Cyclist on a14

[col]

Well I did otherwise I'd have hit him, but you're a lot closer before you do, especially with dipped beam, even travelling a 50mph as I was.

There's no excuse, riding on a fast road at night with no rear lights is just beyond stupid.

It is,but i still think they are seeable,unless a driver is preocupied and not looking ahead all the time.

 

[col]

And no another_dave_b. Im running very fast

 

[Hilldodger]

It is,but i still think they are seeable,unless a driver is preocupied and not looking ahead all the time.

But you are a lot closer!

Don't blame the driver for a cyclist being a complete moron.

There's no excuse for riding on a road like that without taking the precaution of being HIGHLY visable

 

[col]

But you are a lot closer!

Don't blame the driver for a cyclist being a complete moron.

There's no excuse for riding on a road like that without taking the precaution of being HIGHLY visable

Who is blaming?
I never said there was,im just saying even a cyclist without lights can be seen still.And cycling on any road with out lights is bad,not just the ones you mention.

 

[PBancroft]

I'm seeing quite a lot of cyclists without rear lights at the moment. I'm almost tempted to buy a job lot of them just so that I can give them to people.

Not that they'd probably put them on their bikes, but still.

 

[BentMikey]

A fast A-road is where a rear light is probably pretty important, IMO.

 

[purplepolly]

if anyone knows this idiot they should tell him to swap one of his front lights for a rear one before somebody hits him. .

Why don't you pull over at a safe place, wait for him and tell him politely that that he's about to either cause a pile up or die. It wouldn't take any longer than posting.

 

[4F]

Anyone who cycles on the A14 must have a death wish. Given the high number of HGV's that road gets heading to and from my neck of the woods I really cannot see why some nutters do it.

 

[4F]

Matter of opinion. When I E2E that was all on main trunk roads. I actually prefer main A roads because in general they are of better quality and are quicker to ride on.

But all A roads are different. If you like cycling on a road which has a 1:5 lorry to car ratio then the A14 is the road for you.

 

[Willow]

All the roads where I live are unlit. i was driving down a 30mph road last Thursay taking my son to swimming (7pm ish). I thought I spotted somone walking on the pavement, I could see dark movement. It wasn't until I was right up close that I realised it was a cyclist with no back light. As I passed he turned left so not sure if he had a front but I am assuming he wouldn't see where he was going if he didn't. He had a light on the back I will give him the benefit of the doubt and say batteries ran out on way home but it was so dangerous and I think he was lucky that I am a cyclist (well rumoured to be given the time since I last rode!). Needless to say my 10 year old had a lecture about checking everything was working before he left home (he has some flash caps on his wheels that flash when the bike is moving - personally I think they look very uncool but I haven't told him that) even though he doesn't cycle in the dark yet.

 

[Tharg2007]

maybe its that bloke who posted on here the other day about how he kept losing his rear lights

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Matter of opinion. When I E2E that was all on main trunk roads. I actually prefer main A roads because in general they are of better quality and are quicker to ride on.

I agree. I feel much safer on a big A road than on little narrow country lanes.

 

[Graham1]

It reads a dirty hi viz doesnt it?
Just realised your on about your cyclist,sorry thought you meant the op.
Im still not convinced that you cant notice a cyclist,even by your own headlights in the dark?

I saw him at the last minute as I rounded a corner and swerved to avoid him, even if I could pick him out with my lights it doesn't make it right that he never had rear lights,

 

[Ravenz]

When an A road resembles a motorway, I have hopefully more sense than to ride down it e.g. A500 D road... the A50 ..Staffs/Cheshire is single carriageway and have no such inhibitions in using it..

 

[silverbow]

Thanks for posting this Graham1, I think it has highlighted the importance to be easily seen by other road users. It is very easy to think that other road users on spending 100% of their time looking for cyclists - they are not. As cyclists I'm sure we all are extra vigilant when driving a car, and can empathise with the needs of other road users and in particular cyclists.

Reading the post reminded me of an incident that occurred to me just before Christmas. I was driving the Transit back from the office, down the usual country roads which have high hedgerows with the Transits main beam on. As I was rounding a bend I could see another car was approaching on straight ahead and so I dipped the headlights. (I was travelling at 40mph the road limited is 60mph but it simply is not big enough for those speeds.) Once on the straight I could not see anything apart from the approaching cars headlights (which had now been dipped) and the hedgerow to the left -suddenly I became aware of a runner wearing dark red top and black leggings a few meters in front of the van. I hadn't seen her because of the oncoming headlights and the fact she was wearing dark clothing and no hi-viz. I used to race formula ford and have been taught how to stop a vehicle extremely quickly, which I did. How I didn't take the back of her head off with my wing mirror I will never know. I got home the final 2 miles and could still smell the breaks burning. I went into my house and sat in a daze for quite sometime shaking. It will be a day I never forget, unfortunately the runner probably already has.

Had the transit not been regularly serviced with good breaks, and tyres in good condition inflated to their correct pressure, and had the transit been loaded, she (if lucky) would have best been in A&E, but I feel the morgue would have been here final destination that day.

I tell this story because I think Graham1 has highlighted that it is the responsibility of road users to make themselves be seen - I remember a recent thread on this forum where we where discussing that pedestrians had responsibly to make themselves seen, why shouldn’t we expect this of all road users?