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NZ Coroner: Cyclists have a duty to other road users to wear high-vizHi-Viz cyclist © Simon MacMichael.jpg

NZ Coroner: Cyclists have a duty to other road users to wear high-viz

Comments came after 72 year old (wearing high-viz) was hit by car in New Zealand
by Sarah Barth
Sat, Mar 02, 2013 06:30
34

Another coroner in New Zealand has called for cyclists to wear high-viz following the death of an elderly man who was hit by a car.

Ian Grant Scott, 72, was actually wearing a fluorescent jacket at the time of his death in Green Island, Dunedin last year, but  Otago-Southland coroner David Crerar said that  it appeared he had not been fully aware of traffic.

He was also not wearing his hearing aid, fearing that it would get sweaty and stop working.

According to Stuff NZ, Mr Crerar said that shortly before colliding with the car, Mr Scott had veered toward the centre of the road, into the path of an oncoming car.

The driver was considered by police and the coroner not to have done anything wrong.

He said: "It can only be speculation, but if Ian Scott had been wearing his hearing aids, he may have heard the Honda approaching and he may have paid more particular attention to staying on the left-hand side of the road."

"In my view, it is always appropriate for those riding cycles on roads carrying other vehicular traffic to do all that they can to ensure they make themselves visible to other road users.

"Riders of bicycles, particularly on main roads, owe a duty and a responsibility to other road users."

These new comments come after New Zealand’s Ministry of Transport was said to be considering another coroner’s request to make high-visibility clothing compulsory for cyclists.

The coroner, who described it as a "no-brainer" and said it should apply to all cyclists riding in public at all times, made his recommendation in the case of a senior police officer originally from the UK who was described as “the face of road policing” in the country.

Jane Dawson, representing the Cycling Advocates Network, insisted to the coroner that hi-vis clothing would not have prevented Superintendent Fitzgerald’s death.

However, Brenden Crocker, a spokesman for the Ministry of Transport, commented that it was giving serious consideration to the coroner’s comments.

New Zealand
high viz
Coroner

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34 comments

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joncrel | 11 years ago
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Hi viz was designed to make railway workers visible at large distances from speeding trains. It works by reflecting invisible UV light into the visible spectrum, thus increasing the visibility of small visual targets at a distance. Large visual targets, such as a cyclist seen in front of car should not need hi viz to be visible. (If cyclists were allowed on motorways, that would be the context where hi viz would be beneficial). To work it needs plenty of UV light, and low levels of visible light, so its best used on dull overcast days. It has no benefits at night.

Like cycle helmets, the actual benefit of hi viz is actually quite small, but (also like helmets) its used as a convenient excuse to let drivers off the hook when they drive dangerously. (or in this case as a convenient distraction to avoid punishing a driver who may have been driving dangerously).

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martib | 11 years ago
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I ride with lights flashing and ensure I am visible to other road users, unfortunately you could have flashing strobe lights strapped all over and someone would still say they haven't seen you 7

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dino | 11 years ago
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In other news, NZ scientists have discovered the sky is blue... 39

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antigee | 11 years ago
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all very sad - as well as a duty to wear high viz - also the implication that cyclists are a danger on main roads.

For those want to speculate or simply view the circumstances of the "accident" and form their own view of what could have happened here is a link to a picture of the scene - the car would have had to cross on to the other side of the road to pass safely but was close to a bend - no prizes, think we've all been there. Coroner simply reflected the prejudices of a majority of population that roads are for vehicles and that other users can only be tolerated if they take precautions to avoid vehicles. Only hope had a good 72 years.

http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/200106/cyclist-killed-dunedin-crash-named

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