Dawn and dusk risky times on the road
6:01 p.m. Thursday, September 18, 2008
You've probably noticed the sun blinding you recently on your way to and from work.
"Oh, it's horrible!"
These pictures show how horrible sun glare can be. Wednesday night, Wellington police say it was the reason a teenage driver hit a cyclist. The 52-year-old man died. Then Thursday morning, a car hit another cyclist in Yoder. The man went to the hospital but wasn't seriously hurt.
"It's hard to see when you're driving into that glare," Dave Follis said.
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It's all because of the equinox, when the sun rises and sets at due east and west positions. It happens once in the spring and once again the fall. But the weeks before and after are when problems occur for drivers. Most streets are aligned east and west, forcing you to drive directly into the sun.
Follis not only deals with sun glare behind the wheel, but also on a bike. He rides almost every day.
"You've got to pay attention and slow down," Follis said.
Follis says if possible, cyclists should use alternative routes an hour after sunrise and an hour before sun set this time of year.
"Stay all the way to the right, and at the bad times of the day, stay off the main thoroughfares if you can," he said.
For drivers, keep your windshield clean. Driving instructor Mike Johnson says the sun magnifies what's on the glass.
"Just a few fragments, dirt, bugs things like that, can make a huge difference," Johnson said.
He says in the fall and spring, you should treat the sun as seriously as ice or fog.
"It should be put in right with the others, but sometimes it's just forgotten," Johnson said.
Until it makes you squint through the windshield.
Another problem with the sun is being able to see the color of traffic signals.
Johnson recommends using your hand to help block the sun and focus on the green light.
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