Cyclists without lights - something needs to be done

[anonymous-user]

nickfrog said:

We all know that this data collection exercise never happened.

Hey that's Killboy's role, yours is just to call me a mentally ill tosser or whatever insult you are choosing to hurl today!

[anonymous-user]

Shakermaker said:

cb1965 said:

The school suggested that when cycling people should have lights and hi-vis, that's why she was looking for both. Clearly if it's only 17 out of 102 it's a non issue though as heebeegeebee keeps telling us

You are saying "something should be done" when of course the straightforward answer to what that is, would be enforcing the Highway Code rules as they apply to cyclists, and educating those using bikes to adhere to them.


Rule 60
At night your cycle MUST have white front and red rear lights lit. It MUST also be fitted with a red rear reflector (and amber pedal reflectors, if manufactured after 1/10/85). White front reflectors and spoke reflectors will also help you to be seen. Flashing lights are permitted but it is recommended that cyclists who are riding in areas without street lighting use a steady front lamp.

Thing is though we just don't have police on the streets any more to enforce such things (not just for cyclists). I really think we'd be better off with an advertising/public information campaign and some spot checks where the police maybe with the help of some of the road cycling organisations can do a few hours here and there in different locations and give out lights and some advice. Surely raising the awareness to those cyclists who clearly think they don't need lights that they actually do because they are in even more danger without them would be a sensible and possibly productive action.

The trouble is, as you can see from this thread, a lot of people just don't see it as an issue. If the numbers were tiny it wouldn't be, statistically at least I guess, but given they aren't (as corroborated by several cyclists on this thread) then I think we do need to look at raising awareness.

[anonymous-user]

Ares said:

cb1965 said:

Ares said:

Sorry CBA reading all that....but Trolling is starting an (usually) pointless argument on a subject that will immediately set to wind people up....especially when the troll in question often starts one per week..

3 in all the time I’ve been here, even with your lack of mathematical ability you can see that’s not 1 a week, but then that’s how you work. Say it enough and it’s folklore.

Riding without lights is not a pointless argument in most normal peoole’s eyes but you seem to imply it’s trivial by your statement that to you it is.

....and it just feels like it's one per week. I'll believe it is three. Two of those have been in the last 2 months to my immediate recollection. You must just feel the need to comment on every single thread about riding.

For fun, I looked at how many times you've mentioned the word 'cyclist'. 468 times in the last 12 months (223 alone in the 'cyclist dies' thread). Have you thought about therapy? Or riding a bike to improve your mental state?

Judging by the cyclists commenting on here I am pretty certain that riding a bike does not improve mental state

[anonymous-user]

cb1965 said:

Judging by the cyclists commenting on here I am pretty certain that riding a bike does not improve mental state

Any joy with anyone in the thread saying riding without lights is ok?

Guessing not?

[anonymous-user]

will_ said:

Something needs to be done about an unspecified number of road users not obeying the highway code which has an unspecified negative impact. That's genius for you. See also "they all run red lights."

Next week - cyclists should pay "road tax".

More trivialisation and I have never ever said anything about cyclists and road tax.... you lot do like to create a lot of baseless conjecture about what I'm supposed to have said/supported... suits your agendas I guess.

[anonymous-user]

Killboy said:

cb1949, I suggest starting a petition at https://www.change.org/start-a-petition to make a legal requirement to wear high viz. Sounds like a productive endeavour for a person such as yourself.

No point, there's already a law about lights and a lot of you ignore that!

[anonymous-user]

will_ said:

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20130212-why-you-r...

In summary, people who have an irrational hatred of cyclists are the thicko mouth breathers who are unable to overcome their caveman instincts. Alternatively see "its not fair" :

"This means that evolution has built into the human mind a hatred of free-riders and cheaters, which activates anger when we confront people acting like this – and it is this anger which prompts altruistic punishment."

Which explains a lot.

You have to laugh at the last paragraph:

article said:

13/02 UPDATE: We've changed a sentence in the third paragraph that readers said implied all cyclists break rules. This was not the intended implication of the original line, and we thank the readers who pointed this out.

Whoops

[anonymous-user]

80sMatchbox said:

cb1965 said:

will_ said:

Something needs to be done about an unspecified number of road users not obeying the highway code which has an unspecified negative impact. That's genius for you. See also "they all run red lights."

Next week - cyclists should pay "road tax".

More trivialisation and I have never ever said anything about cyclists and road tax.... you lot do like to create a lot of baseless conjecture about what I'm supposed to have said/supported... suits your agendas I guess.

What part of "next week" implies that you've said something already?

Because if I've never said anything about it already given the massive amount of opportunities on previous threads where plenty of people have I'm not likely to say it next week am I FFS?

[anonymous-user]

cb1965 said:

More trivialisation and I have never ever said anything about cyclists and road tax.... you lot do like to create a lot of baseless conjecture about what I'm supposed to have said/supported... suits your agendas I guess.

‘You lot’

Whatever.

Where are these fictitious posters saying riding without lights then?

Probably the same as the made up statistics? 32 or 16 or 1 maybe?

[anonymous-user]

Killboy said:

I just cycled a Boris bike from Clarkenwell to Victoria without wearing high vis. It was hairy, but I survived.

Shame

[anonymous-user]

DoubleD said:

heebeegeetee said:

DoubleD said:

So why worry about cyclists safety at all then when the figures are so low compared to people killed in vehicles?

Exactly. Why the multiple, multiple threads? It's not about road safety at all, it's just anti-cycling trolling. Why, I have no idea.

will_ said:

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20130212-why-you-r...

.

Thank you for this, maybe this will explain it to me, I will go home and have a good read. Having just glanced at the article, before reading it I'm going to say "But only in Britain". I just don't believe that these attitudes are prevalent in Europe, this anti-cycling thing only seems to occur here in the UK.

I'll read this later, maybe I'll be proved wrong.

So why not just ignore the thread then if you think that he is just trolling?

Stupid thing is I am not anti-cycling, I'm anti-idiotic cycling just as I am anti-idiotic driving. I must have passed just as many comments about bad drivers on this forum as bad cyclists, but for some reason this lot just latch on to anything they see as a criticism of their mode of transport and go all 'full retard' over it. I do, however, think that, in London at least, there is a higher percentage of cyclists that do stupid things than drivers, but the reasons for that are obvious!

[anonymous-user]

cb1965 said:

Stupid thing is I am not anti-cycling, I'm anti-idiotic cycling just as I am anti-idiotic driving. I must have passed just as many comments about bad drivers on this forum as bad cyclists, but for some reason this lot just latch on to anything they see as a criticism of their mode of transport and go all 'full retard' over it. I do, however, think that, in London at least, there is a higher percentage of cyclists that do stupid things than drivers, but the reasons for that are obvious!

I doubt it. Cyclists are definitely your favourite topic.

Still waiting for the posts to back up your claims. Admit it, it’s just lies as it was the last effort that wind everyone up

[anonymous-user]

mrtwisty said:

Can't be arsed to read the whole thread, but I wonder if anyone does the same as me? I've just started carrying a set of these in my car at all times https://ebay.us/4Crej5

Very quick and easy to fit (10 seconds), bright, very cheap.

I stop and hand them out to any cyclists I see on the road without lights.

I came very close to wiping out a cretin on a large-ish 3 lane roundabout a while ago - dark clothing, dark bike, no lights, no hi-viz. Inside lane, very poor street lighting. Really made me think.

If it saves one motorist from the horror of maiming or killing just one of these morons it'll be more than worth it.

For the avoidance of doubt, I'm not a cyclist-hater. I used to ride 200 miles a week myself. These guys really are fking idiots though.

Sorry, missed this before in amongst all the personal attacks.

The bit in bold is why I can't understand the way the regulars are trivialising this. As I said earlier I do not want to run anyone over whether it's technically their fault or not. It would be a truly awful experience to be frank!

P.S. Good work on the lights front!

[anonymous-user]

Killboy said:

cb1965 said:

Sorry, missed this before in amongst all the personal attacks.

The bit in bold is why I can't understand the way the regulars are trivialising this. As I said earlier I do not want to run anyone over whether it's technically their fault or not. It would be a truly awful experience to be frank!

P.S. Good work on the lights front!

Maybe because it's trivial?

As is the tiny number of cyclist deaths on the roads compared to driver deaths?

[anonymous-user]

Ares said:

80sMatchbox said:

cb1965 said:

will_ said:

Something needs to be done about an unspecified number of road users not obeying the highway code which has an unspecified negative impact. That's genius for you. See also "they all run red lights."

Next week - cyclists should pay "road tax".

More trivialisation and I have never ever said anything about cyclists and road tax.... you lot do like to create a lot of baseless conjecture about what I'm supposed to have said/supported... suits your agendas I guess.

What part of "next week" implies that you've said something already?

It was a classic 'get angry to mis-direct from being a ****' solution.....offence is the best defence, etc.

It was a classic 'if you write crap like that all your mates will eventually take it as gospel', but I'm used to you by now so why should I be surprised?

[anonymous-user]

Isn’t it time this thread was killed???

[anonymous-user]

bigdom said:

You do seem to have a thing against cycling

Jesus, the bold you highlighted in my post refers to several posters on PH who like to jump up and down on these type of threads as per my post yesterday, it does not refer to cyclists in general!

[anonymous-user]

Troll, liar, mentally ill and stupid. What a lovely bunch you PH cyclists are

The real question is why you all get so defensive of things you claim never to do, but the answer to that is obvious of course.

[anonymous-user]

will_ said:

cb1965 said:

I do, however, think that, in London at least, there is a higher percentage of cyclists that do stupid things than drivers, but the reasons for that are obvious!

I've asked this before, and you flounced/avoided then, but I'll ask again to give you an opportunity to explain yourself; why does the percentage matter?

Implying I’m a mouth breathing moron and then wanting a sensible reply. I don’t think so.

[anonymous-user]

WinstonWolf said:

cb1965 said:

Troll, liar, mentally ill and stupid. What a lovely bunch you PH cyclists are

The real question is why you all get so defensive of things you claim never to do, but the answer to that is obvious of course.

Hey, we're just saying it as it is...

Yep and if I did the same to you you’d go running off to the mods again.