Cyclists without lights
Discussion
Winter is on its way and my morning commute into the city of London is now all in the dark. On a daily basis I will encounter 3 or 4 (today was a new high with 11!) “invisible “ cyclists ie. Dark clothing, no hi-viz, no lights.
Now I’m sure all you cyclists on here are very safety conscious law abiding road users so please if you encounter one such specimen could you have a quiet word about their lack of visibility- I’m sure it will go down a lot better than me screaming obscenities out of my side window.
Also if you were to see the e-scooter rider who had no hi-viz , no lights , dark clothing with hood pulled up and ear pods in (I could see his head bobbing to the music ) who suddenly decided he needed to be on the opposite side of the road about a foot in front of my front bumper because he was totally oblivious to all his surroundings, please punch him square in the face for me
Many thanks
Now I’m sure all you cyclists on here are very safety conscious law abiding road users so please if you encounter one such specimen could you have a quiet word about their lack of visibility- I’m sure it will go down a lot better than me screaming obscenities out of my side window.
Also if you were to see the e-scooter rider who had no hi-viz , no lights , dark clothing with hood pulled up and ear pods in (I could see his head bobbing to the music ) who suddenly decided he needed to be on the opposite side of the road about a foot in front of my front bumper because he was totally oblivious to all his surroundings, please punch him square in the face for me
Many thanks
Rockettvr said:
.
Now I’m sure all you cyclists on here are very safety conscious law abiding road users so please if you encounter one such specimen could you have a quiet word about their lack of visibility- I’m sure it will go down a lot better than me screaming obscenities out of my side window.
It wouldn't I can assure youNow I’m sure all you cyclists on here are very safety conscious law abiding road users so please if you encounter one such specimen could you have a quiet word about their lack of visibility- I’m sure it will go down a lot better than me screaming obscenities out of my side window.
Agreed though, I'm lit up day or night and I think it's saved me a few times
Saw (only just) a similar number of cars and vans with no lights on at 7:30 this morning in the monsoon rains in kent on the M2..
But yea cycling in the dark on the road is horrible. I avoid it at all costs despite having a decent light setup, hiviz etc. Many drivers are useless at observation at the best of times. Don't know what goes through the minds of people that ride bikes in the dark in black clothes with no lights etc. Presumably nothing, which is the issue. Zero sense of self preservation.
Cycling in the dark off road, however, is great fun
See all kinds of nature and the trails take on a completely different feel when you're in your own little bubble of light.
But yea cycling in the dark on the road is horrible. I avoid it at all costs despite having a decent light setup, hiviz etc. Many drivers are useless at observation at the best of times. Don't know what goes through the minds of people that ride bikes in the dark in black clothes with no lights etc. Presumably nothing, which is the issue. Zero sense of self preservation.
Cycling in the dark off road, however, is great fun
See all kinds of nature and the trails take on a completely different feel when you're in your own little bubble of light.Edited by lufbramatt on Thursday 20th October 10:44
lufbramatt said:
Saw (only just) a similar number of cars and vans with no lights on at 7:30 this morning in the monsoon rains in kent on the M2..
But yea cycling in the dark on the road is horrible. I avoid it at all costs despite having a decent light setup, hiviz etc. Many drivers are useless at observation at the best of times. Don't know what goes through the minds of people that ride bikes in the dark in black clothes with no lights etc. Presumably nothing, which is the issue. Zero sense of self preservation.
Cycling in the dark off road, however, is great fun See all kinds of nature and the trails take on a completely different feel when you're in your own little bubble of light.
I disagree about cycling on the road in the dark, at least on my rural commute. I am lit up like a Christmas tree, and have reflective and high viz clothing, so let's get that out of the way. I find drivers are much more likely to wait behind me and pick a safe place to pass in the dark. Perhaps they are less sure about visibility and the edges of the road, but whatever the reason I wish it would translate into daylight driving. And yes, I do wave in thanks at every driver that waits behind and passes safely.But yea cycling in the dark on the road is horrible. I avoid it at all costs despite having a decent light setup, hiviz etc. Many drivers are useless at observation at the best of times. Don't know what goes through the minds of people that ride bikes in the dark in black clothes with no lights etc. Presumably nothing, which is the issue. Zero sense of self preservation.
Cycling in the dark off road, however, is great fun
See all kinds of nature and the trails take on a completely different feel when you're in your own little bubble of light.Edited by lufbramatt on Thursday 20th October 10:44
Daveyraveygravey said:
lufbramatt said:
Saw (only just) a similar number of cars and vans with no lights on at 7:30 this morning in the monsoon rains in kent on the M2..
But yea cycling in the dark on the road is horrible. I avoid it at all costs despite having a decent light setup, hiviz etc. Many drivers are useless at observation at the best of times. Don't know what goes through the minds of people that ride bikes in the dark in black clothes with no lights etc. Presumably nothing, which is the issue. Zero sense of self preservation.
Cycling in the dark off road, however, is great fun See all kinds of nature and the trails take on a completely different feel when you're in your own little bubble of light.
I disagree about cycling on the road in the dark, at least on my rural commute. I am lit up like a Christmas tree, and have reflective and high viz clothing, so let's get that out of the way. I find drivers are much more likely to wait behind me and pick a safe place to pass in the dark. Perhaps they are less sure about visibility and the edges of the road, but whatever the reason I wish it would translate into daylight driving. And yes, I do wave in thanks at every driver that waits behind and passes safely.But yea cycling in the dark on the road is horrible. I avoid it at all costs despite having a decent light setup, hiviz etc. Many drivers are useless at observation at the best of times. Don't know what goes through the minds of people that ride bikes in the dark in black clothes with no lights etc. Presumably nothing, which is the issue. Zero sense of self preservation.
Cycling in the dark off road, however, is great fun
See all kinds of nature and the trails take on a completely different feel when you're in your own little bubble of light.Edited by lufbramatt on Thursday 20th October 10:44
Whereas nice smooth roads, wee small hours when there's barely anybody around, and decent lights? Lovely.
Commuting times aren't so quiet, though.
Just this morning had a cyclist in opposite direction with no front light (they did have rear) as I was turning right. A little darker and it would have been easy to miss them in the dazzle of the cars following behind. No excuse as it's a very deliberate act to cycle that road so early in the morning.
Squadrone Rosso said:
Cars with DLRs & non automatic lights are also dangerous. Loads around her in the dark without proper lights.
Automatic lights? A major problem with them is, I think, in shared cars where one driver switches them to "off", then the other driver gets in without giving it any thought and ends up driving in the dark with no lights on, because the dash is always lit up whatever happens so there's no prompt to switch them on - particularly where there is street lighting and people don't realise their lights are not on. I think that's why there seem to be so many more unlit cars in the dark now that most have auto lights then there were before.Rockettvr said:
Winter is on its way and my morning commute into the city of London is now all in the dark. On a daily basis I will encounter 3 or 4 (today was a new high with 11!) “invisible “ cyclists ie. Dark clothing, no hi-viz, no lights.
Now I’m sure all you cyclists on here are very safety conscious law abiding road users so please if you encounter one such specimen could you have a quiet word about their lack of visibility- I’m sure it will go down a lot better than me screaming obscenities out of my side window.
Also if you were to see the e-scooter rider who had no hi-viz , no lights , dark clothing with hood pulled up and ear pods in (I could see his head bobbing to the music ) who suddenly decided he needed to be on the opposite side of the road about a foot in front of my front bumper because he was totally oblivious to all his surroundings, please punch him square in the face for me
Many thanks
I think this is the equivalent of asking car drivers to reprimand other car drivers for speeding etc. Just not going to happen.Now I’m sure all you cyclists on here are very safety conscious law abiding road users so please if you encounter one such specimen could you have a quiet word about their lack of visibility- I’m sure it will go down a lot better than me screaming obscenities out of my side window.
Also if you were to see the e-scooter rider who had no hi-viz , no lights , dark clothing with hood pulled up and ear pods in (I could see his head bobbing to the music ) who suddenly decided he needed to be on the opposite side of the road about a foot in front of my front bumper because he was totally oblivious to all his surroundings, please punch him square in the face for me
Many thanks
20:30... Cyclist dawdled across me from the left, just as I was about to EXIT the roundabout onto a dual carriageway. It was my headlights bouncing of his wheels that alerted me. (Luckily I was going slowly).
There’s no road or real exit point there, just a large leisure park complex behind.
But as I’m on the RB, I would have priority anyway.
NO LIGHTS
DARK CLOTHING.
... & A PAIR OF CHILDS LEGS DANGLING OVER THE HANDLEBARS.
I had to look in my rear view mirror to double check what I had just witnessed... utter madness.
( Wonder if the ‘adult’ had one shandy too many).
There’s no road or real exit point there, just a large leisure park complex behind.
But as I’m on the RB, I would have priority anyway.
NO LIGHTS
DARK CLOTHING.
... & A PAIR OF CHILDS LEGS DANGLING OVER THE HANDLEBARS.
I had to look in my rear view mirror to double check what I had just witnessed... utter madness.
( Wonder if the ‘adult’ had one shandy too many).
Edited by Milkyway on Thursday 20th October 14:05
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