Should cyclists be fined for not having lights on while cycling at night?

[Soup890]

Yes we have all seen it and some of us have been guilty of it too. I have. Now I think we need to take responsibility of our own actions and if we don't then the law should do.

I saw a guy cycling from Luton cycling in the pitch black Country lanes wearing nothing but black,with no lights on and no helmet too!!

 

[ianrauk]

All in black and no helmet too?

 

[MontyVeda]

How's about giving them a 'producer' (?)... similar to what drivers are given if their tyres are found to be a bit over worn, or their lights are faulty.... either get it sorted by X date, or face a fine.

 

[TissoT]

I got a speeding ticket the other week ... From a boxed speed camera ...................

 

[summerdays]

Yes I don't mind but only if they also fine the cars with defective lights too.

 

[stuee147]

with how cheap and small bike lights are these days not like in my youth when the lights were the size of water bottles and the battery's only lasted an hour at best.
i dont think there is any excuse for not having them. it not just safety for the cyclist but everyone else to and iv been caught out without my lights before (they had been stolen) so i walked my my bike home lol

 

[Shaun]

I've removed a few comments and off-topic replies - and also moved the thread to General Cycling; the original location of Campaign and Public Policy wasn't really appropriate since it is already illegal to cycle at night without lights and fines can be (and already are) given, and the OP doesn't actually say anything about how it should be better enforced.

 

[Soup890]

I've removed a few comments and off-topic replies - and also moved the thread to General Cycling; the original location of Campaign and Public Policy wasn't really appropriate since it is already illegal to cycle at night without lights and fines can be (and already are) given, and the OP doesn't actually say anything about how it should be better enforced.

Thank you

 

[Shaun]

Thank you

No need, but perhaps you would get better responses if you made a propsal instead of an observation. All of us have seen cyclists riding unlit and quite a few might possibly like to see then fined more often too, but how would you ensure the existing penalties are better enforced?

 

[glenn forger]

With unlit cyclists featuring in just 2% of accidents, fining cyclists for being unlit wouldn't even be in the top ten ways of making cycling safer.

 

[glenn forger]

The study, carried out for the Department for Transport, found that in 2% of cases where cyclists were seriously injured in collisions with other road users police said that the rider disobeying a stop sign or traffic light was a likely contributing factor. Wearing dark clothing at night was seen as a potential cause in about 2.5% of cases, and failure to use lights was mentioned 2% of the time.

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2009/dec/15/cycling-bike-accidents-study

There are bigger things to worry about.

 

[jayonabike]

I saw a guy cycling from Luton cycling in the pitch black Country lanes wearing nothing but black!

So he was highly visible then and wearing the right colour

 

[ComedyPilot]

The study, carried out for the Department for Transport, found that in 2% (a) of cases where cyclists were seriously injured in collisions with other road users police said that the rider disobeying a stop sign or traffic light was a likely contributing factor. Wearing dark clothing at night was seen as a potential cause in about 2.5% (b) of cases, and failure to use lights was mentioned 2% (c) of the time.

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2009/dec/15/cycling-bike-accidents-study

There are bigger things to worry about.

I would be more concerned about the causes of the other (a) 98% (b) 97.5% and (c) 98% of collisions, because although I may be just a thick Yorkshireman (with reasonable broadband access) those figures show a MASSIVE fault onus on the other parties in the collisions....?

Maybe if we could shift the daily wail mindset of all cyclists jumping red lights, and no using lights at night onto focussing on the REAL cause of the MAJORITY of collisions, then we may be getting somewhere.

How about dail wail headlines such as, all drivers tweet and drive, drink and drive, drive too close, use their vehicles to intimidate other road users, speed, overtake dangerously, don't look....I could go on...

 

[ComedyPilot]

How many cyclists with adequate lighting and reflective clothing have been hit by vehicles.......?

And that's just in daytime...

Were drivers to actually drive in a responsible/safe/courteous manner, then the H&S dayglo lemon* brigade (copyright @theclaud ) would be up to their chins in surplus vests.

Put the onus of responsibility back where it should be....firmly in the laps of people driving tons of metal at speed on our roads.

 

[Banjo]

How many cyclists with adequate lighting and reflective clothing have been hit by vehicles.......?

And that's just in daytime...

Were drivers to actually drive in a responsible/safe/courteous manner, then the H&S dayglo lemon* brigade (copyright @theclaud ) would be up to their chins in surplus vests.

Put the onus of responsibility back where it should be....firmly in the laps of people driving tons of metal at speed on our roads.

Two wrongs dont make a right.
Numptys cycling without lights in the dark not only put themselves at risk but give all cyclists a bad name.
Dont mess about with fines though just confiscate the bikes and give them to kids in Africa or crush them.

Of course the same punishment should be applied to drivers of cars as well . Faulty lights , speeding, excess alcohol etc just crush the car..