Cyclists without lights....

[hackbike 6]

Unintelligent policing?

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Sure I read on C+ forum a wile back that a police force was issuing a choice to cyclists without lights: turn up at the police station the next day with working lights fitted or pay a £50 fine – always thought that sounded like a pretty positive initiative

Good idea. £50 is enough to get a reasonable set of lights.

 

[swee'pea99]

£10 is enough to get a reasonable set of lights. At least the kind you need to be seen.

 

[fofo]

nearly crashed into an idiot with no lights on last night. I asked him why he didn't have any he told me he "couldn't afford them" He was riding a very expensive looking Bianchi with brand new wheels and tyres. I just rode on with a very bemused look on my face.

 

[BentMikey]

But you saw him, didntcha? It's the ones that you didn't see that you *really* need to worry about.

 

[fofo]

But you saw him, didntcha? It's the ones that you didn't see that you *really* need to worry about.

only when I was nearly on top of his brand new yellow wheels- he was wearing a ninja cycling outfit; black jacket, black trousers and no reflectors

 

[JonoB]

Suicidal Ninja Cyclists

Now, after years of being on a motorbike, I can say that I do look out for cyclists too (especially now I am one ). Edinburgh is a city where you can see cyclists without lights all the time - dark suited and invisible. I've nearly hit a few over the years. The most recent gave me the excuse (I had just shouted something "direct and cutting" through the window) that he hadn't got lights because I had lights on my car. Umph. Is it me?

 

[Fab Foodie]

Sure I read on C+ forum a wile back that a police force was issuing a choice to cyclists without lights: turn up at the police station the next day with working lights fitted or pay a £50 fine – always thought that sounded like a pretty positive initiative

Update...

http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/3799622.Police_fine_83_cyclists_with_no_lights/

And for balance...

http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/headlines/3803320.Police_check_catches_out_77_drivers/

Fine bunch of boys and girls, the local plod!

 

[Fab Foodie]

The students have a point though, just because they will have to buy some lights. Does not really mean that they will put them on their bike.

This sort of thing just reinforces the negative attitude that some people have against the Police when they do something like this that they are only doing it to raise revenue.

And you solution is what exactly?
Maybe, just maybe this will "remind" some of the nations potential brain-boxes that lights and obeying a simple bit of law is valuable. Alternatively they can pay their £30 into the Police coffers. And please explain how having to buy a set of lights is funding plods Xmas piss-up?

I regularly ride at night in Oxford. IMO I'm happy to support plod on this one.

 

[Fab Foodie]

The operation as perceived by those that it is aimed at. ''Yes, I won't have to pay a fine because I will go and buy some lights, but what are the Police doing here anyway? They should be out catching real criminals etc.''

By that token, we should ignore all forms of minor criminal activity or unsafe practice? Fine until some fresher gets killed on his way home from a night-out by an innocent driver (who will also have to live with it). There's also an antisocial angle to it.... like RLJ'ing. I guess it depends what kind of society you want to live in.
I think once in a while, RLJ'ers, speeders, unlight cyclists are fair game. Hopefully some will learn and live a bit longer.

 

[Fab Foodie]

What? So ignoring cyclists riding without lights is being compared with ''minor criminal activity'' whatever next.

Would be interesting to see how many of those cyclists are actually riding without lights now after being stopped. In addition how many officers were there that night.

Trivial it may be... but it's still against the law, like driving without proper lighting. There are those that think that speeding is not a criminal activity and too trivial for the Police to waste their time on.

Compared to the Policing that a normal Friday or Saturday night out in Oxford requires scraping piss-heads of the pavement the resources involved in 3 hours noise about cycle lights is small beer.

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

FF, it's just Lee 'fishing' again, I'm sure. He doesn't *actually* believe what he's writing, he's just winding you up.

It's obvious really, no-one could really be as dim as that, could they?

Oh... my mistake... he advocates riding without lights as it makes you a better rider who's more alert blah, blah, blah...

 

[dondare]

What? So ignoring cyclists riding without lights is being compared with ''minor criminal activity'' whatever next.

Would be interesting to see how many of those cyclists are actually riding without lights now after being stopped. In addition how many officers were there that night.

Not a direct response to this post, but:

In another context you regard cyclists who position themselves so that they are invisible to a driver who might then run them over as being in the wrong. But isn't that what every unlit-after-dark cyclist is doing?

 

[BentMikey]

In fairness to Lee, I don't think he was trying to argue riding without lights was right, but instead that it helped improve his riding skills. I got the impression he knew he'd be in the wrong if he was involved in an accident.

 

[BentMikey]

You can f*** off as far as I'm concerned, if you are so dumb as not to read a whole thread in reference to the bus overtake incident, then that is your problem. But don't be posting shoot about me assuming that when I write something I am automatically fishing. What an ignorant c***.

LOL, you get very emotional when you're caught out in stupid posts. Take a chill pill sunbeam, there's no-one to blame but yourself.