Cyclists with no lights

[srebbe64]

Nearly killed one tonight! Fortunately I was driving way below the speed limit and managed to swerve in time. Darwinism in action I wonder?

[SteveSteveson]

There are a lot at it at the moment, but a thread complaining about cyclists, no matter how valid? This is not going to end well...

[srebbe64]

I'm not complaining about cyclists (I am one) I'm complaining about cyclists with no lights. If I drove my car with no lights there'd be one less person alive tonight!

[clonmult]

Definitely a darwin award nominee, anyone cycling at night or dusk with no lights .... idiot.

[arguti]

Never quite understood this here in the uk ...... H&S everywhere but this is a glaring omission .....

[leafspring]

arguti said:

Never quite understood this here in the uk ...... H&S everywhere but this is a glaring omission .....

Lights and helmets should be compulsory by law

[CHN]

May of had a light on the rear and the battery had gone flat without him knowing. Dynamo's should be compulsory especially on the rear.

Saying that, he was probably just a knob.

[ALawson]

As a lit cyclist I despair when I see these idiots out and about. No point even talking to them, as you will just get abuse.

I have emailed my local bib, as the majority get of the same train. Hopefully that may save a life, it is bloody scary as you cannot see them until you are almost upon them!

[orangesrule]

ALawson said:

As a lit cyclist I despair when I see these idiots out and about. No point even talking to them, as you will just get abuse.

Seconded, some people are just morons, these just happen to ride bikes.

[Dave G fsi]

I was out in the peaks after dark this evening, not hanging about, and saw some random orange flashing on the other side of the road. Turned out it was a cyclist coming towards me in the dark, with no reflective/flourescent clothing on at all, and no lights whatsoever. The orange flashing was the refectors on the pedals, and that was it!!!

Suicidal is an understatement!

[Mr Gear]

I would never ride a bike without lights after dark, but that said, when I encounter an unlit cyclist when driving, I never even come close to hitting that person.

My car is fitted with headlights y'see.

It's the same reason I don't crash into walls, kerbs, trees and other unlit objects.

[jensenhealey2]

Oxford Times this week reports that the polis have been out and about handing out £50 fpns. These it seems are redeemable against proof of purchase of some lights. Not sure about the legality of that, but it must be worth a try to get the idiots to light up. Personally I htink high-viz is better than lights especially the modern tiny ones, that can be hard to pick out because they are so small.

[Mr Gear]

Dave G fsi said:

I was out in the peaks after dark this evening, not hanging about, and saw some random orange flashing on the other side of the road. Turned out it was a cyclist coming towards me in the dark, with no reflective/flourescent clothing on at all, and no lights whatsoever. The orange flashing was the refectors on the pedals, and that was it!!!

Suicidal is an understatement!

So you were driving too fast and he was unlit. Suicide? More like assisted suicide if you were to hit him.

[Mr Gear]

jensenhealey2 said:

Oxford Times this week reports that the polis have been out and about handing out £50 fpns. These it seems are redeemable against proof of purchase of some lights. Not sure about the legality of that, but it must be worth a try to get the idiots to light up. Personally I htink high-viz is better than lights especially the modern tiny ones, that can be hard to pick out because they are so small.

You can get some perfectly good lights for £30. The police should catch unlit cyclists and make them buy some lights (and I don't mean the tiny ones either) off them. Then it's win-win.

FYI, high-viz is only really effective at dusk when the material converts UV into visible light. After dark you're better off wearing white.

[Dave G fsi]

Mr Gear said:

Dave G fsi said:

I was out in the peaks after dark this evening, not hanging about, and saw some random orange flashing on the other side of the road. Turned out it was a cyclist coming towards me in the dark, with no reflective/flourescent clothing on at all, and no lights whatsoever. The orange flashing was the refectors on the pedals, and that was it!!!

Suicidal is an understatement!

So you were driving too fast and he was unlit. Suicide? More like assisted suicide if you were to hit him.

Nope, driving below the speed limit, and he was on the other side of the road, as explained

Just an observation

[srebbe64]

CHN said:

May of had a light on the rear and the battery had gone flat without him knowing. Dynamo's should be compulsory especially on the rear.

Saying that, he was probably just a knob.

He (or she) had no rear or front lights. Assume it was a kid, which raises the question where are the parent /s?

[Mr Gear]

Dave G fsi said:

Nope, driving below the speed limit, and he was on the other side of the road, as explained

Just an observation

If he was coming towards you, he bloody well should be on the other side of the road. And "not hanging about" means "driving fast" in anyone's parlance. Just an observation.

[egor110]

Mr Gear said:

I would never ride a bike without lights after dark, but that said, when I encounter an unlit cyclist when driving, I never even come close to hitting that person.

My car is fitted with headlights y'see.

It's the same reason I don't crash into walls, kerbs, trees and other unlit objects.

If your Sat at a junction your headlights aren't going to light up a approaching cyclist are they.

[anonymous-user]

Mr Gear said:

Dave G fsi said:

Nope, driving below the speed limit, and he was on the other side of the road, as explained

Just an observation

If he was coming towards you, he bloody well should be on the other side of the road. And "not hanging about" means "driving fast" in anyone's parlance. Just an observation.

Keep stirring...........

[fangio]

Mr Gear said:

Dave G fsi said:

Nope, driving below the speed limit, and he was on the other side of the road, as explained

Just an observation

If he was coming towards you, he bloody well should be on the other side of the road. And "not hanging about" means "driving fast" in anyone's parlance. Just an observation.

To your first assumption, not 'bloody' always the case.
As for your second assumption, don't presume to speak for me; not hanging about means, to me, making good, safe progress!
Just an observation.