No lights at night and wearing black

[fossyant]

Second BM's comment - RAB's - in my case my main lights were past the driver's straight line sight, they hadn't looked forward, but I had both reflective stripes and a sam brown belt, plus a pulse micro LED aimed at side drivers on my rucksack...she still 'didn't see me'.......... just get lit, be careful and hope for the best.......

PS just hope the missus doesn't find the insurance policy........

 

[tdr1nka]

"Has the elastic gone in your socks?!"

Someone laughed at my ankle reflectors the other day until I pointed out I wore them because my double sided spd pedals have no reflectors.

 

[briank]

All this about Hi-Viz and side reflectors is very edifying, but the fact remains she's riding in the dark with no lights. My heart goes out to your honest qualms for her well- being and I would feel the same. But sitting here of a Friday night I know we're both wrong.
Run the bitch over.

 

[gbb]

Good that, yes very good. Nice to see we have so much respect and understanding for our fellow cyclists.

All fine and well lee, but she didnt give a hoot for anyone. Basically, she's said fcuk you, i'll do what i want and bugger the consequences.

 

[briank]

Understanding? Yes, I've had the batteries run out and walked, or phoned, home.
And
During my 5,000 miles cyclng this year (so far) I've had considerable grief from other road users who have been freaked out by cyclists with no lights.
I ride, I drive and I motorcycle: I will carry no special brief for any of those who make life harder for the rest of us just cos they ride a bike.

 

[briank]

So yeah - run the bitch over.
(on reflection, I realise that the use of the feminine version of 'dog' might be construed as sexist. I apologise for any offense caused by that, and can only protest that I have the highest regard for canines, and consider the females to be, on balance, a better bet for those who are looking for an intelligent, biddable companion)
But as for those who ride without lights
- just run the ****ers over.

 

[briank]

C'mon Lee! You know that no one who uses the roads - least of all HGV drivers (who deserve much more respect than cyclists who ride without lights) - really wants to run anyone over. Despite the raging on this forum against drivers, the outrage of motorists against cyclists is 99% a reaction against that stomach-churning moment when you find yourself bearing down on some naked, vulnerable human body on a bicycle whom you genuinely didn't see.
And they think it's OK cos they're on a bike and so have god on their side.
Now tell me I'm not more endangered cos twats like her think she's got god on her side.

 

[briank]

Interesting, have you ever come across anyone (while in your car) who is riding a bike without lights. If so did you ''run them over?'' after all this is what you say you should do in response to someone who rides a bike without lights.

No of course I didn't.
I swerved out into oncoming traffic to avoid them.

 

[BentMikey]

I've been thinking about this topic for a while, and I feel that the OP probably glanced instead of looking properly, and that's why he didn't see the cyclist.

briank, you are a twonk.

 

[PBancroft]

I really fail to understand that attitude - do you think she genuinely believes that lights are not required in the dark?

I went into my LBS at the end of summer to get a new top. All they had was black or grey. When I asked if they had anything colourful they said it doesn't sell.

Not sure if that's chicken or egg there.

 

[Domestique]

I have found what ever I am wearing and what ever lights I have on, at night some drivers just dont want to see you. And even when they do see you many times its a case of 'oh look theres a cyclist I can pull out'
My own safty is down to me. If it looks like danger, then I will slow down.
But riding with out any lights, thats just being a twat.

 

[gbb]

I've been thinking about this topic for a while, and I feel that the OP probably glanced instead of looking properly, and that's why he didn't see the cyclist.
briank, you are a twonk.

Bloody hell BM, you make a lot of assumptions. To be fair, we all do when reading these posts, but you cant brand someone a twonk because you 'think' he didnt look properly. You were'nt there.
To be fair, 'run the bitch over' is inflammatory, and sadly Briank, it was asking for the responses you got.
Is she a twonk...probably, based on the next paragraph.

Does she deserve any respect from other road users...no. Before anyone says her lights may have expired mid ride etc etc...when taken to task by Briank, she could have said so, and i'm sure would have been treated with some respect and sympathy.
No, she chose to sound off, even when she'd broken the law, and nearly caused an accident. She'd have got a mouthfull off me for doing that.

If you break the law, then have the affront to sound off at someone because of an accident you nearly caused....you deserve NO respect whatsoever. In Brianks position, i'd feel very aggrieved.
'Run the bitch over' is unfortunate....but we all know what Briank means.

How many times have you said 'i'll kill him if he does that again' (in any kind of situation)...its an expression of contempt, anger, whatever you like. Doesnt mean you even remotely actually intend to kill someone....you all know that.

 

[BentMikey]

Bloody hell BM, you make a lot of assumptions. To be fair, we all do when reading these posts, but you cant brand someone a twonk because you 'think' he didnt look properly. You were'nt there.

*Ahem*. You've mixed up/joined up me calling briank a twonk (and it's clearly directed only at briank), and my opinion that the OP didn't look properly. The two don't go together.

You might not like or agree with my opinion, but I'm entitled to it. (I also have no sympathy for the cyclist, but I wasn't posting about her then.)

 

[freewheelwilly]

Having read what has been posted i feel i need to answer some of the suggestions being branded around before everyone starts falling out over a simple thread in forum.

I was approaching a mini-roundabout in a poorly lit street. Dont know what speed i was doing but i was crawling up to the give way line and looking to my right for any on coming traffic (bike, motorbike, car whatever). The nose of my car is already pointing due left as i anticipate my move - therefore not illuminating anything to my right hand side. By this point i'm at the line and had stopped. There was no traffic at all and so i began to pull out when from (what seemed like) nowhere this young lady was about to broadside me from the right.

Driving (and riding for that matter) in London i am constantly on my guard for riders like this. I often spot them but this was a first for me and it genuinly made me feel bad about what had happened untill she got all mouthy and i noticed she was another cyclist who couldnt be arsed to invest in some lights.

In hindsight i wished i'd given her a bit of a lecture but thought that by pointing out that she was invisible to me by the lack of lights etc that would be enough to give her some food for thought. Lets hope santa comes good this year for her...

 

[gbb]

*Ahem*. You've mixed up/joined up me calling briank a twonk (and it's clearly directed only at briank), and my opinion that the OP didn't look properly. The two don't go together.

You might not like or agree with my opinion, but I'm entitled to it. (I also have no sympathy for the cyclist, but I wasn't posting about her then.)

Ahem...i see what you mean

No problem BM...

Posts like this always pose problems for me, because i always try to see both sides of the tale. This is good and bad. Good...because it hopefully makes you (me) a better more understanding person, you try to see thee whole picture before making a conclusion. Bad...because i sometimes try to understand why something happened, whereas most people dont look beyond an incident and make their mind up based on their 'prejudices' ( not said in a nasty way...we're all prejudiced in our thoughts one way or the other). This often put you at odds with others.

That said, if the OPs description is right (and i have no reason to doubt), then its almost impossible to have any sympathy for the cyclist. Not only did she endanger herself, she endangered everyone around her. Its blatant stupidity.

As stated earlier, ive had a very similar incident to the OP. As a cyclist and car driver i'm always very very aware of cyclists, and in my case although i was looking looking looking...i just couldnt see the cyclist concerned. Glare of headlights, reflections on a wet road and busy traffic. I can sympathise with the OP, definately not the cyclist in this case.