But, you were driving in a manner that you could avoid an obstruction within the distance you could see to be clear. Self-evidently, as you didn't mow him down. On the facts I'd say you were probably exceeding the standard required, of the average motorist. If you had hit him, the case against you would have been that you could not stop within the distance you could see to be clear. That would have been an interesting case. It would certainly be a case where a high degree of contributory negligence would be aimed at the cyclist.



The Highway Code states that (59) you should wear

"light-coloured or fluorescent clothing which helps other road users to see you in daylight and poor light"

"reflective clothing and/or accessories (belt, arm or ankle bands) in the dark."

Those are not legal requirements but can be cited in support of alegations of negligence.

It also states (60)

"At night your cycle MUST have white front and red rear lights lit. It MUST also be fitted with a red rear reflector (and amber pedal reflectors, if manufactured after 1/10/85)." Failure is an offence, as the quotes are from actual Regulations.





Indeed.

Although not a legal requirement in the UK yet, we have just had everything except the chains and shovel added to the conditions of our group car insurance policy at work. Luckily I'm already equipped (with the hi-vis kit [iinside[/i the car so I can put it on before exiting the vehicle) for the same reason as you - driving in other EU countries.

Shortly after reading this this afternoon I was stood at our front window and up the street came an AA Driving School car - and the instructor was wearing a Hi-Vis vest INSIDE the car.



Its the same with all of the bus drivers around here, they all wear them whilst driving buses.



Of course I understand that sometimes they (the driving instructors) have to get out of the car and stand around on pavements drinking tea while their charges go off to take their tests, but why would they need a Hi-Viz vest for that ?



As for the bus drivers, I've never seen a bus driver that wasn't driving a bus so god knows under what circumstances he'd need a Hi-Viz vest ?

Got several in the boot of the car. Latest ferry scam to extract casjh from you - apparently its a requirement in lots of EU countries when you drive there - just like fire extnguishers, traingles (2 in some places), etc. Mrs D spent a fortune last time we took the car over The Channel. They're all still in their wrappers.

Driving instructors need to get in & out regularly to move from the passenger seat to the driver's seat and vice versa. I'd imagine some regulation involving working on a public highway comes into effect?



Just guessing, like.

When I did my driving test the examiner wore a hi-viz. Maybe the person was on their test?

When I took my driving test he wore a trilby and a tweed suit.

Walking about in dimly lit parking areas, in fact any sort of environment where pedestrians and vehicles come into contact or have to cross paths, say like a bus depot for instance

My mate followed the advice of the old 1960s advert and wore "something white at night"



He got run over by a snow plough

You probably wouldn't want to wear a Hi-Viz vest when operating harvesting machinery in a rapeseed field though.

au contraire

I used to work in a factory where all the fork lift drivers had to wear a viz. None of the pedestrian traffic, just those sitting on five ton, bright orange machines with a rotating flashing light on the top.

No one could work it out.