Visibility

Sun 12 Dec 2021, 21:04

If your fashion consciousness does not allow you to wear hi-vis, carrying a white plastic bag is quite effective. Easy to stash in your pocket when you reach your destination. 

Sun 12 Dec 2021, 19:10

Earlier this evening I had to do an emergency stop on Sheep Street as there was a group of 4 people in dark clothes with a dog walking up towards me.  Pavements?  Yes, there were two there, but not for them it seems.

You can buy Hi Vis armbands for £4.00 a pair.  If you are determined not to use the pavements why don't you?  

And I was driving at under 20 mph thank goodness.

Let's all be considerate to others. 

Thu 9 Dec 2021, 23:14

Walking along the pavement on 9 Acres Lane by 9 Acres Close is quite tricky:  you have to cross the road in the middle of the 90 degree bend as the pavement swaps sides (with no overlap). It needs a crossing installed or more pavement.

Thu 9 Dec 2021, 14:07

Gor blimey Hannen, I find myself agreeing with you!

 I narrowly missed mowing down a young lady runner dressed in black at the Enstone crossroads the other night. She was invisible! As she dashed across my bonnet, I did an emergency stop. She did not break her stride and just vanished. Glad I was only doing 15mph or there could have been serious injury....... Please wear something that shows up in headlights!

Thu 9 Dec 2021, 12:55 (last edited on Thu 9 Dec 2021, 13:29)

Steve, agree.

I now carry a torch at night -  I was winded by a jogger the other evening - why do people wear all black or dark clothes at night?! By way of contrast I drove past 2 dog walkers on Grammar School Hill who had fluorescent sashes on, and I could see them from far off. Also there are pockets of darkness, and as Steve points out sometimes pedestrians have to step off the pavement into the road, or perhaps they just do at this time of year returning from a local hostelry or a Christmas gathering at a friend's house.

It's really just about being courteous to other road users - and protecting yourself.

Also - has the 2 metre rule gone?  If not then one must step off into the road.  But perhaps it has...

Thu 9 Dec 2021, 12:03 (last edited on Thu 9 Dec 2021, 12:06)

There are places in Charlbury where you don't have much choice but to use the road as a pedestrian. Part of Pooles Lane, Hixet Wood as well as Crawborough come to mind, but there are other locations where it's physically impossible for two pedestrians to pass and you have to step into the road to do so. Most alarmingly is that section of the Slade towards the Enstone junction, which is also extremely badly lit, (not to mention crossing at the junction in question). Speeds tend to be higher there and you are far more likely to encounter an HGV. Dyer's Hill, especially the lower part, is also very narrow.

With the increasing use of very quiet electric cars, it's going to become rather more dangerous to rely on hearing alone to step into the road to pass another pedestrian without making a thorough visual check, and a bit of extra visibility is not a bad idea.

There are, of course, even more locations in the centre of town where the pavements are very narrow and stepping into the road is necessary at times, but (mostly) the traffic is lighter and rather slower due to perceived hazards.

In any event, I do not recommend walking around Charlbury at night dressed totally in black.

Wed 8 Dec 2021, 23:34

I agree, Claire: a pedestrian on the road has an obligation to make himself visible, but I think Helen’s point is equally valid: I don’t think pedestrians on pavements in lit streets should be expected to be at the mercy of motorists. There are two quite different issues here.

Wed 8 Dec 2021, 08:51

I was driving into Charlbury up pound hill a couple of weeks ago, cars were coming down towards me and their headlights were dazzling me a bit, at the last minute I spotted a jogger in the road dressed all in black.  They had a small reflective strip which luckily I noticed, otherwise with the glare from the other cars I wouldn't have seen them. 

If you're in the road after dark you need to be visible, whatever type of transport you are. It isn't about cars v pedestrians, I would be equally annoyed if i came across the S3 bus with no lights or reflectors. 

Wed 8 Dec 2021, 07:37

My concern with all this is that the more people wear high vis, the more car drivers come to accept that as de facto, and therefore drive with less concern for possibly more concealed pedestrians (or one who just happened to forget their high vis jacket one day). We have a very ingrained culture where car drivers get more priority and importance on roads than pedestrians or cyclists - to me, expecting other road users to make themselves more visible for drivers' convenience is a part of that. (I'm a car driver too by the way)

Tue 7 Dec 2021, 22:53 (last edited on Tue 7 Dec 2021, 22:59)

Pavements, yes, but people (especially in groups) don't/can't always stay on them.  Park Street pavements are narrow and cars make it worse by parking (sic) on part of the pavement.

I just don't want to hear of people being hit or worse because they didn't (in contravention of the Highway Code) wear any hi viz or carry a torch.  It's not expensive or hard.

"Help other road users to see you. Wear or carry something light-coloured, bright or fluorescent in poor daylight conditions. When it is dark, use reflective materials (e.g. armbands, sashes, waistcoats, jackets, footwear), which can be seen by drivers using headlights up to three times as far away as non-reflective materials."

https://www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/rules-for-pedestrians.html

And I was observing the 20 mph speed limit, unlike the grey car behind me which tailgated me all the way through the town with no lights on!

So let's all think of others.  Thank you.

Tue 7 Dec 2021, 20:58

As is often the case, these things get turned into a morality play. I would suggest that wearing something which makes you more visible at night is just a sensible precaution. It's not necessary to wear a high viz jacket to be a bit more visible, just something lighter coloured. People make mistakes, and I doubt we will ever live in a world where everybody drives impeccably at all times.

I'm old enough to remember when government information films used to make this very point. Just think of it as a sensible precaution against those who are less than perfect.

Tue 7 Dec 2021, 20:57

I think I must be missing something here – the streets quoted by Hannen (Thames Street, Church Street, Park Street, Grammar School Hill) all have pavements.

Cars are not allowed to drive on the pavement – that’s rule 145 of the Highway Code, which wonderfully goes back to the 1835 Highway Act, and also includes “wilfully lead or drive any horse, ass, sheep, mule, swine, or cattle or carriage of any description, or any truck or sledge”. So why would you need hi-vis to walk along the pavement?

Tue 7 Dec 2021, 19:55

Helen, we should all take responsibility, cars have head lights, so why doesn't it just make sense to either carry a torch or wear something light. We put bright lights on dogs in the dark. Be sensible be seen be safe. 

Tue 7 Dec 2021, 19:19

You could wear high viz to enable those with low vision to see you walking towards them though. Tbh, it's always about cars and then me banging on about accessibility. Why is this? It'd be lovely if charlbury prided itself on being accessible and considering others. Maybe a first for towns in the Cotswolds. 

Tue 7 Dec 2021, 19:12

I don't agree - I think car drivers should be slowing down and looking out for pedestrians. We shouldn't have to wear high vis just to walk around in our town after dark.

Tue 7 Dec 2021, 17:46

It is what we did in the Blackout during the War. Senseless now in the dark when high viz jackets are available.

Tue 7 Dec 2021, 17:31

I've just returned from my (usually) weekly trip to Chippy Co-op where they give people of a certain age 10% off on "Diamond Day" i.e. every Tuesday.  Even 10% off offers!

I think "our" Co-op is marvellous but at the Chippy one there is ample parking, and a huge amount of stock, and recycling facilities - so it's a no brainer.  They will also slice a loaf for you foc!

Disappointed when driving back into Charlbury to see several people wandering around dressed in very dark or even black clothes.  Thames Street, Church Street, Park Street, Grammar School Hill.  Virtually impossible to see - by way of contrast those who were wearing fluorescent high viz band/jackets very easy to see, even from some way off.