Car drivers worse in winter?

[MisterTommyH]

Is there something that makes car drivers worse in winter? Or just makes them not look for bikes as much?

I've ridden most of the year without any close calls (that weren't due to me) and then in the last 24 hours I've had two drivers try to knock me off.

Yesterday afternoon I was going along in a 30 (doing 30) when a freelander appeared at a junction joining from my right. He stopped, looked, saw me (made eye contact!!!) and then proceeded to pull most of the way across the offside lane before juddering to a halt looking shocked that I was there.

Probably the closest I've had, and I just couldn't believe it. It wasn't a SMIDSY, he'd looked me straight in the eye - and those of you who know me will know that my bright yellow lid isn't exactly easy to miss.

Then this morning, nice crisp dry morning, so take the bike to work. And a silver focus moved over for me (and it was definately a move over rather than just a swerve) then proceeded to get ever closer to me as I passed - cue a handful of throttle to get well clear.

Just found it weird that I'd have two close calls so close together after nothing most of the year.

Don't think is the winter in particular although the season comes with an extra set of hazards as far as driving is concerned. I think they are daily occurrences but the ones that get you unprepared tend to stand out.

You should never assume that a driver has seen you even if he looks at you. Don't allow these situations to develop into close calls. Expecting them to pull out in front of you, consider positioning for better visibility, slow down on approaching a junction and don't be shy to use the horn when in doubt. Wearing a clean hi-vis jacket, particularly in the mornings, might help some of the drivers spot you more easily.

Ride safe.

[Biker Biggles]

We are getting to the time of year when morning commuters have steamed up windows and mirrors,not to mention uncleared ice and other winter crud stopping them from seeing you.Also the low sun can dazzle drivers so worth bearing that in mind when they seem to be looking at you but not seeing.Add that to the usual ignorance and we could see a seasonal increase.

[_Stretchie_]

I just had some tool try to get me this morning.

Riding through Devizes, some fella in an big old Vauxhall looking to pull out of a carpark, he looked right, right at me and then looked left and then pulled out while still looking left. I was about a car's length away from him as he pulled out. I may need to wash my kit tonight.

But I'm on a BlackBird, so not a small bike, with a big headlight that is always on, an iridium screen, so stands out a bit. I've got me BMW rider look a like textiles on so they are light grey against a dark bike and a high vis vest on...

Bloody eeejits

[timwilky]

I often think it is the headlight that causes this.

During the summer months drivers do not see a headlight, therefore when one appears they know it is a bike.

However in winter, they assume a single light is a car in the distance and not a bike close by.

No excuse for not looking properly though.

[MisterTommyH]

Originally Posted by maxinc

, consider positioning for better visibility,

Ride safe.

I'll admit that positioning was compromised because I had to move so that I went between two road cushions (i wasn't in the middle of the road, there are 3 spaced out across the two lanes).

[Gremlin]

Mostly they are looking but not seeing.

But most modern cars have big pillars and we are totally hidden from view by them, maybe he didn't see you until he started to turn and you then suddenly appeared in his window because his pillar had moved.

If I see a car at a junction looking to join I move side to side slightly in my lane. Hopefully my movement makes them register me if they are looking and not seeing or I pop out from behind their pillar.
Other than that I'm always covering the brake and expecting to have to stop in a hurry.

For the second one who knows, on the phone, changing radio station or any number of things car drivers do apart from concentrating on the road.

[DJ123]

Originally Posted by Gremlin

Mostly they are looking but not seeing.

But most modern cars have big pillars and we are totally hidden from view by them, maybe he didn't see you until he started to turn and you then suddenly appeared in his window because his pillar had moved.

If I see a car at a junction looking to join I move side to side slightly in my lane. Hopefully my movement makes them register me if they are looking and not seeing or I pop out from behind their pillar.
Other than that I'm always covering the brake and expecting to have to stop in a hurry.

For the second one who knows, on the phone, changing radio station or any number of things car drivers do apart from concentrating on the road.

The first statement is correct. Many drivers look but do not see

Originally Posted by daddyjob

The first statement is correct. Many drivers look but do not see

+1
I saw something on the thinking behind it, basic jist was that most drivers are looking for cars and busses. They see vans as cars and lorries as busses, but no where in their mind do they consider bikes.

They tested a selection of people to see how long they look left/right at junctions the movement of the head took literally 1 second. So to replicate this they then flashed up for 1 second infront of the test subject a short video as though filmed at a junction.

In the daylight images the results were worring but the night time ones were staggering. For daylight when asked what they saw most confused busses for lorries, cars for vans etc some even got the colours wrong! Around 70% saw a bike, but when asked if it was a cyclist or motorbike they were mainly mostly saying pushbike.
Nighttime however, all headlights seemed to belong to cars - anything with lights higher up was automatically a lorry and motorbikes were only seen when riding on thier own.
Bikes riding in groups they were "a car of some sort"
but the scary scary OMG was for me what if a bike is been ridden in front of a car they were completly unseen.

Genuinely scary to watch.

As bikers we naturally are more aware of bikes but other road users who arnt familiar and arnt looking for us we really can startle them. Its not our fault but its no longer suprising to me when I see cars react quickly to my presence, it just shows they were unaware of me until that point. It bring clairty to the situations where people say "he came out of no-where"... well he didnt did he, he was there all along you just werent observant enough to notice him.

What is it they say - these things come in pairs? I think if you have one close call it makes you a bit more nervous & the next one that you may take in your stride normally becomes a close call.

I've sometimes point my bike slightly towards people at junctions if I think they haven't seen me so the headlight shines right at them. Don't know if it works but combining that with a visible road position makes me feel better.