Stupid EU bike rules --- DAY GLO MAN

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Tue 8 Nov 2011 22:55
Stupid EU bike rules --- DAY GLO MAN - conman

Hello I refer to the new legislation being drawn up in that good old euroland reference riders visability.

I ride my bike with the compulsory headlight, on but if Euroland has its way I will become Mr Hi Vis man, with all my reflective clothing. If a car or lorry driver cannot see me with my lights on then they should not have a licence and surely by now the plea of 'I didn't see him or her' should be the first indication to the law that the driver needs re educating with a driving test , which would include a compulsory eye test.

My other coment would be if Hi Vis clothing reduces accidents why is it not compulsory for car drivers to wear them too.

And my final comment 'cyclists' these road users seem to be in another world for Euroland no regulations, no hi vis, no riding test, and as these dark nights approach no lights. Seems funny when statistically you are more likely to be killed or injured on a pushbike than on a motorbike.

Just their practice of lending billions of euros to countries who cannot afford to pay it back prooves these idiots that run Euroland havent an ounce, or is that a gram of common sence between them.

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Mon 21 Nov 2011 21:56
Stupid EU bike rules --- DAY GLO MAN - focussed

I live in France and the latest moronic twist to the HiVis controversy is that due the volume of protest from the FFMC (which translates roughly as the French Angry Bikers Federation) the government has postponed/dropped/forgotten/changed it's mind again about HiVis waistcoat in favour of a HiVis armband so that "bikers can be seen after they have fallen off"

Most bikers over here think that the real reason for dropping the compulsory HiVis waiscoat idea was that the motorcycle cops would have had to wear them-they like to ride around and pose in hot summer weather in a short sleeve shirt!

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Wed 30 Nov 2011 09:56
Stupid EU bike rules --- DAY GLO MAN - Cris_on_the_gas

Its not just Euroland the highway code reccomends that motorcyclists wear Hi Viz clothing and with the current litgation if you are involved in a crash where the other driver did not see you. If you were not wearing hi viz then you can bet their defence lawyer will argue that you could have done more to make your self visible and get the damages reduced.

Regarding your point about other drivers not being able to see you with your lights on. How do drivers not see ambulances/police/fire on blues and sirens. They are painted dayglo yellow/green/blue/red battenberg, make a racket and have flashing lights strobing the enviroment. If they don't see those then you've got no chance on a motorbike, headlight/Hi Viz or not.

Hi vis for Cars now seems to be have some bright LED fairy lights on the front so other drivers can not see those either.

Been biking for many years now and have not worn hi viz for many of them and am also an Observer for the IAM. However now I feel obliged to wear it as I feel hypocritical if I advise my associates to wear it but do not my self, and yes loads of other drivers do not see me whatever I'm wearing.

Agree would be sad if we were forced to look like DAY GLO PERSON. ( just being PC garb)

Safe and happy riding

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Tue 13 Dec 2011 17:56
Stupid EU bike rules --- DAY GLO MAN - Bedhead

One thing I noticed from my days as a courier, you can have any amount of Hi-viz stuff on and other drivers will still not see you, because they simply do not look, I lost count of the amount of times I have had a driver pull out in front of me whilst looking in an entirely different direction, since motorcycles have been compelled since 2003 to have headlights on at all times from the factory, I find it hard that any insurance company could use that as a defence against paying out.

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Wed 28 Dec 2011 12:57
Stupid EU bike rules --- DAY GLO MAN - RaineMan

I think the problem is that Hi Viz clothing has gone OTT these days. You see it on building sites where there may be some advantage for crane drivers in conditions of poor visability - the same applies for rail track workers. In the main though it is no substitute for others not observing what is going on. Sometimes it seems half the people wear hi viz these days - shop fitters in well lit shops, people delivering packages, etc. When I took my nephew to a city farm some animals were paniced by a group of small children in hi viz jackets. I pointed this out to the teachers accomanying them and they just cited health and safety. When I further queried what exactly the health and safety issue was they could not answered and got annoyed. Hi Viz is appropriate in some situations but no substitute for NOT THINKING BIKE!

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