It's that cyclists with no lights time of year!

[shovelheadrob]

Following on from w****s with fog lights, I find that less of a danger than the amount of cyclists who are willing to risk life & limb by riding around with no lights & often no hi vis either. This is not aimed at cyclists in general just the twunts who can't be bothered. Personally I think the Bib should have the power to confiscate their bike on the spot if they cant be arsed to comply with the regs & buy a decent set of lights, many around here have only a rear lamp yet think it is OK to go the wrong way down a one way street & give you the dirty look for not getting out of the way

[badlands1]

I wish plod took my bike of me, as I was hit by a Jag before he done a runner, but I had no lights, no high vis and all I had was my bright shiny teeth, but he couldn't frigging see them.

Plus I was only 16 years old, which was a long time ago)

[kambites]

And pedestrians on country roads too, and drivers come to that. Everyone is in the "it's only 5 o'clock, I can't need lights" mentality, it happens every year when the clocks go back.

[JulianHJ]

I worked on an operation last year (it runs every autumn) in conjunction with the local council. After dark on a number of main roads in the city, police would stop cyclists who were riding without lights and council officials would offer vouchers for free lights, hi-viz vests and bag covers, reflective stickers etc.

I was suprised by the number of people who, rather than being grateful for being given free stuff and not being hit with a £30 FPN, instead chose to get really arsey just because they were being stopped. I could quite happily have dished out a bunch of FPNs, but it wasn't that kind of op, so we just tried to reason with these idiots.

[Rocksteadyeddie]

See it regularly in London. I think these people have a death wish. It's dangerous enough trying to avoid getting knocked off when you look like Blackpool illuminations, so to ride with no lights is just madness.

[shovelheadrob]

kambites said:

And pedestrians on country roads too, and drivers come to that. Everyone is in the "it's only 5 o'clock, I can't need lights" mentality, it happens every year when the clocks go back.

To be fair it's not just country roads, even in town some areas are not so well illuminated, the main problem as with most things is lack of common sense, the one thing that can't be taught. Could be sorted with some kind of selective breeding or just cull the idiots!

[Mermaid]

JulianHJ said:

I worked on an operation last year (it runs every autumn) in conjunction with the local council. After dark on a number of main roads in the city, police would stop cyclists who were riding without lights and council officials would offer vouchers for free lights, hi-viz vests and bag covers, reflective stickers etc.

I was suprised by the number of people who, rather than being grateful for being given free stuff and not being hit with a £30 FPN, instead chose to get really arsey just because they were being stopped. I could quite happily have dished out a bunch of FPNs, but it wasn't that kind of op, so we just tried to reason with these idiots.

Bloody minority groups- ungrateful

No lights, dark clothes, no reflectors on bikes = should be disqualified from riding a bike.

[Willy Nilly]

I bought a new front light yesterdee. The old one was good but the batteries leaked and made a sticky mess. The batteries went flat within a couple of days, so I replaced them and cleaned the switch and inside of the light and replaced but they went flat again.

All legal and above board now

[Stiglet80]

This is driving me mad at the moment, on my average 40 min commute through a city, half the bikes I pass have no lights on, some have this very faint flashy thing, none have helmets and several seem to think red light do not apply to them at all.

[Mermaid]

Write to this guy - he is a Junior transport minister, but highly pro-active.

[e-mail]

[anonymous-user]

I was surprised when I saw 3 chavs with beer cans a tow, on argos specials at night, all with lights. they must have just nicked them.

[Willy Nilly]

Stiglet80 said:

none have helmets

A piece of polystyrene on the top of my head won't save me from injury if you run over my rib cage.

[JulianHJ]

Willy Nilly said:

A piece of polystyrene on the top of my head won't save me from injury if you run over my rib cage.

Might save you if you get punted head-first into the tarmac/kerb/another vehicle though.

[whoami]

Willy Nilly said:

Stiglet80 said:

none have helmets

A piece of polystyrene on the top of my head won't save me from injury if you run over my rib cage.

Every cloud.........

[busta]

This annoys me too, especially when the cyclist gives that look over the shoulder as you approach them as if to say 'you have seen me, haven't you?'

As a cyclist myself, for the sake of a £20 set of lights I'd rather be able to pedal along without the fear of being hit every time a car approaches!

[kambites]

Mermaid said:

No lights, dark clothes, no reflectors on bikes = should be disqualified from riding a bike.

Well it's already illegal to ride a bike on the road without reflectors or to ride a bike on the road at night without lights. However, it's not possible to ban people from cycling on the road - unlike motorists, cyclists have a fundamental right to use the roads under British law.

[Willy Nilly]

whoami said:

Every cloud.........

Oh I do like that attitude that bell end piss pot car and van drivers have when they give me no room when they squeeze past between traffic islands.

I could return the the compliment by thundering past their children on my company vehicle who's bonnet is higher than the roof of a Range Rover. But I am far to considerate as a road user

[J4CKO]

I am a cyclist, I cycle unlit lanes all through winter and the Ninja's piss me off, lights are cheap and very effective, I have spent probably £300 on lights so far as I like to be able to see and be seen, if anything I have to be careful not to dazzle drivers and have had lights flashed at me so I keep the brightness down a bit and aim it down as it would be annoying to get it full in the face, it is a case of learning what is ok and what isnt as they arent set up like car lights but can be even brighter.

I had one come off the pavement, a kid on an MTB in front of me nearly hitting me, I gave him a right mouthfull, waste of energy, I think lights arent "cool", some of the ones I see don't have any brakes ffs.

I run two flashing red rears in case one fails and one mega power front plus a decent lower powered front that will flash as well, I wear a hi viz nightvision jacket as well, sometimes I prefer pitch black to half light, bright led lights are very stark against a dark background so makes me feel safer.

You can get a set of "be seen" lights, as opposed to see by lights for a tenner and they work well.

[someday]

people seem to think that if they are visible from behind they are fine. lot's of clearly good, confident cyclists on expensive bikes who can only afford a rear light, go wizzing past as i'm pulling out of bus stops. can usually see them at night but at dusk before the streetlights come on it can be impossible.

a few clearly terrible cyclists overtake on the left as i'm pulling into bus stops which can be exciting

[anonymous-user]

whoami said:

Every cloud.........

.