Cyclists without lights

Tilt

Tilt wrote: »

I said nothing of the kind. However, clearly a driver would not expect to come across some suicidal idiot walking along a dual carriageway that carries the national speed limit in the dark would they? So I would think the driver would probably have a defence depending on the circumstances.

Read it again Idiophreak,... I think you will find I did.

Naf

!!!!!! wrote: »

Simplest way to remember it is that if it is big enough to write your car off / do serious damage or a dog (would you notice if you hit a peke?) then report it.

Handy to remember.
All I meant, though, was that if it wasn't for this thread, would I ever have found this out through normal, everyday means?

Tilt

Naf wrote: »

Handy to remember.
All I meant, though, was that if it wasn't for this thread, would I ever have found this out through normal, everyday means?

At least one person has found it useful!

Takeaway_Addict

!!!!!! wrote: »

Simplest way to remember it is that if it is big enough to write your car off / do serious damage or a dog (would you notice if you hit a peke?) then report it.

whats a peke?

HeadAboveWater

pekingese I imagine they're referring to...

Takeaway_Addict

The animal I hit left no damage because it went under my car for those asking about damage

Tilt

Takeaway_Addict wrote: »

The animal I hit left no damage because it went under my car for those asking about damage

Maybe but if it was the size of a person on a bike (like a deer or something) then it's going to cause damage if your doing 60+.

andy8442

PasturesNew wrote: »

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.

You're having a laugh. Can't find any lights that fit? I go out on my bike lit up like Blackpool's golden mile.Day or night.

Ebay is full of bike lights that will fit any thing anywhere, and dirt cheap as well. As a cyclist and driver I hate to see cyclists without lights at night. There is absolutely no excuse anymore to ride without lights. Whether on my bike or in my car I always have lights on. Don't give the idiots of this world the excuse they "didn't see you".

harz99

PasturesNew wrote: »

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.

PasturesNew wrote: »

Where I was living at the time, that was the local bike shop... allbeit 20 miles away.

Bike's in pieces now.... not ridden it for a few years and need to put the wheel back on.

andy8442 wrote: »

You're having a laugh. Can't find any lights that fit? I go out on my bike lit up like Blackpool's golden mile.Day or night.

Ebay is full of bike lights that will fit any thing anywhere, and dirt cheap as well. As a cyclist and driver I hate to see cyclists without lights at night. There is absolutely no excuse anymore to ride without lights. Whether on my bike or in my car I always have lights on. Don't give the idiots of this world the excuse they "didn't see you".

Andy; it's irrelevant anyway, when you see the second post the bike isn't going anywhere.:rotfl:

Dave_C_2

I've just watched the relevant bit of the program on iPlayer (sad I know) and a few things struck me.

• No reflectors at all on the bike. It looked to be an old bike with clip/strap pedals. Possibly pre-dating the reflector requirements. The best things you can buy for a bike are pedal and spoke reflectors, as a driver I think they are very effective and will get you seen.
• The bike tyres had Schwalbe type reflective tyre walls, but these are useless from behind.
• As has already been said, no lights. On that road it turned out to be suicidal. Lights are cheap and as I driver I like bikes that are well lit. Supplementing bike-mounted lights, helmet or rucksack lights can be seen from quite a way back.
• A large part of the mini windscreen was damaged, about 1/4 to 1/3 of the width. I think that most of us would have stopped there and then, never mind the next roundabout.
• The girl was lucky not to be prosecuted. Had she not reported the incident it would have been a different story as the police were treating it as a hit and run.

Dave