Idiots on bikes

[Justinslow]

You're the victim here justin, people should remember that I reckon.

Righto.........lets hope that cyclist I saw doesn't become one too.

 

[glenn forger]

He's likely to suffer a fatality after he covers 30m miles, statistically, so I think your concern is less with safety and more to do with calling cyclists names who haven't done anything wrong.

 

[DaveReading]

"Idiots on bikes" - how so ?

When I last bought a bike my LBS made me sign an "I am not an idiot" declaration before they let me take it out of the shop.

 

[Justinslow]

He's likely to suffer a fatality after he covers 30m miles, statistically, so I think your concern is less with safety and more to do with calling cyclists names who haven't done anything wrong.

Yes you are correct, he was riding impeccably, just not very cleverly.

 

[MontyVeda]

So if I have no lights I'm a bellend , if my lights are 'too bright' I'm a bellend, if i have the wrong sort of lights, or hivis, or not hivis .... Maybe everyone who believes in collective responsibility for cyclists could get together and agree a definitive list of what we must, and must not, wear, carry or otherwise display?

...i think that's what we're doing... only, we can't agree on anything

 

[mjr]

...i think that's what we're doing... only, we can't agree on anything

Or rather, we agree on nothing!

Just read this over there, which also seems appropriate here:

It gets me that people have to tell you about every indiscretion perceived or real that any cyclist they've seen recently has committed as if we all live together and I can have a word on their behalf.

 

[Justinslow]

Strobe lights

Isn't it reasonable to expect people to get themselves up to the legal minimum before criticising others?

Here they are
http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bik...vc:m|adp:1o5&gclid=CKeF1-TfwskCFRUTGwodyd8GJg

And
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/...goryId=312030&productId=1143731&storeId=10001

Not bs approved, I hang my head in shame.......

 

[MontyVeda]

so in an attempt to take this daft thread off topic and into an area worth discussing... why is a set of bike lights that do not carry the BS kite mark 'insufficient' ?

Back in the days if D batteries and bulbs i had various sets of bike lights which all had a pretty little kite mark stamped on them... but gawd the lights were sh!te, especially after about 20 minutes when a rich tea biscuit would have been brighter.

I've never noticed a single kite mark on any of my LED bike lights, but they certainly seem to work a lot better than the old (pre-LED) ones. They may not have a kite mark but i can see in front of me and can be seen, for hours and hours rather than a mere 20-30 minutes... so what's so insufficient about them??? @mjray

 

[Justinslow]

Or rather, we agree on nothing!

Just read this over there, which also seems appropriate here:

For once I kind of agree with you, this thread has snowballed several pages because of some pointless arguing.
Some if you blather on about various topics such as "if we wear helmets it shows cycling as dangerous" but we can't even agree that if we behave better with good road sense (cycling proficiency) whilst actually out riding it could, wait for it, actually improve our image and maybe safety, and maybe other road users might actually hate us less?
Instead posters on here say things like " well I don't have to, so I won't, it's up to the driver to be able to see me" - bloody mindedness springs to mind.

 

[Justinslow]

so in an attempt to take this daft thread off topic and into an area worth discussing... why is a set of bike lights that do not carry the BS kite mark 'insufficient' ?

Back in the days if D batteries and bulbs i had various sets of bike lights which all had a pretty little kite mark stamped on them... but gawd the lights were sh!te, especially after about 20 minutes when a rich tea biscuit would have brighter.

I've never noticed a single kite mark on any of my LED bike lights, but they certainly seem to work a lot better than the old (pre-LED) ones. They may not have a kite mark but i can see in front of me and can be seen, for hours and hours rather than a mere 20-30 minutes... so what's so insufficient about them??? @mjray

Elf and safety innit, rules and regs. There's nothing wrong with them.

 

[MontyVeda]

Elf and safety innit, rules and regs. There's nothing wrong with them.

presactly... calling them insufficient suggests they're dim and might even melt in the rain.

maybe it's a case of, the kite mark costs money so the manufacturers just don't bother with the extra expense??? but that's a pure guess.

 

[Justinslow]

presactly... calling them insufficient suggests they're dim and might even melt in the rain.

maybe it's a case of, the kite mark costs money so the manufacturers just don't bother with the extra expense??? but that's a pure guess.

At £3 for a pair of flashers from halfords I'd say you were on the money.

 

[glenn forger]

so in an attempt to take this daft thread off topic and into an area worth discussing... why is a set of bike lights that do not carry the BS kite mark 'insufficient' ?

Old bill are pragmatists, they would never charge a cyclist with non-standard lights so long as they had lights and I've never heard of pedal reflectors' absence causing a fine.

 

[Justinslow]

Old bill are pragmatists, they would never charge a cyclist with non-standard lights so long as they had lights and I've never heard of pedal reflectors' absence causing a fine.

Which is why we all use them (or don't )

 

[MontyVeda]

Old bill are pragmatists, they would never charge a cyclist with non-standard lights so long as they had lights and I've never heard of pedal reflectors' absence causing a fine.

I'm sure they wouldn't... although i do recall an old acquaintance being pulled for having a dim rear light (batteries on their last legs)... but he was a bit a of a scroat so it might have been a potential stolen bike check and the dim light was the excuse for having a quick word.

Does anyone know the costs involved in getting products tested to British Standards??? I can't see it being a free service.