Cycling idiocy

[vickster]

Lights at least make you visible though and actually help you see what's ahead of you, helmet each to their own, ditto high viz but personally I prefer to be visible to others

 

[downfader]

Cars have fixed lights and a power source, considering how many I see with defective lights and a fair few who "forget" to switch their lights on after dark I wonder how many vehicles we would "see" on the roads without lights if they had to do what people on bikes have to do, remember your lights, batteries, take them off so they don't get pinched.
It's human nature to try and get away with something if you can, it's not just cyclists that do that on the roads!
Personally I think we should stop beating ourselves up about it.

Agree.

Riding into work on friday morning, before 7am and still dark I lost count of the drivers who forgot to to switch them on. I approached the third driver like this and thought "you know, sod it, he has to be reminded" so I shouted out and pointed "DONT FORGET YOUR LIGHTS MATE!" The taxi driver gave a little wave of thanks. The other one shortly after had one light out, in the distance I did think it was a motorcycle so pointed at the broken lamp with the flashy hand signal.

 

[steveindenmark]

The lights on all the cars in Denmark come on automatically when you switch the engine on. You would think that should be an EU directive.

Can we just forget helmets or at least accept the European Cyclists Federations opinion that they are personal choice. It is a subject that just goes round and round with no end.

Steve

 

[gaz]

Did you know that you can buy a flasher from Planet-X for £2 each. For the price of a pint you can give an unit idiot a pair. Alternatively we can have yet another thread on the subject.

A price of a pint? I think i'm drinking in the wrong establishments. I only wish for £4 a pint.

 

[jarlrmai]

Still waiting for another cyclist to see I'm in need and hand me a pint.

I mean they're only the same cost as a set of lights from Planet X.

 

[semislickstick]

A price of a pint? I think i'm drinking in the wrong establishments. I only wish for £4 a pint.

You are drinking in the wrong city. It's still only £1.50 a pint outside the London area.

 

[rbreid]

You are drinking in the wrong city. It's still only £1.50 a pint outside the London area.

And there's a chance your bike(and lights) will still be where you left it when you go back for it.

 

[snorri]

The lights on all the cars in Denmark come on automatically when you switch the engine on. You would think that should be an EU directive.

Please no, we have too much light pollution here already making it difficult to see any unlit hazards..

 

[shouldbeinbed]

@Frood42. Too long to quote the post but +1 to the lot.

*generally* I'm all for us taking our share of responsibility for our own safety, and I do, right down to the pedal reflectors, but its often not enough to prevent the inattentive, impatient, incompetent or just plain dangerous in motor vehicles from doing harm to us, so whilst I sympathise with some of the OP, the final bit of the sermon is quite a way out of order.

 

[steveindenmark]

Please no, we have too much light pollution here already making it difficult to see any unlit hazards..

Lights from cars during daylight hours causing light pollution. How does that make unlit
hazards hard to see? When I come to the UK I notice the difference immediatley. Having lights switched on all the time makes vehicles much easier to see.

 

[snorri]

Having lights switched on all the time makes vehicles much easier to see.

It's seeing the smaller, unlit and possibly vulnerable hazards between the lights that is the concern, cars are big and easy to see.(well at least the ones with hi-viz paint jobs are)

 

[J.Primus]

You are drinking in the wrong city. It's still only £1.50 a pint outside the London area.

Where is that. Was out in Blackpool and Newcastle recently and didn't see anything under £2.00.

 

[rams1de]

@Frood42. Too long to quote the post but +1 to the lot.

*generally* I'm all for us taking our share of responsibility for our own safety, and I do, right down to the pedal reflectors, but its often not enough to prevent the inattentive, impatient, incompetent or just plain dangerous in motor vehicles from doing harm to us, so whilst I sympathise with some of the OP, the final bit of the sermon is quite a way out of order.

I thought it was very polite of the OP to thank everyone ahead of their responses.

 

[Sara_H]

Last night on my commute home I stopped at possibly one of the busiest round a bouts in Bristol, "The Bear Pit".
It was about 5pm, so dark, very busy with commuting traffic, shopping traffic and just traffic. There were four bikes stopped at the lights, which was good, stopping at red lights. On those four bikes there was the total of:
1 helmet
4 lights (two front, two back)
1 high vis jacket.
And they were all on my bike.
I can't help thinking that cyclist can only start claiming being victims of bad road users when we all help ourselves. On know I'm preaching to the converted on here, but thank you for letting me vent.

James

Helmets are irrelevant.
Hi viz is also irrelevant.

I unfortunately can't wait for 100% of people riding bikes to do so sensibly with lights before expecting other road users to treat me with courstesy and respect. I'm a human being and expect others to drive safely around me, regardless of whether the last person on a bike they saw had lights on or not.

http://beyondthekerb.wordpress.com/2013/10/11/the-most-basic-respect/

 

[Twelve Spokes]

Helmets are irrelevant.
Hi viz is also irrelevant.

I unfortunately can't wait for 100% of people riding bikes to do so sensibly with lihts before expecting other road users to trat me with courstesy and respect. I'm a human being and expect others to drive safely around me, regardless of whether the last person on a bike they saw had lights on or not.

http://beyondthekerb.wordpress.com/2013/10/11/the-most-basic-respect/

Well I suppose you can expect,but somehow I don't think it will happen all the time only a small majority of it.