what's the point of bike reflectors?

[glasgowcyclist]

. But with the Highway code why does it state you should have a red rear reflector if they don't work well?

They are a failsafe for when your lights fail. All motor vehicles need them too, not just bicycles at night.

What do you mean by don't work well?

 

[Drago]

Reflecting upon the meaningfulness of reflectors. Deep man, deep.

 

[tyred]

I do think there is a point to having reflectors on a bike. They are a potentially useful failsafe and as mentioned car lights hit them they do add something different. Unfortunately I see so many bikes which have badly fitted reflectors which are pointing in all directions and may be of benefit to help the pilot of a low-flying 747 to see you but aren't much use to other road vehicles.

 

[Ajax Bay]

See if you can spot the difference between these two photos.

The second photo is taken with the lens slightly higher. It was a still night.

 

[Nigeyy]

I definitely think of them as something extra and most certainly as a backup for if your rear light fails or drops off. Chances are you will never know if this happens until you get home.

I think reflectors get a bad rap; I recall reading a MTB magazine saying you look stupid with them. Well at least you can be pretty cool after a vehicle has hit you. Pays your money, takes your choice. I always have them don't care if they look a bit nerdly.

They are a failsafe for when your lights fail. All motor vehicles need them too, not just bicycles at night.

What do you mean by don't work well?

 

[winjim]

In the second one you’ve eaten the fig roll you had secreted in the right hand pocket of your saddlebag?

Good god no. Hateful things.

The second photo is taken with the lens slightly higher. It was a still night.

It was a clear black night, a clear white moon.

 

[Profpointy]

I do think there is a point to having reflectors on a bike. They are a potentially useful failsafe and as mentioned car lights hit them they do add something different. Unfortunately I see so many bikes which have badly fitted reflectors which are pointing in all directions and may be of benefit to help the pilot of a low-flying 747 to see you but aren't much use to other road vehicles.

You've misunderstood how reflectors work. The reflecty bits have 90 degree internal facets (aka corner reflectors) so light from any direction is reflected back where it came from. Same principle for a radar reflector on a boat, or even the reflector on the moon lander to reflect radar (or was it a a laser) back to earth

 

[Randombiker9]

They are a failsafe for when your lights fail. All motor vehicles need them too, not just bicycles at night.

But don’t motor vehicles have reflectors in case there brake lights fail? Bicycles don’t have brake lights. Also not many people lights would fail if they carry spare batteries or USB cord

 

[Tim Hall]

But don’t motor vehicles have reflectors in case there brake lights fail?

No.

 

[Randombiker9]

No.

I don’t drive so why then?

 

[snorri]

Also not many people lights would fail if they carry spare batteries or USB cord

I haven't carried spare batteries for many years, not since getting a dynamo from Santa, and wouldn't know what to do with a USB cord on a bicycle, but I check the presence and positioning of my reflectors regularly.

 

[Ajax Bay]

But don’t motor vehicles have reflectors in case there brake lights fail?

I don’t drive so why then?

I suspect that the most useful function of reflectors on motor vehicles is when they are stationary at night on the road, without their lights operating. Parked vehicles in the dark will thus be more visible to road users than if they did not have reflectors fitted.
Since cycles are rarely 'parked' on the road this is not a function required of a cycle reflector. The usefulness of reflectors on bicycles has been well covered above.
Please could you (OP) suggest/explain how a "USB cord" carried by a rider would prevent a light failing (I'm judging you are too young to yet have fitted a hub dynamo with a USB socket).

 

[MontyVeda]

My bike doesn't have any reflectors fitted... but my pannier does have a big reflective patch, and my ankle strap is also reflective. Without those, i'd certainly be fitting reflectors to my pedals at very least. They certainly show up on unlit country lanes, from a good distance too.

 

[Low Gear Guy]

I always thought that car reflectors were there to stop you driving or cycling into parked cars at night.

 

[Drago]

Which is great, except many folk park unlawfully facing into the traffic flow.