The only outfit associated with a significant change in mean passing proximities was the **police/video-recording jacket. **
Notably, whilst some outfits seemed to discourage motorists from passing within 1 metre of the rider, approximately 1-2% of overtakes came within 50 cm no matter what outfit was worn. This suggests there is little riders can do, by altering their appearance, to prevent the very closest overtakes
This is quite discouraging, but it seems to ring true in my experience. I’ve had quite a few drivers, who have come close to hitting me (even while walking at a crosswalk), claim that they “didn’t see me” while I wore high-viz everything and had lights to further improve visibility.
How do we, as cyclists, even deal with “driver blindness”?
Use a rear-view mirror that you check every 3-5 seconds and be prepared to jump in the ditch at a moment’s notice. 🥹
As a commuter on both two wheels and four, one thing I have noticed in recent years is the A-post - the dividing structure between the front windscreen and the first window on the sides - is becoming longer and thicker (giggidy).
There’s been times when I’ve eased out of junctions when it has been clear to the left, and on checking again a metre onwards, the A-post has been blocking the view of a full-sized car. The design is fucking ludicrous and only benefits the driver who looks straight ahead, there’s almost a frontal blind-spot created in modern cars.
I like to think my experiences of cycling to and from work make me appreciate the need to be mindful of more vulnerable road users, but even still manufacturers don’t make it easy. I’m all for putting shit drivers on blast, but manufacturers seems to be actively complicit in making driving a very selfish experience now.