Sunrise and sunsets are deadly

[loneraider]

For all our young riders and for others that are just getting into motorcycling
I want everyone to be aware of the dangers of the morning sunrises and sunsets while biking on your roads. Its that half hour when the sun is setting that's blinding to most drivers that's is almost impossible for drivers to see us coming toward them. A tragic accident happened yesterday near Toronto in Mississauga .


Friends have identified a Toronto man and a woman who died Thursday night while riding a motorcycle in Mississauga.

Mike Henry-Wright, 24, of Toronto and his friend Cassandra Tanovich, 22, died after colliding with a car being driven by a 77-year-old Mississauga man, who suffered minor injuries.

Wright died at the scene while Tanovich was pronounced dead at the hospital a short time later.

Peel Regional Police said the accident happened around 8 p.m. on Burnhamthorpe Rd., west of Tomken Rd., according to police spokeswoman Const. Lilly Fitzpatrick


It appears the driver was making a left hand turn and most likely never saw the motorcyclists with the setting sun at 8:15 pm . Everyone please be aware , just because you can see them does not mean they can see you on your bike. My intention is not offend anyone here on this forum
but we have had an extreme amount of motorcycle fatality's this year in Ontario and this one just kind of got to me./

[92xjunker]

Great info for all rider to remember.

[rschlegel]

Sad to hear but so true. Unluckily during the week that is compounded by being the rush hours with people late getting to work or in a rush to get home. I do not commute on my bike but when I am out for a ride I do everything I can to miss those times. I ride on Fridays so sometimes I may be heading home as sunset is nearing. If I were to get caught out right as the sun gets so low, even if I am not too far from home, I would choose to stop for a coffee or take a longer route on back streets away from the traffic.

[TRPUT]

It's all about riding to conditions and riding when safest. Dawn and dusk also signal the change in shifts between day and night feeding wildlife, which over here means the kangaroos and emus et al are on the move. I too will use sunset as an excuse to take a break - certainly instead of riding into the setting sun. And I try to avoid country roads very early morning, especially if direction means I'm riding into the sunrise. Squinting through teary eyes while riding at slow pace and dodging roos and emus kinda kills the joy of riding. By the end of today, I should have 15w LEDs fitted (DRLs in the daytime and additional lighting at night) that should make me more visible to other roads users and obstacles more visible to me.

[nfs_riffle]

Thanks for the share, I also saw that gopro video from a young man who died while riding (the one posted by his mother).

I think a lot of it comes from anticipation of other vehicules movements. Always ride at a pace where you can brake if any car in sight might do a sudden line change/left turn. IMO it is crazy to ride between cars during rush hour or take for granted that every car is going to follow it's lane at thye same speed with no sudden movements.

With the sunset/sunrise situation, you just take more risk, you can't see the turn signals very well. Like other said, maybe a good time to take a break/eat. So sad to hear about the death of fellow riders...

[ShiftUp]

Its great to have a tinted screen for your helmet (one came with my Icon helmet) .. helps a LOT anytime the sun is beaming towards the eyes.. also helps against the annoying new trend of "HID" lights on automobiles nowadays..

[zuma]

A very touching and helpful warning. You might have already saved someone by posting. Usually in Texas I had the sun to my right or my left. There were times when I just pulled over and got off the bike and waited, especially if I were heading into a sunrise. Good joo joo here.

[jitenmazee]

i am a rider and it is a nice information for me to remember.

[Slofuze]

A very touching and helpful warning. You might have already saved someone by posting. Usually in Texas I had the sun to my right or my left. There were times when I just pulled over and got off the bike and waited, especially if I were heading into a sunrise. Good joo joo here.

Dan.... we're both above-ground!!! Bought the ticket....went for the ride.

[zuma]

You got it, my friend, you got it!

[acg1993]

As a new rider this is something I never would have thought of. Since seeing this I go out of my way to avoid riding during those times

[92xjunker]

Just keep that in mind as your riding away from the sun...

[EnriqueRoberson]

Absolutely agree, sunset and sunrise are the blind times that should be ignored.