Some cyclists have a death wish...

[MontyVeda]

Seeing as lights are dead cheap, do you carry spare ones to give to unlight riders?

haven't enough chats about lights gone down this route?

 

[MontyVeda]

i know... so lets try to steer it towards the other aspect of the OP... to commute by bike or not to commute by bike

 

[TheDoctor]

One thing that really irritates me is the number of cyclists I see with no lights...don't they know that if a cyclist is coming towards you with dark clothing and no lights then they are almost invisible to the naked eye and to the approaching bike/car. Lights can be acquired for a very small outlay....is it some macho thing? or plain stupidity...I go for the latter reason!

So, are they visible or not? Because I can't tell from this post.

 

[potsy]

Coming home tonight, two cars in quick succession were driving with just a sidelight on, yes I did say sidelight as they each only had one of them working.

Some cyclists seem to disregard the law, some car drivers do likewise.

A nobber is a nobber no matter what their mode of transport.

 

[potsy]

You have just remained me two unlit cars this evening. It was a miracle that I saw them.

Were they wearing hi-viz?

 

[TheDoctor]

How the feck does anyone avoid trees? They never have lights on them, the leafy bastards!
EDIT : Or hi-viz. Or helmets.

 

[MontyVeda]

Aside.

The OP is considering whether or not he should start regularly commuting to work by bike or not... that's an interesting thing to talk about. What are @Cp40Carl 's pros and cons i wonder? what's putting him off? The type of bike? The lack of gear? The route options? shall we try to encourage him to get on his bike? Or bang on with the same old same old?

 

[Big Nick]

I nearly pulled out on one the other day.

He was on a black road bike with all black clothing on a dull rainy day and didn't exactly stand out!

 

[TheDoctor]

Certainly, commuting by bike is a good thing. Get some decent lights - I'd suggest main and back-up, front and rear, because you can't predict when a light will keel over on you. Reflective stuff is well worth having, Choose a good route, or a few. When I commuted to Hatfield - 11 miles each way - I usually took a direct route there but a more varied route back. And get decent tyres, which often come with reflective stuff on them these days.

 

[Truth]

As a keen 'weekend cyclist' I've been plucking up the courage to start commuting to work on my bike. I keep delaying this and then feel bad every day when I see other cyclists, much older than I am, cycling to work every day (I'm in my forties) in the ice, wind and rain. Not that age has a lot to do with it (I carefully add!).

Anyway, I think I'm a bit obsessed about road safety, for good reason you might say. Well, I was driving home from work in my car this evening (sorry to say this, hope I haven't committed some terrible sin by saying this on the forum!) and I spotted a cyclist in a side road to my right without any lights or reflectors whatsoever. It very dark so the slight movement in the shadows caught my eye. Good job I'd spotted him as he then cycled out straight in front of me and took off down the pavement! I have to say, as a cyclist myself, I wanted to pursue him and give him a good talking too. Probably not wise in this day and age however...

What is it with these people?

Anyway, I think I just needed a rant. I might add that the vast majority of cyclists on my route are eminently sensible, well lit and very competent riders and I may well join their ranks soon...

Go for it mate, do what I do and mix car with bike, I try and do 3 bike to 2 car commutes a week. Just try the bike commute and see how it goes, nothing to lose

 

[jonny jeez]

As a keen 'weekend cyclist' I've been plucking up the courage to start commuting to work on my bike. I keep delaying this and then feel bad every day when I see other cyclists, much older than I am, cycling to work every day (I'm in my forties) in the ice, wind and rain. Not that age has a lot to do with it (I carefully add!).

Anyway, I think I'm a bit obsessed about road safety, for good reason you might say. Well, I was driving home from work in my car this evening (sorry to say this, hope I haven't committed some terrible sin by saying this on the forum!) and I spotted a cyclist in a side road to my right without any lights or reflectors whatsoever. It very dark so the slight movement in the shadows caught my eye. Good job I'd spotted him as he then cycled out straight in front of me and took off down the pavement! I have to say, as a cyclist myself, I wanted to pursue him and give him a good talking too. Probably not wise in this day and age however...

What is it with these people?

Anyway, I think I just needed a rant. I might add that the vast majority of cyclists on my route are eminently sensible, well lit and very competent riders and I may well join their ranks soon...

Idiots also ride bikes

 

[Arfcollins]

My ninja was better than yours. He was coming towards me at night in the outside lane of my side of a dual carriageway with dark clothing, no lights and pulling a wheely.

 

[Arfcollins]

How the feck does anyone avoid trees? They never have lights on them, the leafy bastards!
EDIT : Or hi-viz. Or helmets.

That's an easy one to deal with. I set fire to them on the way to work. They're usually still burning on the way home, so are easy to see. And by the next day they have burnt away, removing the obstruction. I always plant a conker for every tree I set fire to, so I can maintain my green credentials.

 

[Markymark]

It is tricky. I usually crash into 4 or 5 unlit parked cars when I drive at night. Costs me a fortune.

 

[runner]

Seeing as lights are dead cheap, do you carry spare ones to give to unlight riders?

no....take you own responsibility!