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SUPERVISOR - R.S.W./D.I. Inc.
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SUPER-VISOR ARTICLES
BIKERS WARNED TO TAKE EXTRA CARE FROM THE BLINDING EFFECTS OF THE SUN
Scunthorpe Evening Telegraph
12:30 - 31 January 2006
Road safety chiefs have promised a 'detailed investigation' into the death of a motorcyclist on the region's roads at the weekend.
"The North Lincolnshire Motorcycle Forum is working hard to try and reduce motorcycle accidents on North Lincolnshire's roads," he said.
The forum provides advice to both motorcyclists and drivers of other vehicles, aimed at reducing motorcycle accidents."
Sunday's fatal accident, which happened in Redbourne,
The accident involved a yellow Honda CBR motorcycle, which collided with a parked Vauxhall Astra in the village.
"I don't know why this rider has hit a parked car, but often at this time of the year bikers struggle because the sun is very low. Motorcyclists are vulnerable, just like pedestrians or pedal cyclists, but they usually come off worse because they are moving faster than either of those."
PC ROY Hindmarsh, of the North Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership offered this safety advice to motorists:
For motorcyclists:
Never overtake at junctions
Never overtake on unbroken white lines or bends in the road
Never squeeze through between oncoming vehicles and the one you are overtaking
Always wear a full set of quality protective gear
Never ride in the blind spot of a car or van
Never overtake on the inside of other bikes, especially on bends in the road
Always ride at least two seconds behind the bike in front
Always slow down for bends in the road
Never do wheelies - this could endanger other road users
Never pass closely by cars or other bikes to scare the driver.
For car drivers:
Always look over your right shoulder before overtaking, setting off or opening the car door
Always look for bikes when pulling out of junctions
Always keep at least two seconds away from the car or bike in front
Never squeeze between oncoming vehicles and the car or bike being overtaken
When overtaking, never cut in on bikes, especially in the rain
Always look over the left shoulder when turning left and leaving a roundabout
Never dazzle bikes with headlights
Never squeeze alongside bikes at junctions
Always give bikes space in traffic jams
Never use screenwash or throw out cigarette ends when there is a bike behind.
MOPED RIDER DAZZLED BY SUN
Scunthorpe Evening Telegraph
12:30 - 17 November 2005
An 'immense' glare from the sun led to a moped rider's death, an inquest heard yesterday.
Clifford Bairstow (59), of Holme Drive, Burton-Upon-Stather, died after his moped collided with the back of a stationary lorry on The Avenue in the village. Recording a verdict of accidental death, North Lincolnshire coroner Stewart Atkinson urged drivers to take all necessary precautions to warn other motorists about their actions - such as parking or stopping - as soon as possible.
The inquest heard from witnesses who described the trouble they had seeing on the morning of Thursday, October 21 last year, because of the glare of the sun.
A statement was read out by witness Zoe Frances Buettner, who was driving a car and saw Mr Bairstow's moped before the collision.
She said: "It was a bright, sunny morning, so much so I put my sunglasses on in the car to help me a bit."
Ms Buettner watched as the scooter headed in the same direction she wanted to go, and noticed the lorry stationed to her left, the inquest heard.
"I can only assume the scooter driver did not see the lorry and was dazzled by the low sunshine. The scooter never swerved and went straight into the lorry," she added.
But the inquest heard the sunlight, combined with the fact the lorry was carrying a crane, made it impossible for Mr Bairstow to see the stationary vehicle - despite lights flashing on the cab. "I heard a loud bang and felt the lorry physically jolt," said Mr Coy.
Pc Alfred Place, of Humberside Police, described the sun's glare at the time as 'immense'. He explained the sun's position would have blocked Mr Bairstow's view and would have made it look as though the lorry was not there.
Pro Riding 101: Protect Your Eyes
Face Shield, Visors, Safety Glasses or Goggles = $10 – $200
A clear view of your environment is critical to safe riding. Many hazards, blinding sun, wind, rain, insects, and blowing sand and dirt, can impair your vision and increase your risk of crashing. That’s why pro riders use glasses, goggles, and helmets equipped with face shields and visors to protect their eyes.
Eye protection comes in various styles, so choose equipment that you enjoy wearing. Select protective eyewear that is clear or has a yellow tint. Other tints can impair night vision.
Eyewear should be cleaned with soap, water, and a cloth or sponge before every ride. Avoid products such as paper towels, tissues, and napkins, which can scratch plastic lenses.
Your eyes are your best source of information. Think. Ride Smart.
Drivers, beware of sun's glare
'The sun was in my eyes' is not an excuse, police say
By TOM ALEX - REGISTER STAFF WRITER
Turn a corner and it blinds you. Top a hill and it's worse.
Ignore precautions and it could kill you.
This is the time of year when the sun's glare is particularly dangerous for drivers and pedestrians. (See graphic.)
"For two or three weeks before and after September 4 and April 6, the early-morning and late-afternoon sun is lining up closely with Iowa's east-west streets," said Ralph Bouwmeester, a Canadian safety consultant and recognized expert on sun, shadows and the optical tricks they play on motorists.
Des Moines lawyer Sam Waters is also an expert on road glare. He learned the hard way.
"Our accident occurred December 26, 1999," he said, describing a sunny Sunday morning walk in Beaverdale with his wife, Elizabeth.
A driver, blinded by the sun, struck the couple.
"I flew onto the hood and did a somersault in the air and ended up 35 feet away," Waters said. "My wife hit the windshield, but didn't go very far."
Both had knee surgery and have since recovered.
Theirs was far from an isolated incident:
Sept. 9, 2003: Authorities said glare might have been a factor in a crash north of Des Moines that killed a Pleasant Hill man.
Aug. 27, 2003: Two people on a motorcycle died on the city's east side in a collision with an oncoming van whose driver blamed early-morning glare.
Sept. 15, 2000: A 13-year-old boy was struck by a car but escaped serious injury on his way to school. The driver said the sun made it impossible to see the teen.
Sept. 15, 1999: A truck loaded with jet fuel veered off Interstate Highway 80 west of Des Moines. The driver blamed the sun.
Sept. 10, 1997: Authorities blamed a blinding rush-hour sun for two traffic accidents that injured an 11-year-old girl and the police officer sent to investigate.
Sept. 16, 1993 : The sun was listed on reports as a contributing factor in several accidents, including a car-pedestrian accident that killed a Windsor Heights woman.
RODNEY WHITE/THE REGISTER
In your eyes: That early-morning and late-afternoon sun can be blinding. Wear sunglasses and use your visor, police advise.
Thousands of accidents each year are blamed on road glare. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration attributed 168 deaths to blinded drivers in 2002, the lowest total in four years.
The problem is the autumnal equinox. The 23-degree tilt of Earth's axis places the sun on the horizon for eastbound traffic during morning rush hour. The tilt is what creates the seasons.
It also can create highway havoc.
"A major insurance company sponsored a study a few years ago that attributed this to driver fatigue resulting from the affect of the time change on the body clock," Bouwmeester said. "I would suggest that the cause may be linked to the fact that the sun appears lower on one's drive home from work."
The problem is at its worst the first hour after sunrise and the last hour before sunset.
"The sun was in my eyes" is no excuse for an accident, said Des Moines Police Sgt. David Coy.
"Wear sunglasses, use your visor, delay your trip until the sun is higher in the sky," he said.
That means put down the cell phone and leave the radio dial where it is.
"Get all of that out of the way before you start driving, because you may need one hand to block the sun while you keep the other on the wheel," Coy said.
POLICE MOTORCYCLE TRAINING.
Riding at Dawn
It is very important when riding at dawn to be very aware of unexpected sun glare. I'm writing this training article on a real life experience that recently happened to me in hopes that it will help to alert my fellow motor officers.
Last month (October 2005) at around 7:30 in the morning, I was headed to work traffic enforcement at a local school. The weather conditions on that day were clear and sunny. Morning traffic is always slow on the Interstate. I was traveling with speeds fluctuating from 25 to 35 MPH.
The sun was extremely bright and because I was traveling from west to east the occasional glare was blinding even though I was wearing sunglasses. As I crested the top of a bridge the unexpected happened. The sun suddenly blinded me at the same time a Ford Explorer came to an abrupt stop in front of me. Because the unexpected sun glare temporarily blinded I never saw the brake lights or the vehicles ahead of me slowing to a stop until it was too late.
Instinctively I tried to apply what I had learned through training and squeezed the front brake firmly like an orange and pressed my rear brake firm but still maintaining rolling friction. I was unable to stop in time and violently struck the rear of the Ford Explorer. My motorcycle was totaled and I was taken to the ER. I have learned since the accident that I will have surgery on my left shoulder because I tore the labrum around my shoulder when it dislocated when I went over the handlebars. I also have some bone chips in my shoulder that need to be removed.
I know the first thing that comes to mind is that I was following too close. I have replayed this collision over and over in my mind and I still feel like I maintained a good following distance under the normal roadway conditions for that Interstate.
In trying to think if anything else could have been done, it happened so quickly I did not have time to counter steer to the left or right. Plus, there was no room anyway to go to the right because of cars and no room to the left because of a concrete retaining wall. I did not have time to attempt a control lay down, so I applied the brakes.
What I would like to pass onto my fellow motor officers is that you must be aware of bright sunlight not only in the morning, but at dusk too. Even with sunglasses on, the sun glare can affect you suddenly and without warning. I probably should have created a greater following distance as I began to drive towards the top of the bridge and took into consideration the possible effect of the sunlight.
I've been riding for 15 years, and even though I know about the dangers we face each day I never thought that the bright sun could be a potential hazard. Remember on a bright sunny morning, when everything is going great; your boots are shined, your uniform is pressed, you're getting a smile from the blonde in the convertible and you're thinking, "I can't believe they actually pay me to do this" don't loose track of your surroundings. Keep your mind in the game and remember you need to be alert. Always scan ahead of you and work your way back. Look for all potential hazards and check your side mirrors. This should be a constant habit looking out in front and scanning your way back and don't forget about the sun.
Stay safe and ride safe.
Sergeant Rob Grimsley
Motor Instructor
Charleston County Sheriff's Office
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