“Dazzling sun” deaths disproportionately affect vulnerable road users

Due to continuous home working since march 20, I have been out a lot more at lunchtime. Had to resort to a 300 lumen rear light for self preservation due to the low sun and driver speed.

Not really something I wanted to do but I'm more risk averse in my old age.

Its funny, when its cold outside I put on warmer clothes. When the road is wet, I cycle more slowly and carefully. When I can't see very well, I compensate and don't make a manouvre until I can see. 

Then again, I do these things because I don't want to die and that is the likely outcome if I don't consider the conditions. 

I would bet a lot of money that the number of incidents where cyclists are at fault for a collision doesn't increase because of "low sun" and other such BS excuses. 

I still cannot fathom even a little bit how "I couldn't see" is an excuse to enter a roundabout without being sure its clear. Yes, there are some occasions where you are caught out completely when its not your fault but if you are stationary, thats 100% on you. If you are turning, thats 100% on you. I know when I can't see because of the sun...because I can't see! What I do is I move my head until I can see. I put the sun visor down. I double and triple check mirrors etc. 

Its almost never an excuse. 

I was hit by a car on a roundabout despite the fact that I was only a few metres directly in front of them and their excuse was the sun even though it didn't set for over an hour later but their excuse was just accepted and never investigated, thankfully me and the bike were not badly injured 

I think this bascially fits into the "dozy driver" cause category (though obvs also distracted and dangerous apply), in that the driver is not aware, or perhaps educated, enough to drive safely in the circs.

For me the most iconic one of these was the killing of Councillor Paul James, where the 'dazzled' driver at once admiteed that she could not see anything, and then stated that she saw nothing wrong with hooning into the area where she could not see anything at 50mph plus.

The driver hit the Councillor at 50mph+, and the next one ran him over.

Suspect we all agree on that, however.

Contributory factor = invented excuse

I lost a colleague in a low winter sun incident. Wet road, 40mph limit dual carriageway, heavy traffic. All used as justification by the judge when instructing the jury and driver was acquitted.

It's been particularly bad these past couple of weeks due to the (slightly) colder nights and rapid warming in the morning, meaning the roads "sweat", particularly away from tree cover. It's the time of year I actively consider which way I'm riding to minimise the risk from drivers who are happy to plough on regardless of whether they can see.

And, yes, it will be dodgy next week as drivers suddenly realise they've had a headlight out for most of the summer, and haven't cleaned the inside of their windscreen for months. Can't overstate the need to clean the inside, needs a good degreaser to get rid of all the takeaway food and coffee contimination

I may be cycnical, but...

When a driver is faced with prosecution, "I sounded my horn, but the cyclist failed to get out of my way" doesn't sound too good.

"Low sun, Cyclist swerved, Just didn't see the cyclist" sound much better, especially when the defense informs the jury (all motorists) "My client has an exemplary (never been caught)  driving record.

I suspect that using these standard excuses may be skewing the truth.

PS - Don't forget dirty windscreens.
Should driving in low sun with a dirty windscreen automatically constitute careless driving?

I would love to see the statistics on drivers defences in fatal or serious injury collisions related to whether there were witnesses or not.

I suspect that when there were no witnesses, the sun becomes amazingly bright or riders exhibit a mysterious ability to 'come out of nowhere' when there's nobody around to say otherwise.

We've had at least one death in the club where the driver blamed the sun and this was accepted as understandable - rider was turning right at a junction and the car drive straight through them.

We've already had mornings where I am cycling and struggling to see but I don't have a sun visor. If I can't see, I am acutely aware that the cars behind may not be able to see clearly either, and also acutely aware that they might not care. It's difficult to know what to do except hope the bright flashing light attracts their attention.

While CUK is entirely right to bring this to the attention of drivers, how many will see this advice and how many will act on it?

What they don't seem to say is how many of these incompetent drivers who don't slow down when the conditions dictate it  and kill or injure some innocent pedestrian/cyclist/motorcyclist, are held accountable for their failures?

From the reports on this website, I'd guess the figure is somewhere between 0 to 1%.

Quote:

Almost three-quarters of the people killed on British roads between 2017 and 2021 in incidents where low sun was cited as a contributory factor were cyclists, pedestrians, or motorcyclists

That to me mostly answers "who are the vulnerable road users, and what is an excuse that drivers use?"  Fortunately Duncan Dollimore said it for me:

Duncan Dollimore wrote:

The sun doesn’t just appear by magic, and in many of these cases where drivers claim to have been dazzled by the sun, questions should be asked about why they weren’t anticipating those conditions, or hadn’t modified their driving in response.

Regrettably had to drive the car around 5 pm today. Was about to overtake a parked bus and had to abandon due to low sun.
Proceeded past at about 5mph as the driver was clearly parked up for a bit.

really the clock change is more about light up times I think, remember everyone on Monday, firstly dont forget to charge your lights, but its supposed to be statistically one of the most dangerous days of the year on the roads as everyone suddenly finds theyve forgotten how to drive in the dark properly.

as for dazzling sun, Id have said start of October/March was when its the worst for rush hour style riding, obviously anytime you ride into a setting/rising sun it poses the same issue still, but its the weeks before the clock change I think are the scariest as you are totally reliant on people actually driving in a way that minimises the dazzle to see you and not simply drive blind.

I made changes to my morning commute so I did not ride into the sun down the fast twisty road, with double white line just to add to the nonsense.

Some years ago I was knocked off at this time of year, car came into me from a road coming into th roundabout, I was already on the roundabout.

he said he couldn't see me. Motto is don't proceed where you can't see