Cyclists without lights

Tilt

Dunno if anyone saw it last night but on BBC 1 there was a programme called Traffic Cops (i think that is what it was called) which featured an incident in which a cyclist was killed on the A10 while riding without lights. Basically he was a 37 year old guy riding along an unlit dual carriageway stretch of the A10 when he was hit by a mini driven by a 24 year old woman. It happend on a viaduct where the road curved to the left and there was no hard shoulder. The police concluded that as the road was curving to the left at that point, the mini's head lights would of been pointing to the centre of the road thus not picking out anything on the extreme nearside.

The woman thought she had hit an animal and stopped on the next slip road to check the damage to her car. When she got home, she reported the incident to the police but had no idea that she had actually hit and killed a cyclist.

She was subsequently arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving but was eventually not charged with any offence as clearly the accident was not her fault. The cyclist was also found to have been twice over the legal drink drive limit.

I just hope the thousands of cyclists who choose not to have lights on their bikes were watching this last night and go and spend about £20 to get some fitted.

Surely anyone's life is worth a light?

Dave_C_2

Right from the start I agree whole heartedly about the cyclists not having lights. It's also not a good idea to cycle on such a busy road whilst legally drunk.

But at the end of the day (for the cyclist) the woman in the mini did hit the cyclist on the road.
The beam pattern on properly adjusted headlights should still pick up the near side of the road, (which is why headlight converters are required for European driving) so she should have seen reflected light from the mandatory rear facing reflector and pedal reflectors.

Isn't failing to stop and report an offence?

All-in all the driver got off lightly!

To repeat what I said at the start, get some lights on your bike!

Dave

Tilt

Dave_C wrote: »

Right from the start I agree whole heartedly about the cyclists not having lights. It's also not a good idea to cycle on such a busy road whilst legally drunk.

But at the end of the day (for the cyclist) the woman in the mini did hit the cyclist on the road.
The beam pattern on properly adjusted headlights should still pick up the near side of the road, (which is why headlight converters are required for European driving) so she should have seen reflected light from the mandatory rear facing reflector and pedal reflectors.

Isn't failing to stop and report an offence?

All-in all the driver got off lightly!

To repeat what I said at the start, get some lights on your bike!

Dave

There were none apparently and he was wearing dark clothing. In my opinion the driver 'got off' fairly.

As for failing to stop... I think the offence is committed if you do not report an accident within 24 hours. In this case the driver rang the police within half an hour of it happening and she believed she had hit an animal.

The police accident investigators concluded that the curvature of the road, the absence of street lighting, the cyclist being intoxicated and most importantly the lack of reflectors/lights on the bike was sufficient to exonerate the driver from blame. The inquest verdict was 'accidental death' so the coroner obviously agreed.

Johnmcl7

I'm a bit wary cycling on dual carriageways anyway as the other vehicles are going so much faster but to be cycling at night with no lights on a dual carriageway just seems suicidal to me, no excuse for it at all. When I'm in the car I find it so much easier to see bikes with decent lights and reflective gear so when I started cycling again last year I bought the same for myself. However it surprises me how many people I see regularly cycling at night on the road and at times busy sections with no lights and no reflective gear at all, it's extremely stupid.

John

snozberry

In response to previous comments, I really don't see how she 'got of lightly' as she has to live every day of her life knowing that she killed someone. He failed to ensure that he wore bright/reflective clothing, he failed to install working lights and he failed to cycle within the legal limits. Cycling in those conditions on a busy dual carriageway is ridiculous.

It was also proven that her headlights on the bend couldn't have highlighted him and there is no way that a drunken man can cycle in a safe and sensible way. Heck, drunken people can't even walk in a safe and sensible way.

This was a tragic accident that could so easily been avoided.

bosseyed

I saw this when it was on a few months back - initially I was of the opinion that it was a hit and run, but as the facts trickled in I have to say I sided entirely with the driver at the end. Awful thing to happen really, but ultimately just a tragic accident.

No way to go though is it, smashed into oblivion in an instant by a passing car, your corpse left to lie in the road in the dark. I always have lights on my bike, and the reflectors. Its just common sense really.

snozberry wrote:

I really don't see how she 'got of lightly' as she has to live every day of her life knowing that she killed someone

Hmm, maybe I'm just a flinty hearted robot, but I would be fairly comforted by the thought that ultimately I had done nothing wrong, the cyclist was entirely at fault and no action I could have taken would have changed the outcome.

Idiophreak

It's an interesting case. I wonder if it matters that he was on a bike. If he was just walking along the side of the road, would she still have been blameless?

Raksha

IIRC the main injuries to the cyclist were on his left side. If he'd been cycling (or walking) the right way down the carriageway, surely they'd have been on his right?

Here in Milton Keynes a man was killed last year because he was walking on a dual carriageway where the lights had been turned off for cost saving. He was over the limit. Only a couple of weeks ago, I narrowly missed hitting a pedestrian who was also walking on an unlight dual carriageway. There but for the grace of God......

Takeaway_Addict

How many people actually report to the police they have hit an animal.....seems a bit of a paniced excuse to me that...

snozberry

Takeaway_Addict wrote: »

How many people actually report to the police they have hit an animal.....seems a bit of a paniced excuse to me that...

Nah, not at all. You need to remember that there are people out there who do follow rules and regulations.

PasturesNew

Tilt wrote: »

...cyclists who choose not to have lights on their bikes ...

I can't go out after dark because the stupid bike I stupidly bought ..... is hard to find a stupid light that fits ....

The light was intended to be mounted under the seat, on the seat post. Stupid idea at the best of times as anybody with a jacket/coat on would obscure it.

Bought my bike from Halfords and they only offered me a post-seat light, which I pointed out wouldn't work because they'd had to remove part of the post fitment to get the seat low enough for me to be able to reach the ground on tip-toe. They couldn't offer me a proper light that fitted anywhere else....

So I can't take my bike out after dark until I find a light that can be fitted, find somewhere to buy it/have it fitted... and get round to it.