This morning was one of those mornings that make autumn so special. A chill night brought a crispness to the morning air and a heavy dew on the ground. Trees, hedgerow and grass were all glinting in the early sun. Being on a bike allows you to appreciate the differences in the days, as senses overload on the rich atmosphere of bright sunshine, cold air and high humidity.
Glorious weather is not without its drawbacks though. As a cyclist, it is worth thinking about the impact it may have on your commute. I and many others that ride to work will not have much choice over when we ride. It will usually be at set times in the morning and evening. This means at this time of year we ride as the sun is rising and setting. Dazzlingly bright sunlight is nearly as bad as darkness for making cyclists invisible. This was reinforced this morning as I was nearly sideswiped by an Alfa Romeo coming out of a side road that was facing the sun. As I approached, I saw the driver looking the other way and suspected she might not have seen me. I took a slightly wider line as a precaution but she continued out of the junction into the road where I was riding. I swerved and then she saw me and braked to a halt. She was very apologetic, as drivers tend to be in situations like this. The explanation "I didn't see you" is not really adequate as it only means she didn't make the required effort to double check the road in the low sunlight. I'm sure she was sorry but 'She didn't see him" is not something I want on my tombstone.
Stay safe out there.
Glorious weather is not without its drawbacks though. As a cyclist, it is worth thinking about the impact it may have on your commute. I and many others that ride to work will not have much choice over when we ride. It will usually be at set times in the morning and evening. This means at this time of year we ride as the sun is rising and setting. Dazzlingly bright sunlight is nearly as bad as darkness for making cyclists invisible. This was reinforced this morning as I was nearly sideswiped by an Alfa Romeo coming out of a side road that was facing the sun. As I approached, I saw the driver looking the other way and suspected she might not have seen me. I took a slightly wider line as a precaution but she continued out of the junction into the road where I was riding. I swerved and then she saw me and braked to a halt. She was very apologetic, as drivers tend to be in situations like this. The explanation "I didn't see you" is not really adequate as it only means she didn't make the required effort to double check the road in the low sunlight. I'm sure she was sorry but 'She didn't see him" is not something I want on my tombstone.
Stay safe out there.
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