset, wonder what they are thinking !!

[Kiwifruit]

So I'm off out to play bash. Its 5.30 and takes about 20 mins to get there. The roads are busy as everyone is trying to get home after work. I go around a round-a-bout and then the two lanes filter into one. I'm in the right hand lane and indicating to merge to my left. There is no car to my left.......YET !! Nek minit there's a little Audi level with my footpeg. Blonde thing looking straight ahead.
Wonder what she's thinking ??

Coming home.... it's dark, headlight is hard wired on. I'm about halfway home, road is posted at 60kph. Road is clear, no other traffic I'm doing 60kph . Road joins mine up ahead from the left. It has a stop sign. I can see light approaching so take note. Not expecting car to actually stop. (coppers love that intersection, it adds plenty to their coffers, they stake it out regularly.) Not to be disappointed the car came straight out and headed left in front of me. I could have touched the car it was that close or I could have stopped if needed. I rolled the throttle on and passed the car.......
Blonde thing again looking straight ahead. Wonder what she's thinking ??

Do they not see us, do they see us and it not register, we can see you but we are not going to look, do they just not care..... are we invisible ??
What on earth does one have to do to be SEEN !! ............No wonder riding a motorcycle can be dangerous.

(I don't really have it in for Blondes)

[Mrg]

its all that reflective strips your wearing make you invisible  to those dizzy blondes out there

[Kiwifruit]

Yes I think you're right MrG.........They are daft and dizzy !!
Maybe I also need some blue tape to look more like the Feds ?

[seth]

The only advice i was given when i was a learner
was treat all other drivers on the road can't see you and ride accordingly

[ARH]

I think that's sounds advice Seth!

I read an article not so long ago written by Fighter pilot, about how your vision is focused to react to movement in certain areas of vision, it explained why drivers often do not actually 'see' another vehicle.  Apparently pilots are specifically trained to scan these areas constantly when flying....  need to see if I can find the link to the article, was an interesting read!

[ARH]

Hope that link thing works!  Not the article I mention above but a good read nevertheless...
http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a28306/why-you-dont-see-motorcycles-on-the-road/

[Del]

got to agree with Seth on his point

I pay a lot of attention to other drivers front wheels - saved me from a few potential incidents - I can see the front wheel move and know where there going before they do

I commute nearly every day and I know its not good but you get used to being not seen and only on the odd occasion to get a 'Jebus that was close' moment

[seth]

Good tip del
looking at the front wheel gives a clue as even if there looking at you
it doesn't mean they've seen you 

[Mrg]

yes I agree on seth and del I treat all car driver the same  there on the road to crash not look and learn .... my view on this is that all car driver should take a Couse  to ride a bike so they see the dangers we see or at least, there put on the back of a bike and shown the difference of the bike world ,, not just them getting into there cars and driving around .like there the most important thing in the world

just saying like 

[seth]

One thing these days is you can use a mobile phone while riding my bike

[Mrg]

hmmmmm some are good some are not so good ive got one but its fiddly to use I find

[ARH]

 

hmmmmm some are good some are not so good ive got one but its fiddly to use I find

[Kiwifruit]

Some good points here guys.
When I was 15 I had a trail bike, that was my daily transport. Going along one day I see a car approaching and indicating to turn right. I looked him in the eyes and he turned right........ I tagged him in the left front wheel and went for a little journey over the bonnet. Bruised but unhurt.
That was a lesson money can't buy. I have always been a wheel watcher, I know that a flashing indicator only means the bulb works. Good point about the pilots ARH. I will often do a little weave to move my headlight if approaching a car waiting to turn.
Much is made of TV ads telling drivers to be careful, slow down, don't drink and drive, don't text.......blah, blah ,blah !!
Don't see ads saying ......Look out for motorcycles, is there a motorcycle in your blind spot ??
So much for new riders to learn to stay safe.

Despite my best efforts to look like a christmas tree......... I or rather we remain invisible !!

[gsxbarmy]

Its interesting this - Chop and I went to a Biker Down course earlier this week, and one of the sections was all about bike safety - changed my views quite a bit about how car and other drivers see us (or not).

First thing they teach you about is contrast - this was all new to me, but all about how bikes / riders "blend" into the landscape, and how current reflective gear can actually work against you! So consider this, Paramedics ride bright reflective yellow bikes and are kitted out in similar coloured attire so they can be seen - is this right or wrong? The answer is both - it depends where they are going to ride and when. Lets take an example
- Riding in town during the day - yes, right to wear the gear as there is a contrast against backgrounds
- Riding in town  during the night (or under streetlights) - debatable to no, as the colour blends into the background and glare of the lights

They also showed a picture of a Red and Silver taken during a tour, with the cliff side of a mountain pass as the background at the side of the road - and all you could reasonably see was the red, as the silver "merged" with the grey of the mountain rock.

Also - they said that you were better wearing reflective jackets with arms rather than without, as typically the "without arms" type get obscured by tank bags or by people putting items (like rucksacks etc) on their back, or carrying pillions without reflective material. With jackets, the arms are always visible so you stand more change of being seen. Also for the reflective stuff being picked up at night, you were better having reflective strips on the backs of your trousers than on your jacket. Why? Obvious really, headlights face down towards the road....

Guess what the in colours are for reflective material - pink and light blue. Yep, you read it right.

The other point they made about having reflective on your arms is that it makes you wider, and that what drivers notice is a change in size (or movement) to see you - with bikes often too late....they also mentioned how we blend in around cars, and how in a line of traffic, car drivers will se ethe cars and gaps between, but because we are slim, all they (may) see is our helmet bobbing over the top of the car roof  (if we are lucky).

All about how bikes blend into the background and how we need to think about the environment we are driving in, as sometimes reflective vests work - and sometimes they don't as per above.

(Incidentally if anyone is thinking about doing a Biker Down course in the UK, it really is very worthwhile)
http://www.kent.fire-uk.org/your-safety/road-safety/road-safety-for-bikers/

[Mrg]

never really through of the colour reflection in that way and how the change in night and day changes the view to other drivers .some interesting points and the Couse you have motioned is a worthy Couse to do