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Wednesday, October 18. 2017

As the days grow shorter, my annual request that dawn, twilight, and night road walkers wear highly-visible or reflective clothing, or a reflector vest as in photo. Cheap, lightweight. Wearing a light is good too. I suggest both.

I do not want to hit you, but I might get close if you walk on a roadside dressed in dark clothing. That would be a bad thing for you and me. Please do not make yourself invisible. I have come too close to night walkers.

Posted by The Barrister in Hot News & Misc. Short Subjects at 17:30 | Comments (13) | Trackbacks (0)

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To quote the philosopher Neil Stephenson:
"""
Because if you've put yourself in a position where someone has to see you in order for you to be safe — to see you, and to give a — you've already blown it."""

Move like they're trying to kill you, but haven't managed yet because they're too stupid and too stoned.

#1 William O. B'Livion on 2017-10-18 18:14 (Reply)

I'm not wearing anything so that they can find me! I stay out of their way.

#1.1 bgarrett on 2017-10-19 07:59 (Reply)

If you think you're safe out there, what with these old eyes and slowed reaction times, believe me your not, safe that is.

#2 uk(us) on 2017-10-18 18:25 (Reply)

One of my major gripes, people who walk, bike or run at night in dark clothing. What are they thinking? They are basically invisible to drivers until it is too late. As a runner for 45 years, I know from a lot of experience how dangerous it can be to run in the dark and I'm very careful. In addition to light clothing, I wear one of the military-required reflective belts when I go running at night. (I know a lot of military hate them and I've even had off-duty military point at the belt, mock me and call me a dork, but I'd rather be an alive dork than a dead cool person.) But even the military is stupid-- this fall, I now see the University ROTC doing their early morning PT run in the streets in the dark in BLACK shirts and BLACK shorts, rather than the former light grey shirts. Granted, they have their belts on, but why they would reduce their visibility I have no clue. The Army of One recruiters must think they look more hip and relevant in black.

A few weeks ago one of my Korean language teachers showed up for evening class on his black bicycle, dressed all in black. No lights or reflectors on the bike, either. The next week's class I brought two flashing reflectors and during a break, quietly told him to please put one on his backpack and one on his bike. "선생님, please use these, it is very dangerous to ride a bicycle here and I don't want you to get hurt."

#3 Jim on 2017-10-18 20:44 (Reply)

The other night I almost hit a neighbor on her Horse! The comment from uk hits the nail on the head. I was young once, and the young assume everyone can see as well as they do, now I know that is definitely not true. What is scary is that there are certainly people out there driving that can't see well at all. Read a new item about an old guy that killed some little kids waiting for the bus. He said he thought they were trash cans.

#4 Oldblood on 2017-10-18 22:52 (Reply)

So he supposedly decided to run over a bunch of trash cans for no reason?

#4.1 Formerly known as Skeptic on 2017-10-19 12:59 (Reply)

My very favourite was the longboarder flying downhill the wrong-way down a one-way street, at night, wearing all black. Somehow I managed to see movement from the unexpected direction and stop before fully crossing his path, but he still had to swerve to avoid me.

The local dollar-tree has reflective snap-wristbands, I've pondered just carrying a dozen in the door pocket of the car and handing them out to nearly-invisible young adults that I encounter when driving at night.

#5 Douglas2 on 2017-10-19 00:58 (Reply)

You can buy inexpensive reflective vests at Walmart and Harbor Freight (under $5). I keep one in the car and one in the motor home in the door pocket where I can easily grab it as I get out of the vehicle. I also keep a flashlight right there with the vest.

#6 GoneWithTheWind on 2017-10-19 10:59 (Reply)

-or you could walk off the left hand side of the road facing oncoming traffic. Been there, done that & it works pretty well.

#7 Jim O'Neil (Link) on 2017-10-19 11:54 (Reply)

Nobody knows that rule, either. Another one is not walking on the blind side of a curve. It's amazing how clueless modern people are. Especially when they have their smartphone earbuds hooked into their ears and can't hear anything as well.

#7.1 Jim on 2017-10-19 13:53 (Reply)

Nobody knows that rule, either. Another one is not walking on the blind side of a curve. It's amazing how clueless modern people are. Especially when they have their smartphone earphones plugged into their ears and can't hear anything as well.

#7.2 Jim on 2017-10-19 13:56 (Reply)

Sorry, don't know why the double-post; I was getting the red warning message so guessed I used a word thought to be bad and modified my post, and then found both posted when I hit submit.

#7.2.1 Jim on 2017-10-19 14:23 (Reply)

The one that has been scaring me lately is motorists in silver cars with no lights on foggy mornings. It's like a Star Trek cloaking device.

#8 John on 2017-10-19 22:56 (Reply)

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Wednesday, October 18. 2017

Be visible, please