why?
do they not consider the threat from in front of them - the car coming out of the side road, the car turning right in front of them?
they've got a rear light, turned it on, but often don't even bother turning the front one on even though it's there?
I used to cycle myself and know the feeling of being persecuted by motorists, but if they don't use the front light, then it comes down to natural selection I'm afraid....
rant over.....
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It's even worse if they are batting down the pavements...
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It's even worse if they are batting down the pavements...
Too many cars parked on the pavement for cyclists to be able to do that these days ;o)
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Funnily enough I'm just about to go for a ride and yes, I have lights (boy do I have lights; it's like close encounters when they're all switched on).
Must try and sweat some pies off.....
See you (and be seen) later!
No Dosh - Backroom Moderator
mailto:moderators@honestjohn.co.uk
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Cyclists also seem to like removing all the reflectors of there bikes too.
They dont wont to be seen, then they moan when a car driver nearly hits them!
The best revenge I saw on a cyclist, A Pedestrian crossing, the lights where on red,the cars stopped & a cyclist thought he would sail through.
A bloke using the crossing timing it just right swung his bag of shopping at the cyclist, hit them & sent them crashing to the floor.
The bloke swore at the cyclist on the floor & just carried on walking
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Deviating a little, I had an episode where I nearly collided with a horse and rider. I was going up the hill to a mini island on the main street at twilight, worst time of day for visibility. Street lights had just come on. Looked left to make sure it was clear, no point looking right until you are onto the island. Realised that I was looking at the legs of a very tall brown horse, topped by a girl rider with brown and black clothing. No high visibility gear at all.
I later read that horses have to carry lights front and rear when on the road, in the same way as a cyclist. I see many horses and riders after dusk, but only once have I ever seen one with lights.
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As a daily London cyclist I'm happy to pick up the gauntlet when it's none use of cycle lanes, or even passing red lights, but riding without lights is Darwin award stuff.
On reflectors the orange ones on the pedal are essential, often the first thing motorists see and the red back one at least helps if the light goes off. But what use exactly are those in the wheel? They throw it off balance and account for all manner of creaks but I cannot see where they'd improve my conspicuity.
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"But what use exactly are those in the wheel? They throw it off balance and account for all manner of creaks but I cannot see where they'd improve my conspicuity."
The reflectors on the wheel are supposed to reflect car headlights when the cyclist is crossing the car's path e.g at a crossroads. Would be quite useful if any motorist in ten could identify the corkscrew pattern reflection as the cycle passes by. I have a couple of CD's wired to the wheels to improve visibility but I never seem to be going fast enough to notice any vibration. Probably the pie/beer factor ...
Hawkeye
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Stranger in a strange land
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Just got back from scaring the wildlife on Canford Heath in Poole. 40W of halogen front lights and a mountainbike in the drizzly rain. Bloomin' magic.
Amazingly I was given a wide birth when riding back home. Wonder if there's any connection to the fact that I was lit up like the proverbial? Perhaps these light things will catch on....
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Just got back from scaring the wildlife on Canford Heath in Poole. 40W of halogen front lights and a mountainbike in the drizzly rain...
Just out of interest, do you need a huge battery pack for those? I have a friend with a lead acid battery for his bike. It's every bit as cumbersome as you'd expect but essential for long evening rides.
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I wonder if we have the same lights - I use mine for trail riding at night. Great fun. When on the road, I occasionally get flashed by motorists, but I think it's worth it, they can definitely see me...
The battery pack for mine is lead acid, and fits in the bottle holder. I also canabalised an old laptop battery to make a spare, which is glued into an old bottle and which also fits in the holder.
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When I still occasionally take to my bike at night I like to use the LED flashing lights - they're pretty useless at lighting your way, but great for being seen - which is the main point. I understand that technically they are not legal, but when I'm driving my car - I see them much more easily than piddling little ever ready lights- so I think it's worthwhile "anticipating the law catching up"
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The lights I have are made by Cateye and use NiMH batteries; two sticks of D cells. We bumped into some kiddies on 50cc trail bikes last night and their first reaction was to turn tail and scarper as they thought we were the local Police heath patrol.
I too use LED lights for the rear - far more visible. There have been a couple of cases of cyclists getting done for non BS compliant lights but given the huge number with no lights at all (and the fact that the LED ones are significantly more visible than the BS ones) I would have my day in court and get every newspaper and cycling journal in the land in on the stupidity.
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On my commuter bike I always had three sets of lights, simultaneously. A dynamo-powered set to see by, a rechargeable set for when stationary and an LED set as a back-up to both. Workmates used to complain that the rear lights used to dazzle them, so I reckoned they would do. And I'm still here......
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Have you considered fitting front foglights as well ND? You could start a craze.....then alittle blue illuminated washer jet to keep the light clean ;@)
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Have you considered fitting front foglights as well ND? You could start a craze.....then alittle blue illuminated washer jet to keep the light clean ;@)
AAAAAaaaaaarrrrggghhhh!
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Have you considered fitting front foglights as well ND? You could start a craze.....then alittle blue illuminated washer jet to keep the light clean ;@)
ooo, they'd lewk really kewl on an Alpher ;-)
(especially if they kept on working when the German bits of the engine went AWOL ...)
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ooo, they'd lewk really kewl on an Alpher ;-) (especially if they kept on working when the German bits of the engine went AWOL ...)
Shouldn't that be AVOL?
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Shouldn't that be AVOL?
Well, I was going to say "when the German bits of the engine went off to invade Poland", but thought better of it :)
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Ah, that would be Jawohl! ::click::
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Please forewarn us forest dwellers if you venture as far as the New Forest with you mobile lighting rig, so I can remember to wear my sunglasses for night driving...possibly
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The reflectors on the wheel are supposed to reflect car headlights when the cyclist is crossing the car's path e.g at a crossroads.
I know what they're meant to do, but if the first the time the driver sees you is when his headlights pick them out then its too late.
Highly visible captured in the main beams 50metres from the stopline, but not many drivers are awake enough to remember for later that they might catch up on a bend.
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Yeah, I have Cateye lights at the front and LED ones at the back. LEDs are just so much better.
Tempted to splash out 100 quid on the new white LED front lights, twice the battery life, loads of more light, and a lot tougher.
Mind you, it's what the student loan is for... I did read in the Daily Mail that apparently some students are investing their loans in high interest accounts. Naturally Mail very upset and jealous (would burst into flames I suspect if they knew I put mine into the stock market...) Dawned on me that perhaps it's a good sign that some students are bright enough to try to make some money from their loan.
Getting off topic, so how about I use some of my loan to buy some diesel for my car? ;-)
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To answer the original question:
> why?
It's simply because when you're on a push bike, no glass around you, you can see very well. Because you can see so well, even by moonlight, you think you can be seen, too - but unfortunately that is simply not the case.
When I was a kid I used to ride with no lights. Very bad idea, now I can see it (or not!) from a car driver's point of view.
-Mark
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To answer the original question: > why? It's simply because when you're on a push bike, no glass around you, you can see very well. Because you can see so well, even by moonlight, you think you can be seen, too - but unfortunately that is simply not the case. When I was a kid I used to ride with no lights. Very bad idea, now I can see it (or not!) from a car driver's point of view. -Mark
Yes I think that's it - reminds me of the advice to fool the Bugblatter Beast of Traal - wrap a towel round your eyes - it's so stupid that it assumes if you can't see it, it can't see you. the reverse in this case.
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Actually, I'd recommend some Joo-Janta 500 Super-Chromatic Peril-Sensitive Sunglasses - when the wearer gets frightened or nervous, they simply turn completely black. Suitable for both car drivers and cyclists.
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This Wowbagger the Infinitely Prolonged will be around with your personal insults if you don't get back on topic.....
No Dosh - Backroom Moderator
mailto:moderators@honestjohn.co.uk
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ND -
"I was given a wide birth ..."
You know, there are so many possible responses to that statement that my brain went into overdrive and exploded.
--
andymc
Vroom, vroom - mmm, doughnuts ...
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ND - "I was given a wide birth ..." You know, there are so many possible responses to that statement that my brain went into overdrive and exploded. -- andymc Vroom, vroom - mmm, doughnuts ...
;o)
ND
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