Cyclists gets a finger wag !

[Ming the Merciless]

Typical bad driving heading sideways off the road into that poor horse rider. Was that before he hit the driving carefully sign?

 

[Big Andy]

It did the square root of cock all the two times (in many years) I've been clouted off my bike. The first time, Mr. twatty driver admitted he hadn't cleared his misted up window. I got a free ride on his bonnet. He got 3(?) points and a £120 fine. I was using a GBFO Cateye battery powered front light and was wearing a yellow waterproof. The second time, Mrs. twatty driver did I don't know what. I was using a bright handlebar mounted LED torch and was wearing a black waterproof. I got a night in hospital, stitches, concussion, broken bike. I did get my hand held by a nice Scottish nurse. The police too no further action. Their version of what constitutes "far below what would be expected of a competent and careful driver" is different to mine.

Nobody is claiming making yourself more visible will prevent all incidents.

 

[steve50]

Exactly my point, hi viz gear or tape or whatever form it comes in was invented to increase the visibility of the wearer, however this is cycle chat where you will always get the pedants who are so stuck in their ways they will argue black is white rather than admit that high viz and other protective gear may help prevent an incident.

 

[winjim]

no more than i should have expected really, you made the claim in the first quote so i asked YOU to back up your claim but you turn it back on me??
Where did I say the casualty rate would be reduced by wearing high viz?
What I did say was you are more visible wearing some kind of reflective gear, I never claimed safety facts or figures.

We will just sit here and wait for you to back up your claim shall we.........

So what would you say is the benefit of increased visibility, if not safety?

 

[Sandra6]

Do people still finger wag these days? Orf with her head.

You didn't mention a helmet either.

Maybe she was wearing a dark helmet as well

I wag my finger at people when I'm telling them off, makes me feel important :-) I'm not sure why, but they dont' seem to take me seriously. oh well.

Perhaps we should all just ditch our lights then and cycle around at night unlit? You first ...

I went out the other morning without a front light, it wasn't actually dark, but a bit grey. I felt really vulnerable. AND a car pulled out at me, although to be fair I was side on to her so she wouldn't have seen my light even if it had been there. A kindly passer by pointed out I didn't have a light at the front.

Haud the bus! Stuff from £1 shops now costs £2??? Is this a Brexit thing?

My youngest calls poundland "the any price shop" because of their huge range of prices, they even have things for a tenner in there now! The world's gone mad I tell you!
I'm off out in my black jacket, but it's ok cos my bike is mostly white!

 

[welsh dragon]

I wag my finger at people when I'm telling them off, makes me feel important :-) I'm not sure why, but they dont' seem to take me seriously. oh well.


I went out the other morning without a front light, it wasn't actually dark, but a bit grey. I felt really vulnerable. AND a car pulled out at me, although to be fair I was side on to her so she wouldn't have seen my light even if it had been there. A kindly passer by pointed out I didn't have a light at the front.


My youngest calls poundland "the any price shop" because of their huge range of prices, they even have things for a tenner in there now! The world's gone mad I tell you!
I'm off out in my black jacket, but it's ok cos my bike is mostly white!

The trouble with jo bloggs wagging his/her finger at someone these days is, you could end up being punched in the face or worse.

 

[Mugshot]

Exactly my point, hi viz gear or tape or whatever form it comes in was invented to increase the visibility of the wearer, however this is cycle chat where you will always get the pedants who are so stuck in their ways they will argue black is white rather than admit that high viz and other protective gear may help prevent an incident.

Wow, so good you quoted yourself huh?
The thing is that if you look at the OP as an example or reports of cyclists getting knocked off you will see various combinations of the following;

They had no lights
They didn't have enough lights
The lights weren't bright enough
They were wearing a dark coat
They should have been wearing hi viz
They should have been wearing more hi viz
They should have been wearing reflectives
They should have been wearing more reflectives
They weren't wearing a helmet
They were riding a Brompton
They were riding in the middle of the road
They weren't on the cycle path
They were two abreast

I'm sure you get the idea.
Now I think that it's not unreasonable for cyclists to take steps with seeing and being seen, but I also think that somewhere between stealth mode and Christmas tree we should be able to say, "Hang on, you do need to help us out by at least looking you know." However the fact is that is not what we have, no matter how many precautions you take currently in the event of an incident it wouldn't be enough. Rather than calling people pedants you should be looking at what's being said and realise that you're arguing for the continuation of the visibilty arms race which we will never win, when maybe you should be arguing for motorists to take at least some responsibility for their actions.

 

[Mugshot]

I felt really vulnerable. AND a car pulled out at me, although to be fair I was side on to her so she wouldn't have seen my light even if it had been there

I'm sorry if I have this wrong but it sounds as if you're suggesting that it wasn't really the motorists fault that they pulled out on you.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Wow, so good you quoted yourself huh?
The thing is that if you look at the OP as an example or reports of cyclists getting knocked off you will see various examples of the following;

They had no lights
They didn't have enough lights
The lights weren't bright enough
They were wearing a dark coat
They should have been wearing hi viz
They should have been wearing more hi viz
They should have been wearing reflectives
They should have been wearing more reflectives
They weren't wearing a helmet
They were riding a Brompton
They were riding in the middle of the road
They weren't on the cycle path
They were two abreast

I'm sure you get the idea.
Now I think that it's not unreasonable for cyclists to take steps with seeing and being seen, but I also think that somewhere between stealth mode and Christmas tree we should be able to say, "Hang on, you do need to help us out by at least looking you know." However the fact is that is not what we have, no matter how many precautions you take currently in the event of an incident it wouldn't be enough. Rather than calling people pedants you should be looking at what's being said and realise that you're arguing for the continuation of the visibilty arms race which we will never win, when maybe you should be arguing for motorists to take at least some responsibility for their actions.

 

[steve50]

Wow, so good you quoted yourself huh?
The thing is that if you look at the OP as an example or reports of cyclists getting knocked off you will see various examples of the following;

They had no lights
They didn't have enough lights
The lights weren't bright enough
They were wearing a dark coat
They should have been wearing hi viz
They should have been wearing more hi viz
They should have been wearing reflectives
They should have been wearing more reflectives
They weren't wearing a helmet
They were riding a Brompton
They were riding in the middle of the road
They weren't on the cycle path
They were two abreast

I'm sure you get the idea.
Now I think that it's not unreasonable for cyclists to take steps with seeing and being seen, but I also think that somewhere between stealth mode and Christmas tree we should be able to say, "Hang on, you do need to help us out by at least looking you know." However the fact is that is not what we have, no matter how many precautions you take currently in the event of an incident it wouldn't be enough. Rather than calling people pedants you should be looking at what's being said and realise that you're arguing for the continuation of the visibilty arms race which we will never win, when maybe you should be arguing for motorists to take at least some responsibility for their actions.

I absolutely agree with you, what irks me is the number of "pedants" who will blindly argue that it is the sole responsibility of the motorist to see the cyclist regardless of any given circumstance.
Today it is very overcast dull and grey outside, even a little misty over the hills, I am about to go out on my bike, given the conditions I am going to wear a brightly coloured jacket in an effort to make myself visible against a rather murky background. My idea is to make myself more visible to other road users, it might not stop someone from knocking me off my bike but I would hope the brighter colour would attract the attention of vehicle drivers. I also agree that motorists should take more responsibility for their actions, I have discussed this in the past, I am also a motorist, I have been a biker many moons ago so I am more aware of bikes / motorbikes than a motorist who has never ridden a bike.

 

[Lonestar]

[QUOTE 4641501, member: 9609"]hopefully the lady cyclist was well versed in the CC mantra of 'it is up to the motorists to use their lights and stop playing with their phones' and told the officer so whilst wagging her finger.[/QUOTE]

Use their indicators and stop surfing the internet or texting while driving,you mean.

 

[stephec]

The trouble with jo bloggs wagging his/her finger at someone these days is, you could end up being punched in the face or worse.

Don't judge everyone by your own standards.

 

[Bimble]

Use their indicators and stop surfing the internet or texting while driving,you mean.

Now there's an issue I would be happy to see policed instead of unlit cyclists!

But - and I don't know if it's a funding issue or change of focus onto other more "serious" crimes - over the past decade or more there has been a distinct reduction in traffic police presence in our city, to the point where you'd actually be quite unlucky if you got caught using your phone whilst driving. The bitter irony, of course, is that almost every phone sold in the past 5 years or more can do hands-free calls.

 

[mjr]

AND a car pulled out at me, although to be fair I was side on to her so she wouldn't have seen my light even if it had been there.

Proper bike lights have to be visible from the sides, which is an oft-overlooked benefit of standards-compliant lights. It's a shame the UK bicycle chain stores rarely sell any.

I'm off out in my black jacket, but it's ok cos my bike is mostly white!

My usual bike has the rear quarter of its rear mudguard white but I bet many of the nerks telling us to dress like alien space lemons haven't done that.

 

[steve50]

Do you know, I drive and cycle a lot round the country lanes around here - and I've never hit a horse.

Maybe its because I drive with due care and attention, at a speed that is suitable to the conditions and at which I feel able to stop if needed.

Great, good for you, now if all motorists gave the same consideration to all road users we would all be a lot safer when using the roads, I shall now remove my rose tinted glasses