Cyclists without lights - something needs to be done

[anonymous-user]

Look I know the usual mob will roll their eyes, but this has actually come from my partner's 12 year old daughter who did a school project about cycle safety (really good idea by the school). Anyway she was with her mum yesterday travelling a journey of about 12 miles at 6:30pm, her mum was driving and she decided to record the number of cyclists without lights while her mum drove. In short she saw 102 cyclists of which she recorded 34 riding without any form of lighting or hi-vis clothing.

That is not a 'tiny minority'! It also pretty much backs up what I used to see in London.

I'm not getting into a drivers vs cyclists argument over this (as the vast majority of drivers have lights on their vehicles that work anyway), but asking what can sensibly be done? I believe the police did an operation in Birmingham last year where they stopped cyclists without lights, showed them why it was a stupid idea to not have them and then issued them with a free set. I think this needs to be rolled out across the country. I know people will say they should buy their own, but to be honest if it saves just one from being knocked down and killed and the angst to the driver who has to carry that for the rest of their lives it's a small price to pay. It's clear some education is required at the very least.

Thoughts?

[Sad Ken]

cb1965 said:

Look I know the usual mob will roll their eyes, but this has actually come from my partner's 12 year old daughter who did a school project about cycle safety (really good idea by the school). Anyway she was with her mum yesterday travelling a journey of about 12 miles at 6:30pm, her mum was driving and she decided to record the number of cyclists without lights while her mum drove. In short she saw 102 cyclists of which she recorded 34 riding without any form of lighting or hi-vis clothing.

That is not a 'tiny minority'! It also pretty much backs up what I used to see in London.

I'm not getting into a drivers vs cyclists argument over this (as the vast majority of drivers have lights on their vehicles that work anyway), but asking what can sensibly be done? I believe the police did an operation in Birmingham last year where they stopped cyclists without lights, showed them why it was a stupid idea to not have them and then issued them with a free set. I think this needs to be rolled out across the country. I know people will say they should buy their own, but to be honest if it saves just one from being knocked down and killed and the angst to the driver who has to carry that for the rest of their lives it's a small price to pay. It's clear some education is required at the very least.

Thoughts?

Aye and it's always the "maniac motorist"s fault when they almost get hit.

[MalcolmSmith]

I would say less than 1 a day, its illegal of course, and at present almost matched by motorists with lights off or faulty.

Needs cops on the streets, like most motoring woes.

Hi Viz isnt enforceable of course and only the reflective parts work at night.

[steviegunn]

I cycle to work and back through Aberdeen everyday with a hi-vis jacked and lights front and back and I would say the majority of the other cyclists I see don't have lights or hi-vis probably a 70-30 ratio, when I see them, especially at this time of year I always think they must be suicidal.

[Steve91]

To play devils advocate, I see several cars on my drive home in the dark with only their DRLs on, rather than the headlights.

Whether on a bike or in a car, you can't educate the stupid.

[giantdefy]

cb1965 said:

In short she saw 102 cyclists of which she recorded 34 riding without any form of lighting or hi-vis clothing.
That is not a 'tiny minority'! It also pretty much backs up what I used to see in London.

It might be a tiny minority, depends on how many lit cyclists were observed.

[Scrump]

giantdefy said:

cb1965 said:

In short she saw 102 cyclists of which she recorded 34 riding without any form of lighting or hi-vis clothing.
That is not a 'tiny minority'! It also pretty much backs up what I used to see in London.

It might be a tiny minority, depends on how many lit cyclists were observed.

I understand that she saw 68 cyclists with either lights or hi vis, so rather neatly one third of the cyclists observed had no lighting or hi vis.

[frisbee]

Good, gives motorists an excellent excuse when they run them down while fiddling around with their phone.

[Phunk]

It’s quite common in Glasgow too, I was cycling home last night and went past several other cyclists dressed all in black, no helmet, no lights and headphones in.

Accident waiting to happen

[motco]

frisbee said:

Good, gives motorists an excellent excuse when they run them down while fiddling around with their phone.

Yes, and it brings in business for the 'Chips Away' franchisees! Hitting a push bike always scratches something.

[24lemons]

Even the best cycle lights in the world are useless if the cyclist doesn’t switch them on.

Handing out free lights is a nice idea but it assumes that the rider will actually bother to use them.

I would have thought that it wouldn’t be that difficult to mandate that all new bikes must contain reflective elements in the paintwork or graphics used on the frame.

When I was younger kids used to remove the reflectors as they didn’t look very cool. If the reflectors are effectively built in then you can’t remove then.

[snake_oil]

steviegunn said:

I cycle to work and back through Aberdeen everyday with a hi-vis jacked and lights front and back and I would say the majority of the other cyclists I see don't have lights or hi-vis probably a 70-30 ratio, when I see them, especially at this time of year I always think they must be suicidal.

Same for me. Ten mile cycle commute in London and I have two lights front and rear. No high vis per se but reflective stripes and tyre sidewalls too.

Too often I see cyclists riding around with no lights and I just think they are insane, it's so irresponsible for the sake of what, fifteen quid?

[anonymous-user]

As cyclists are suicidal lemmings without any sense of self preservation, why on earth would they ever use lights...

[bmwmike]

Agree it's stupid to ride or drive without lights at night (duh!) And even in the day I leave mine on,what harm? Can't see what "can be done" though, generally not a good idea to legislate for stupid.

[Donbot]

Schmed said:

As cyclists are suicidal lemmings without any sense of self preservation, why on earth would they ever use lights...

Some are, many aren't.

I don't think anything can be done. It will take getting run over or growing up to be more responsible for them to change (the people I see without lights are almost always kids).

[PF62]

snake_oil said:

Same for me. Ten mile cycle commute in London and I have two lights front and rear. No high vis per se but reflective stripes and tyre sidewalls too.

Too often I see cyclists riding around with no lights and I just think they are insane, it's so irresponsible for the sake of what, fifteen quid?

But I think the same of cyclists who choose not to wear reflective high vis.

Modern LED lights are bright from the front and rear, but sideways - nothing.

Seems crazy to not take a step that could assist, but then cyclists seem to mostly fit into two camps - don't think or right but dead.

[Deerfoot]

Steve91 said:

Whether on a bike or in a car, you can't educate the stupid.

This.


Tune in next week when some PH regular will complain that he’s been blinded (he hasn’t) by the lights from a bike...

[bmwmike]

Donbot said:

Some are, many aren't.

I don't think anything can be done. It will take getting run over or growing up to be more responsible for them to change (the people I see without lights are almost always kids).

Interesting. What age kids? Most of the unlit cyclists I see are adults, at night, and usually the lycra types. Kids though? Hmmm.. got to fall onto the parents in that case I would have thought.

[caelite]

Deerfoot said:

Steve91 said:

Whether on a bike or in a car, you can't educate the stupid.

This.


Tune in next week when some PH regular will complain that he’s been blinded (he hasn’t) by the lights from a bike...

There is a happy medium between being completely invisible on a dark country road and "Holy st is that a lighthouse driving towards me?". With cycle lights getting more and more powerful surely it is only a matter of time before they need guidelines as to where lights can be fitted and pointed, just as car/motorbike headlights do.

[Howard-]

I often see people riding along in the dark with no helmet and no lights... I don't understand how it doesn't occur to them at least a tiny bit that this is quite a dangerous pursuit. I just don't get it.