Death wish

[Cab]

There are people who would say 'but you SAW them, didn't you?' and think there was no problem....

Depends on the lighting really. In many city streets the limit on how far away you can see a bike at night is how far the next corner is. I entirely agree that you should have lights at night, but it ain't always a big enough deal to get heated up over.

Surely you've been in a car with someone else driving, they point out a cyclist in the distance with no lights and start complaining despite the fact that the bike is perfectly visible even a way off? Seems to me (I've said this here before) that the amount and venom of the complaining we see about this issue is sometimes way out of proportion to the risk.

 

[Jacomus-rides-Gen]

I agree with the risk factore, but disagree that unlit cyclists should not be a Big Deal. It is oft argued that the dangers of rlj-ing are blown way out of proportion. However the argument that no rlj-er can defeat is that drivers hate rlj-ing cyclists and it allways comes up in a motorists complaint about cycling in general.

Not having lights on the bike falls under the same heading for me I'm afraid - it creates antipathy for the sake of £10. Sure, the lights may not be the brightest, or even legal, but it removes another argument used to 'prove' that cyclists are not / should not be valid road users.

 

[andygates]

I couldn't give a monkey's toss if they hate me. It's if they hit me I get upset. Hell, if they hate me, at least they're paying attention to me: "Look at that tosser" is still "look at me" (darling!)...

 

[Cab]

I agree with the risk factore, but disagree that unlit cyclists should not be a Big Deal.

My point isn't that this should never be a big deal. My point is that often its made into a bigger deal than it really is.

It is oft argued that the dangers of rlj-ing are blown way out of proportion. However the argument that no rlj-er can defeat is that drivers hate rlj-ing cyclists and it allways comes up in a motorists complaint about cycling in general.

Yes. I agree entirely. Although I'd argue that with RLJ'ing the motorist is making exactly the same mistake; yeah, the red light jumper is in the wrong, but stop complaining about it like he's committed high treason for pities sake

Not having lights on the bike falls under the same heading for me I'm afraid - it creates antipathy for the sake of £10. Sure, the lights may not be the brightest, or even legal, but it removes another argument used to 'prove' that cyclists are not / should not be valid road users.

I don't disagree with any of that.

 

[Carwash]

Aren't they Polish immigrants? I think I heard they all cycle like that in Poland.

Nope, in my experience cyclists in Poland are comparatively well-behaved. Perhaps you meant 'They all drive like that in Poland.'?

 

[Tynan]

infuriates me, there's plenty of section of even main roads in London that are very dark, I sometimes see cyclists without lights etc only as an outline against a catseye in the road or something like that

as others have said, it's bad enough in the daytime, there really is no excuse imho, coppers should routinely nick for no lights

 

[Jacomus-rides-Gen]

Slightly OT...

...but has anyone noticed an increase in the number of cars on the with faulty brake lights? I can virtually guarantee to see at least three each evening on the commute home (4 miles) - most often, they're black cabs.

I wonder if 'phoning your local nick with the numberplates would do any good, or if that would just be a useless and annoying gesture?

 

[bonj2]

I wonder if 'phoning your local nick with the numberplates would do any good, or if that would just be a useless and annoying gesture?

TfL/the cab company/the council are more likely to be interested if they're black cabs.

 

[HLaB]

I've noticed a big increase in the number of people cycling on the wrong side of the road - and not just kids either. Who are these morons?

I passed one tonight, I'm glad I don't hug the kerb. As I was heading downhill this lemming came towards me in the gutter on my side, without any lights, death wish?

 

[Elmer Fudd]

I passed one tonight, I'm glad I don't hug the kerb. As I was heading downhill this lemming came towards me in the gutter on my side, without any lights, death wish?

"Lemmings being suicidal is a myth, the famous Disney film had crew members throwing them off the edge" (Quote from Q.I. last night.)

 

[gambatte]

Slightly OT...

...but has anyone noticed an increase in the number of cars on the roads with faulty brake lights? I can virtually guarantee to see at least three each evening on the commute home (4 miles) - most often, they're black cabs.

Having a vehicle with defective lights on the road is illegal. During the day there's a defence that they've just gone defective and you're on your way to fix them. At night, theres no defence and you can get prosecuted.

I used this to get an insurance company to fully write off a car they only wanted to partly write off. I told 'em the only place they could deliver it back to me was on the road and it was illegal to be there.

Whether its worthwhile reporting them.....???

If you're that way inclined, Bonj's idea with taxis/private hire vehicles might have some merit.

 

[yorkshiregoth]

I did once very politely inform a driver that one of this reverse lights wasn't working and he told me to mind my own effing business.

 

[gambatte]

I did once very politely inform a driver that one of this reverse lights wasn't working and he told me to mind my own effing business.

Did the same on a garage forecourt last week, got thanked

 

[andygates]

...but has anyone noticed an increase in the number of cars on the roads with faulty brake lights? I can virtually guarantee to see at least three each evening on the commute home (4 miles) - most often, they're black cabs.

More noticeable now that it's dark. The ones that broke in June are now becoming apparent.

 

[John Ponting]

I did once very politely inform a driver that one of this reverse lights wasn't working and he told me to mind my own effing business.

I can almost appreciate the drivers response.

There is no requirement to have two reversing lights and many smaller cars are made with only one e.g. my wife's Micra has 1 reversing light and 1 high intensity red light fitted.