Cyclists without lights - something needs to be done

[Killboy]

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

[DoubleD]

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?

[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

[mrtwisty]

Ares said:

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.

Thats actually a really good thing. I very temporarily did similar. I bought 30 £1 rear lights for use on a charity ride I'd organised. Some of them were in my car, unused, so handed out to people at dusk without lights, mostly kids and ladies cycling so slow they defied gravity. All seemed grateful, one even gave a £10 into the charity pot once I explained. I put the rest in the car, these ones used, and did likewise.

You also get some light manufacturers doing similar - I think it was Leyzne had a pop-up on Deansgate a year or so ago, just after the clocks went back, they handed out simple lights free and were selling better lights at a discount.

Thank you Ares. I was half expecting an attack from one side or the other over my observations and strange hobby of giving out bike lights!

When did the discussion (argument) in this place become quite so vociferous and partisan? I recall it being 'spritied' in years gone by, but it really does seem to be getting less and less civil and indeed rather nasty these days. Shame.

[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!

[Killboy]

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?

[Ares]

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.

[Ares]

Killboy said:

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

Glad you're ok. Thoughts and Prayers etc.....

[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???

[bigdom]

cb1965 said:

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?

cb1965 said:

Oh I see, so it's all his fault for choosing the wrong cars. FFS if it isn't bad enough on here with the numberplate police, the parking police, the modification police and the cycling knobs we get this sort of post! Hope your car gets nicked soon and we can all rip you a new ahole!

You do seem to have a thing against cycling, much in the same way as ericmcn does with BMW.

Anyway, I have no idea which part of the country you now reside, I’m also ex London; now Surrey hills. Obviously the data hasn’t been verified, although this week I’ve cycled twice to the office, and took the car in today. Sometimes for sts and giggles, the motorbike, although with the level of detritus currently on the roads, that’s just too much cleaning!

I’ve yet to see anyone on the roads cycling this week without lights, plenty in luminous green, not a look I go for myself, although my stuff has a lot of reflective parts. There was one cyclist tonight on the cycle path near the office car park, although as a teenager with his hoody up, who looked more like a drug dealer - I blame the parents.

Whilst I’m sure there’s an issue somewhere with some people cycling without lights, especially near uni campus’s, I believe there needs to be a wider educational effort.

If you’re in charge of a motorised vehicle, then you really should be aware of what you’re doing. Idiots who just use DRL’s, stealth mode drivers - a handful this morning before 6:30am and someone in a Ronnie Pickering get up on the M25 tonight.

We all share the roads on our cramped little island, it’s going to get more clogged up, certainly has over the 30 years I’ve been driving, can we just have a virtual cuddle and just move on?

[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!

[Kuji]

Mave said:

Kuji said:

Maybe in this case, you have an argument for adjudication.

But, he has captured the way you operate in general on every thread perfectly accurately.
I assume you were smart enough to work out the system, but the more posts you've attempted it, the more the trend manifests.

Busted!!

Busted? You're just trotting out vague accusations. Go back and look at those threads and you'll see that in every case I have made points which respond to the topic, and which Cbeebies has then twisted and turned to avoid answering until he's distanced himself from the point being made.

I suggest you read what was written and stop trying to change the facts - again.

Busted is busted.

[Mave]

Kuji said:

Mave said:

Kuji said:

Maybe in this case, you have an argument for adjudication.

But, he has captured the way you operate in general on every thread perfectly accurately.
I assume you were smart enough to work out the system, but the more posts you've attempted it, the more the trend manifests.

Busted!!

Busted? You're just trotting out vague accusations. Go back and look at those threads and you'll see that in every case I have made points which respond to the topic, and which Cbeebies has then twisted and turned to avoid answering until he's distanced himself from the point being made.

I suggest you read what was written and stop trying to change the facts - again.

Busted is busted.

Again, "the way you operate in general" - a vague accusation if ever there was one, especially in the context of Cbeebies rather long post. If there's something specific you want to say, why not, you know, say it?
Alternatively, how's about I write a short essay on the trends of how you operate "in general"? Maybe I should start with how you like to jump in discussions and start playing the man without even touching the ball - this particular thread being a case in point. Have you contributed a single comment about lights on bikes?

Edited by Mave on Thursday 15th November 08:38

[heebeegeetee]

DoubleD said:

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

Nah, I'm going to keep calling it out. You guys are not interested in road safety at all, if you were you'd point me to the multiple, weekly threads that you're involved in campaigning for action over pedestrians and motorcyclists, which both have higher fatality rates.

It'd be interesting to have a chat with the heads of the 12-yr olds school. Are they handing out hi-viz to the school kids who walk to school? Are enough of them walking or are they all being ferried by car? Whats the air quality like outside the school? What's the obesity levels of the school children like? Are they exercising enough?

These are genuinely far, far more important issues, these issues will affect the whole of the children's lives.

[will_]

DoubleD said:

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

Stupidity needs to be called out otherwise it perpetuates in an echo chamber.

The attitudes displayed by some PHers (who you might expect to have some pride in their driving ability) mean that they are potentially a significant risk to other road users. That also needs to be challenged.