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Cyclists still not getting the message
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Tonight I was travelling on a rural 50 mph single carriageway road which had no street lighting. All of a sudden I noticed a white 'glow' about 50 yards in front. I suddenly realised that it was a cyclist travelling the same direction as me but although it was the 'beam' from his front light I could see, he had no rear light at all.
Now I regard myself as an observant driver (i hold an AIM and PCV). But what would of happened if an elderly driver had come across this cyclist while doing 50 mph? why would someone ride a bike along a un-lit rural 50mph road at night without a rear light?
How do you know his rear light battery hadn't failed?
I can't think of any other reason why a cyclist would have only a front light. The rear is the first and most important......
My MTB bike has no lights or reflectors, but it never goes on the road.
My commuter bike has a rear LED light, a rear reflector, reflective red tape down the seat post, on the back of the seat, on the chain seat stays, on the rear of the front forks and a patch of this tape on one half of the rear hub (creates a flashing effect).
It has a front light, front reflector, wheel reflectors, white reflective tape on the front of the forks, on the head tube and the bar ends.
It has patches of yellow reflective tape on the side of the head tube, the side of the top tube and the pedal cranks.
Finally I have reflective cycling gear and a head torch attached to my helmet.
The above seems to annoy drivers because I don't fit their stereotype of the moronic cyclist. A stereotype largely fabricated by wanting to find a reason to demonise cyclists.
Pointless contribution. I'm in a car travelling along a rural country road, as if i'm going to stop, get out and attempt to stop a moron on a bike! That's a job for the police.
I once stopped to tell a guy out running, that on the unlit rural road he was running on, NOBOBY could see him until right on top of him.
He was polite and grateful, he has not realised he was invisible.......
It wasn't my "job", but my duty as a British citizen, too look out for my fellow man.“I may not agree with you, but I will defend to the death your right to make an a** of yourself.”
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Strider590 wrote: »How do you know his rear light battery hadn't failed?
I can't think of any other reason why a cyclist would have only a front light. The rear is the first and most important......
I don't but surely that is no defense. If the rear lights on my car 'failed', I would not be exempt from prosecution.Strider590 wrote: »My MTB bike has no lights or reflectors, but it never goes on the road.
My commuter bike has a rear LED light, a rear reflector, reflective red tape down the seat post, on the back of the seat, on the chain seat stays, on the rear of the front forks and a patch of this tape on one half of the rear hub (creates a flashing effect).
It has a front light, front reflector, wheel reflectors, white reflective tape on the front of the forks, on the head tube and the bar ends.
Finally it has patches of yellow reflective tape on the side of the head tube, the side of the top tube and the pedal cranks.
Well done you. Other cyclists should take note.Strider590 wrote: »The above seems to annoy drivers because I don't fit their stereotype of the moronic cyclist. A stereotype largely fabricated by wanting to find a reason to demonise cyclists.
Odd thing to say. My personal opinion is that there are too many cycling around at night without lights and it seems the only occasion that the issue is taken seriously is when there is an accident. I note that it is a particular problem with youngsters. In my area you don't have to travel far before you hit unlit roads and there is one main road in particular (the one in question) that you often see idiots riding bikes in the dark without lights where the speed limit is 50mph. I believe in the saying "prevention is better than cure". I don't think i'm demonising cyclists by criticising the ones who are obviously very complacent to the extent that they think they don't need lights.Strider590 wrote: »I once stopped to tell a guy out running, that on the unlit rural road he was running on, NOBOBY could see him until right on top of him.
He was polite and grateful, he has not realised he was invisible.......
It wasn't my "job", but my duty as a British citizen, too look out for my fellow man.
Really... on an un-lit road? Sure he hadn't 'escaped' from somewhere? :rotfl:PLEASE NOTEMy advice should be used as guidance only. You should always obtain face to face professional advice before taking any action.0 -
I don't but surely that is no defense. If the rear lights on my car 'failed', I would not be exempt from prosecution.
Exactly, but many drivers will drive about with failed lights for a whole year if the bulb fails the day they leave the MOT test centre.Odd thing to say. My personal opinion is that there are too many cycling around at night without lights and it seems the only occasion that the issue is taken seriously is when there is an accident. I note that it is a particular problem with youngsters. In my area you don't have to travel far before you hit unlit roads and there is one main road in particular (the one in question) that you often see idiots riding bikes in the dark without lights where the speed limit is 50mph. I believe in the saying "prevention is better than cure". I don't think i'm demonising cyclists by criticising the ones who are obviously very complacent to the extent that they think they don't need lights.
More drivers go around without lights on in adverse conditions or darkness, the reason you notice cyclists is that if an offending cyclist is 5 minutes in front of you, you WILL pass them at some point. BUT if an offending car driver is 2 minutes in front of you, the chances are you'll never see them.
To get a fair comparison you'd have to sit in a layby and watch traffic for half an hour or so. Simply watching cars coming the other way doesn't work because a cyclist interrupts your journey, oncoming cars do not.Really... on an un-lit road? Sure he hadn't 'escaped' from somewhere? :rotfl:
He was wearing shorts, trainers and a tshirt, he was clearly a "just taken up running" kind of guy.
Many of the offending cyclists you see are also those who've recently taken to cycling. A lot of people think "hey i'll cycle to work and save some money", they're not interested in the cycling aspect at all and have the wrong mentality (usually because when a car driver first gets on a bike, they feel and behave more like pedestrians).“I may not agree with you, but I will defend to the death your right to make an a** of yourself.”
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one thing i always find strange.
why is it drivers seem to notice all these "Invisible" cyclists without lights, but never seem to notice the ones that have lights.
one would think it might actually be better for a cyclist not to have lights as it clearly makes them stand out more to drivers0 -
one thing i always find strange.
why is it drivers seem to notice all these "Invisible" cyclists without lights, but never seem to notice the ones that have lights.
one would think it might actually be better for a cyclist not to have lights as it clearly makes them stand out more to drivers
Are you being serious? My car happens to be fitted with headlights which sometimes picks these things out. Problem is that you tend only to see an unlit cyclist when you get close to him. On a 50mph road, that can be a tiny bit risky for the cyclist. BUT strangely enough, if the cyclist has a decent (working) rear light, you tend to notice them from a far greater distance thus making you aware earlier of their presence.PLEASE NOTEMy advice should be used as guidance only. You should always obtain face to face professional advice before taking any action.0 -
50 MPH is the maximum.
If you are surprised by objects lit by your headlights, slow down.
At least a cyclist stays to the left, a half tonne deer will bolt straight across and they dont have any lights on as well.Be happy...;)0 -
Are you being serious? My car happens to be fitted with headlights which sometimes picks these things out. Problem is that you tend only to see an unlit cyclist when you get close to him. On a 50mph road, that can be a tiny bit risky for the cyclist. BUT strangely enough, if the cyclist has a decent (working) rear light, you tend to notice them from a far greater distance thus making you aware earlier of their presence.
still didnt stop a taxi driver taking me out on an urban road
So it brings us back to your point
you have posted in the motoring section about one cyclist asking why a cyclist did that0 -
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one thing i always find strange.
why is it drivers seem to notice all these "Invisible" cyclists without lights, but never seem to notice the ones that have lights.
one would think it might actually be better for a cyclist not to have lights as it clearly makes them stand out more to driversAre you being serious? My car happens to be fitted with headlights which sometimes picks these things out. Problem is that you tend only to see an unlit cyclist when you get close to him. On a 50mph road, that can be a tiny bit risky for the cyclist. BUT strangely enough, if the cyclist has a decent (working) rear light, you tend to notice them from a far greater distance thus making you aware earlier of their presence.
Being seen is not the same as being remembered, drivers remember the cyclist they nearly hit because he had no lights, they don't remember the well lit cyclist they passed 30 seconds earlier.
In the same way they remember the one that jumped a red light, because it annoyed them.“I may not agree with you, but I will defend to the death your right to make an a** of yourself.”
<><><><><><><><><<><><><><><><><><><><><><> Don't forget to like and subscribe \/ \/ \/0 -
Do you stop every mile to check your back lights?
No because I have a warning light system on my dash that tells me if I have a light out. Also on an unlit road, I can see the 'glow' from my tail lights.I have never been prosecuted for a rear light being out
I have been pulled and made aware
Good for you.PLEASE NOTEMy advice should be used as guidance only. You should always obtain face to face professional advice before taking any action.0
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