Winter riding: be seen when the days get longer

Here’s a handy tip to enable you to ride safely when the low, bright sun of late winter/early spring starts to accompany your commute… Check your shadow.

If your shadow is directly in front of you when you’re riding, then the sun will be directly behind you, meaning oncoming traffic (and drivers in front of you in the same lane, checking their rear view mirrors) will be less able to see you.

Hang back, stay wide, be ready to react to sudden braking or wild manoeuvres from drivers who don’t know you’re there.

Conversely, if you cast no shadow in front, to the right or to the left, you’re either a vampire (in which case what are you doing out in daylight?) or the sun’s directly in front of you.

This means that, to anyone approaching you, you’re bathed in light and very visible. 

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