Correct answer to question/suggestion on brake lights for bikes?

[caesar]

I have a pet hate of people stopping to wave other cars/vehicles over box junctions and out of side streets as I am filtering or using cycle or bus lanes. It's MY responsibility to stop, but it's all down to a lack of observation on the part of the driver.

In the scenario quoted by the OP, he indicates to the pedestrian that it is safe to cross, when it isn't. He must share responsibility in that. In a coroner's court he would have to answer awkward questions as the moped rider is going to use the fact he waved the pedestrian into his path to mitigate or even negate his blame for the collision. It may even turn out that a coroner would lay the blame at the cyclist's feet, opening the way for a private prosecution/ litigation hearing.

Similalrly he would be a defence witness in a case of due care against the moped rider if the moped rider was in court for hitting the pedestrian.

Totally understand your pet hate. Quite often drivers will react instinctively if someone flashes them - I always watch out for that in the situations you describe but if I was hit in that situation I would hold the person who actually hit me entirely responsible, not the flasher. I've always found pedestrians to be more careful.

In the incident the other day, I would argue that I indicated that I would wait rather than saying it was safe - it was a nod or raising of eyebrows rather than a hand wave, but whatever you do can be interpreted in different ways. I suppose the danger is in assuming that everyone else will react to what you are doing in the way that you would.

One place I often wait for peds is the cycle path in front of Waterloo. There is a crossing where bikes are supposed to give way to peds and I seem to be pretty much the only cyclist who does. So far nobody has been hit by a Boris bike when I have done this but next week I will try not to give them any signals when I wait for them and see how long the stand off lasts!

 

[Browser]

Still, if you are making a controlled stop, I think it's a nice courtesy to do a hand signal.

I've taken to doing this in London when approaching a red light. Reduces the chance of another cyclist hitting me in the arse.

Emergency stops, i'm not letting go of the brakes, of course.

Trouble with hand signalling before/during braking (a) greatly reduces your stability and (b) removes 50% of your braking capacity.
I think that greater consideration needs to be given at govt level to whether, on todays roads with todays traffic volumes, cycles should be fitted with brake lights. But then your into a whole world of pain about type-approval, which type are legal/acceptable, how can it be verified to be legal/working etc and then cycle M.O.T.s become more than a vague threat!!
As for the OPs mopedeer, tell the myopic dilbert to back off, he was obviously too close!

 

[Lurker]

Good points about the effects of braking on bicycle stability and braking capacity. As to suggesting that pedal cycles should be fitted with brake lights (and all the associated regulatory gubbins that you mention), can't see that happening - isn't the government supposed to be keen on deregulation?