Cyclists without lights

Tilt

Dave_C wrote: »

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

I agree with everything you say except that bit. The police were satisfied that the girl was not to blame which was echoed by the inquest verdict. The only slight thing she may of done wrong is not to have stopped at the scene. But I can imagine that it must of been quite a bang which must of come as a shock to anyone so maybe rational thinking did not immediately kick in. To her credit, she had already reported the incident to the police before they arrived which is not what hit and run drivers usually do.

LincolnshireYokel

Another case where a dashcam would have instantly told the truth.

Tilt

LincolnshireYokel wrote: »

Another case where a dashcam would have instantly told the truth.

Maybe if it had night vision capabilities.

LincolnshireYokel

Tilt wrote: »

Maybe if it had night vision capabilities.

they do, they have infrared that comes on when it gets dark.

Tilt

LincolnshireYokel wrote: »

they do, they have infrared that comes on when it gets dark.

Pity you can't say the same about the cyclist's lights...

rev_henry

Takeaway_Addict wrote: »

I'll hold my hands up, I have hit an animal and not reported it because I didn't realise I needed to....

I think you might have done if it had done this kind of damage to the car - it smashed the windscreen.

I also saw it a few months ago. Cannot believe what on earth possessed someone to cycle, drunk, with no lights, on a dual carriageway, at night. Tragic though.

MX5huggy

oldagetraveller wrote: »

I encountered a really "charming" cyclist a couple of winters ago. Driving along a local rural road, pitch black, a cyclist appeared in my headlights. No rear light. I slowed down and lowered my nearside window when alongside him - "I don't know if you are aware but you have no rearlight showing."
His response - "f**k off".
Say no more!

What response were you expecting? Iam sure he was perfectly aware he had no light.

interstellaflyer

To those who are wondering why the girl didn't stop. Just imagine you are a vulnerable 24 year old woman, alone on a dark unlit road, I don't think I'd of stopped until I was somewhere I considered safe, I'll bet she was terrified.

rev_henry

Also I'm fairly sure being arrested on suspicion of death by dangerous (or was it careless?) driving was enough to put the fear of God into her, although she wasn't charged...I know it would me.

interstellaflyer

rev_henry wrote: »

Also I'm fairly sure being arrested on suspicion of death by dangerous (or was it careless?) driving was enough to put the fear of God into her, although she wasn't charged...I know it would me.

I meant at the time of impact, the arrest etc was procedure, IIRC they were very sympathetic in the way they treated her.