Teach yourself to be visible

If you did the activity Teach yourself to develop your X-ray vision, you found that some hazards are hard to see. Well, it works the other way, too. Sometimes it’s hard for other drivers, riders, and pedestrians to see you. Sometimes you may appear invisible to them. To be safe you have to notice when you could become invisible to others and try to make yourself more visible.

You can be invisible because you’re hidden behind an obstacle or you are not directly in another driver’s view. If you are near another driver, rider, or pedestrian, and you are invisible to them, you should feel concerned. To be safe you must be seen.

Usually you can make yourself visible to others but you will not do this if you don’t care about being seen clearly. If you care you will soon work out what to do to make yourself more visible.

Here’s how you can learn to notice when you could be invisible:

  • Next time you have a go at being a hazard detector and using X-ray vision, look at drivers, riders, and pedestrians who are around your crash avoidance space, and alongside you
  • When you look at the drivers, riders and pedestrians ask yourself, ‘Can I see their eyes?’ If you cannot see their eyes directly or by looking in their mirrors, it’s likely they cannot see you. You’re invisible to them
  • Sometimes you will be able to see another driver’s or rider’s eyes if they turn their head and look over their shoulder at you. But many people do not do this or do it too late. When you drive you will look over your shoulder for other people because you know why it’s important

Now, work out how you could become visible.