Burka wearing driver nearly killed me.

[scaryjim]

OMFG

I take back everything I've said about British drivers. Well, no I don't but...

words fail me.

[redddraggon]

That doesn't look too bad to me: if you're going straight on you use the bike lane, if you're turning left you use the main traffic lane as soon as it branches off. Could do with slightly better signage though!

Can't find any good examples from Manchester. The worst bit on my commute is the section of clearly marked cyclepath that is always full of pedestrians who give you snotty looks for using it on bike, depsite the fact that it is clearly marked as a cyclepath, and there is a dedicated footpath within 5 yards...

Oxford Road, Near Whitworth Park? Tonnes of footpath but pedestrians still insist on using the bike lane.

[scaryjim]

Oxford Road, Near Whitworth Park? Tonnes of footpath but pedestrians still insist on using the bike lane.

that's the bit I meant then I said

The worst bit on my commute is the section of clearly marked cyclepath that is always full of pedestrians who give you snotty looks for using it on bike, depsite the fact that it is clearly marked as a cyclepath, and there is a dedicated footpath within 5 yards...

But actually that's a great bit of cyclepath - it's just used very badly. It does most things right though - it's separate from both the road and the pavement and it allows cycles to move freely and quickly when the traffic is busy. There's a couple of nice bits in Manchester, to be fair, but the majority is just a line 3 ft from the curb that all the motorists ignore...

[Iron Sights]

The legal requirement to drive for the human visual field (horizontally) is 120º. A normal persons visual field extends usually 200º (horizontally). This in effect means that drivers with a visual defect in their peripheral vision can still drive as long as they meet the reqs. Therefore even *If* the burka did obscure the vision, I would highly doubt it would cause them to have a field loss below 120º.

Also from my limited clinical experience, the burka itself does not impede the vision (and no I have not worn one lol). Infact I have tested the vision in some and have never noticed a characteristic visual field losses in their peripheral vision. So to answer your question a burka will probabily not be the underlying cause but just as the others have said its just the drivers poor skills.

Hmm perhaps an opportunity for a final year project?