Lights, how much is a life worth?

[Mrs M]

Fluorescent pink? Personally, I do neither fluorescent nor pink. Both at once doesn't bear thinking about.

Lol, final offering is purple with a discreet light reflective piping, otherwise I give up

 

[potsy]

Lol, final offering is purple with a discreet light reflective piping, otherwise I give up

Best just sticking to black, you'll fit in better with this lot

 

[fossyant]

Best just sticking to black, you'll fit in better with this lot

Nah, red and black, to match your bike. Me, a tart ?

 

[KneesUp]

I often see pedestrians in the carriageway on my commute (central London -> E17), I guess we use different roads.

Reason I ask about moving is that I find it *easier* to see things that move - our peripheral vision is more or less designed for that purpose after all.

We have pavements in the north.

However, as stated previously, the fatality rate of pedestrians in road accidents triples after dark. Do you think that's just coincidence, or the whole 'darkness makes it harder to see things' issue might be a factor?

 

[Crackle]

What we see depends so much on conditions. I've seen many unlit cyclists but had trouble one night tracking where the hell a well lit cyclist had just gone as I drove towards him in the rain. Saw a bloke tonight wearing Hi Viz, pointless under street lights. Found myself distracted by a powerful light a few times, seen people clearly in black one time and not so clear another time.

It's not really a question of choosing one method but of fitting what you do to the conditions and then remembering it's not those things which will keep you safe but your wits.

 

[KneesUp]

I think it adequately illustrates the "many drivers don't bother with looking properly and the darker conditions make it more likely they won't get away with such slack standards" factor.

So you accept that it's harder to see things at night?

It's remarkable that I think of that as progress ...

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Lol, final offering is purple with a discreet light reflective piping, otherwise I give up

Mrs M I am now happy for you

 

[GrumpyGregry]

So you accept that it's harder to see things at night?

It's remarkable that I think of that as progress ...

Harder to see some things sometimes at night?

 

[Mrs M]

Mrs M I am now happy for you

Fan dab

 

[KneesUp]

Why?

Your posts remind me of this. Without the humour.

 

[KneesUp]

I thought you had a point to make but, if not and we are just going down the cheap insults route, your's don't really remind me of anything.

It wasn't intended as an insult - but of course you're free to take it as one. I was more referring to the fact that you don't seem to offer anything other than questions, wich makes it feel rather like you feel you are jusr feeding an argument. None of your comments on page 5, for example, offer much in the way of illumination, which by your reckoning means neither of us is making a point. Goodnight.

 

[mustang1]

Given the cheap price of lights, why do most cyclists in 3rd world countries not use lights? Possibly they can't afford the lights. Maybe £5 is a lot of money for some people even in developed nations. After all, we are cyclists coz we are poor and can't afford other means of transport.

We're not all rich like you, OP!

BTW I use lights day and night, double set in front and rear.

 

[LinchPin]

Surely a benefit of having lights on is that they give advance notice of your presence to a driver. They'll be able to to see you 100s of metres away and not wait for you to appear in their headlights.

Many times I've seen a cycle way up in front of other cars just by their lights and I'm forewarned that I'll be coming up to them soon. which gives me a chance to indicate my intention to go around the cyclist, which helps they guy behind as well not to hit the bike.

On a clear road with no cars coming towards you with glaring headlights you'll have better vision to see the heroic ninja but when it's raining and the other side of the road is just a wall of light from passing cars then probably not as much.

As for those that see the people with no lights on can they detail those that they didn't see. As I can't believe that these people haven't had a "Wow where the fark did they come from" moment and I'm talking about cycles and cars that don't have lights on.

 

[steveindenmark]

Except that some of the behaviours that you cite have the potential to seriously impact on third parties.

But in over 50 years of cycling, someone else without lights or a helmet or high vis gear has not effected me. I doubt if it is going to start now.

I am just stating a simple fact.

 

[Broughtonblue]

Given the cheap price of lights, why do most cyclists in 3rd world countries not use lights? Possibly they can't afford the lights. Maybe £5 is a lot of money for some people even in developed nations. After all, we are cyclists coz we are poor and can't afford other means of transport.

We're not all rich like you, OP!

BTW I use lights day and night, double set in front and rear.

I'm not rich by any means hence my post about going work at 5am!