BICYCLE SAFETY - MAY 2005

DRESS TO BE SEEN

One of the facts of life for bicycling on the road is that you need to deal with automobile traffic. Many drivers are ignorant when it comes to bicyclists' rights to the road. By law, we as bicyclists, have as much right to the road as the cars. This does not mean we can ride in the middle of the road and impede traffic, but we can claim as much road that is necessary to ride safely (to avoid pot holes, sewer grates and other road "hazards").

All of this is a moot point if the auto drivers do not see us in the first place. How can we increase the chances of being spotted? The answer is to dress in clothing that does not "blend in" with our surroundings. Avoid dark colors, such as black, navy blue, dark green, etc. Wearing bicycling apparel that is dark in color decreases your chance of being seen. Instead jerseys and jackets should be bright colors such as red, orange, yellow and especially the fluorescent colors. Racing team or BTCNJ Club jerseys that have contrasting colors along with printed sponsor logos are also more visible than plain solid dark colors.

Wearing bright colored clothing becomes even more critical when riding alone (a group of cyclists are more readily seen than a solo rider) or near dawn/dusk when there this limited daylight.

Over the last few months I have observed cyclists (both club members and other cyclists I pass on the road) wearing black jackets with black tights. This reduces the chance of being seen significantly and auto drivers may see the bicyclist at the last moment perhaps causing him/her to swerve to avoid the cyclist creating a potential accident.

What are your options if your favorite jacket or jersey is a dark color? One would be to put a bright colored vest (similar to those worn by construction workers) over the jacket.

Another idea that I observed on a recent trip to London is to wear a bright colored (in this case they were fluorescent yellow) combination waist strap/should strap, similar to those worn by the school "safety patrols" and some policeman. I realize that these options may not be considered "cool" and in fact may be "dorky", but it is better to be visible to the cars rather than increasing your chance an accident resulting in serious injuries.

If anyone has any other ideas in regard to dressing for safety or other safety issues please let me know at John Daugherty

Remember to have fun, but be safe.

~ John Daugherty