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

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

In other news, NZ scientists have discovered the sky is blue...

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

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).

I'd be happy to have my driving checked once every 5 years or so or sooner depending on driving history, so long as it was covered from my annual leave like jury duty is. One day refresh, if I pass all good, if I fail then I have to retake at my own expense. I'm sure the savings from the lowered casualty rates would cover the scheme and then some.

Surely the driver should have had someone walking in front with a red flag

Proves one thing: Coroners are not omnicompetent. Hi-viz have the same properties as the duvet protecting one from the boogeyman.

I heard a politician on the radio today talking about how spending on H & S courses was costing the country a fortune ' yet you pass one test and can drive a dangerous weapon around for the rest of your life.'

If Hi Vis ever becomes mandatory it should only be so if motorists wear crash helmets as well.

Best be safe eh?

Now you're just being silly ; ) Don't you reliase all roads are empty of any obstacles that might slow down mr toad...

Surely drivers have a duty to other road users not to drive into them?

Cyclists should perhaps be made to wear yellow stars on their sleeves too.

Coroners, doctors and other "respected" professionals should concentrate on the jobs that they get paid to do and stop pretending to be "experts" on road safety.

I am too tired to argue, no, just no.

Perhaps we should fit ice cream van sirens to all cars so we can hear them coming? Then would could make every road a 30 mph limit.

Pedestrians can wear a Mr Blobby-like cushion suits and crash helmets to minimise their risk of injury and wear bells on their trousers like a Morris Dancers so we know where they are.

Or, we could all take responsibility for our own actions and drive/ride/walk with consideration for others and the conditions.

A red flag and limited to 5 miles an hour. Oh no, wait, that was cars wasn't it? I find that road users using their eyes and ears and brain are the safest. Lights are probably useful at night too. I don't see what colour clown outfit has to do with anything...

I have to say, I'm one of those who is not against hi-viz at all. I don't wear it on every ride, mainly evenings and nights, but when I see yet another commuter or teenager dressed head to toe in black setting off into the dusk with nothing more than a little red blinker, I always think to myself "Rest in peace, you silly muppet".

Oooh and flags too. Make cyclists have those long flexible flags attached. That should do it.....

When did yellow become high viz? The sea of yellow jackets I see on a commute aren't any more visible than anything else on the roads, if anything you become conditioned to that same tone of yellow and see less of it. What you need to stand out is light - either reflected or battery powered. Doesn't have to be that sodding yellow all the time.

I remember chatting to a Swiss guy on tour once, he'd travelled all over the world by bike, but the only place that he'd feared for his life on the roads was NZ (north island). He actually gave up and hired a car - the attitude to cyclists was apparently bordering on homicidal.

Well, even in Oz (which is itself in a time warp) they say New Zealand is 50 years behind the rest of the world.

So the driver that hit the cyclists saw him and noted that the cyclists changed direction AND STILL HIT HIM. I rest my case.

I agree with the coroner

... and will comply immediately after all cars are required to be painted bright yellow as well

I'm glad this has been reported globally. Ive just moved back to NZ and the attitude toward cyclists is like the UK in the 80s. This chump of a coroner clearly has no clue but neither do most of the public. NZ is so far behind it would be laughable if it wasn't so dangerous and sad.
Wish us luck, we're going to need it!

How many witnesses were there who saw the cyclist swerving across the road? Was it just the driver who killed him? Was there any other evidence to support that claim?

Got to wonder...

You know when a primary school kid does something the teacher likes - say, paints a brightly-coloured picture with a smiling face for a sun - there always a few suck-ups who will then paint exactly the same picture, despite the fact that they were actually supposed to be doing pottery. Well the same applies to minor functionaries like coroners. When one says something the government picks up on, or gets in the press, there will always be sycophants who'll pile on the bandwagon as soon as they get a case that is even vaguely related. Kind of sick really, when their duty is to provide explanations, to the family of the deceased in the first instance, that they choose to lecture them instead, on something that was unrelated to the incident.

On another topic, are you stalking that lady- cyclist with the all-yellow kit and bike?

The story says "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.""

So how on earth would HIViz have made him safer?

""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." But the problem was he swerved across the road and wasn't capable of hearing other vehicles!

""Riders of bicycles, particularly on main roads, owe a duty and a responsibility to other road users."" Can't argue with that, just as drivers have a duty of care to cyclists but nothing in these quotes would have been avoided by wearing Hi Viz clothing.

I wonder how long before a coroner eager to make a name for themselves over here drags this up as justification for their comments?

Wow... Turns out the sleepy paradise of new Zealand holds a dirty secret... This is awful on so many levels. The hi-viz thing to me seems more of a way to ridicule cyclists... "wanna ride bikes, sure, knock yourself out, hut do you mind wearing this clown suit, it'll give us all a good laugh before we run you down".
My missus would love to move to New Zealand, the atitude displayed here puts le right off.

The point about the hearing aid is ridiculous too. You can be riding in to a strong wind and hear not a lot. What about all these electric/hybrid cars that now make no noise? Should cars be compelled to tap their horn every 50yrds? Of course not, but to tackle driver speed & responsibilities seems to be an onerous, vote losing task, so blame everyone else....

I heard New Zealand don't treat cyclists well at all. And here's the confirmation.