We all know about SMIDSY (Sorry, Mate I Didn’t See You), as motorcyclists we encounter it all the time. Now, of course, it isn’t just us two-wheelers who experience it. If you also drive, you will have encountered it as well. Hell, I’ve had it happen to me while driving my Transit camper van and it’s about the same size as the “Titanic”! How they don’t see me is completely beyond my understanding.
But I want to have a bit of a road safety whinge this morning about something that I have noticed lately. Along with all modern cars being now fitted with LED lights which are usually far too bright, even in daylight hours AND most now having a set of little auxiliary “driving” lights that drivers leave on all the time when though they’re not supposed to, the real problem with the modern cars is the increasing propensity of manufacturers fitting the headlight cluster with indicator (turn-signal lights) that are both far too small to be easily seen AND are mounted incorrectly, as seen in the example picture above. If you combine the fact that the headlights themselves are too bright with the fact that the indicator lights become almost invisible against them you also have the problem of them not being at the extremity of the vehicle (either front OR back which is where they need to be in order to be seen.
Once again,function is being sacrificed for style and the trouble is, as my brother often says, “If one of them sneezes, they all catch cold.” Now they are ALL doing it and it’s just stupid. So now our problem is becoming one of US saying, I’m Sorry Mate I Didn’t See You.
*gets down off soap box*