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What should we do about cyclists with no lights at night |
Leave them alone, they are allowed to be on the road |
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Get the Police to fine them |
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43% |
[ 14 ] |
Banish them to a gulag, they are a menace |
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56% |
[ 18 ] |
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Total Votes : 32 |
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Skippy Pocket GPS Verifier
Joined: 24/06/2003 00:22:12 Posts: 2946 Location: Escaped to the Antipodies! 36.83°S 174.75°E
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Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2007 8:44 pm Post subject: Cyclists with no lights.... |
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Arrrrrggggh.
I see so many stupid cyclists riding along with no lights, it really annoys me. But one topped the lot the other day. Wearing all black, on a black bike, no lights and wearing a black balaclava to top it all off!
On that same stretch of road I hear of one getting run over and put in intensive care. Now that's the cyclists own stupid fault, but they make a hell of a mess which has to be cleaned up. And of course they have no insurance either so getting them to pay up for damaging your vehicle is going to be an up hill battle too.
What on earth are they thinking, do they not know that people have real trouble seeing them? Are these people completely stupid?
_________________ Gone fishing! |
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GPS_fan Pocket GPS Moderator
Joined: Jan 04, 2007 Posts: 2789 Location: Hampshire, UK
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Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2007 8:51 pm Post subject: |
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I think they have a death wish - no lights, often no reflectors and usually dark clothes.
..but, like so many other things these days, it would probably be the motorist's fault if you hit one.
Has cycling proficiency and common sense on two wheels gone the same way as the Green Cross Code? _________________ Andy
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DennisN Tired Old Man
Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 14893 Location: Keynsham
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Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2007 10:36 pm Post subject: |
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I was a 'proper' cyclist in my youth. I don't know when I learned the rules but I knew :-
Lights after lighting up time.
Audible means of warning (bell, whatever, and we had tiny aluminium ones which were very lightweight for road racing).
Minimum front brake if riding fixed wheel, front and back on gears.
I have always been very unimpressed by cycle proficiency training - I think it tends to teach kids that once they signal (immediately they signal!) they can pull out. I have long advocated that the best training is bike control - teach them how to look behind without wandering off course, to signal with one arm whilst continuing to ride in a straight line and also turn corners one-handed. Teach them how to pedal the things properly. Teach them that once they've got big enough to ride a 'big' bike, they're big enough to ride on the road, not the footpath.
Sorry, bit of a hobby horse.
As for the poll, simply stay clear of any cyclist looking like the one you've seen and any others who are obviously doing it just to get to work and back, not the 'professionals', by which I mean such as club cyclists. We used to ride out on Sundays, two abreast, touching elbows, front wheel a couple of inches from preceding back wheel and do it for 120 miles either side of pub opening hours.
I hate to think how many miles I walked pushing my bike after dark when I didn't have any lights - I didn't dare ride without lights - illegal!!. _________________ Dennis
If it tastes good - it's fattening.
Two of them are obesiting!! |
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GPS_fan Pocket GPS Moderator
Joined: Jan 04, 2007 Posts: 2789 Location: Hampshire, UK
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Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2007 9:02 am Post subject: |
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DennisN wrote: | once they've got big enough to ride a 'big' bike, they're big enough to ride on the road, not the footpath. |
In daylight hours, I would agree with this, but if the blighters don't use lights, do we really want them on the road after dark?
The problem is that, because this behaviour and other dangerous road use aren't caught on speed cameras, there aren't enough 999tommos around to catch the blighters and they know they can get away with it _________________ Andy
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Darren Frequent Visitor
Joined: 11/07/2002 14:36:40 Posts: 23848 Location: Hampshire, UK
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Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2007 9:50 am Post subject: |
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GPS_fan wrote: | In daylight hours, I would agree with this, but if the blighters don't use lights, do we really want them on the road after dark? |
Well the law is clear, lights are a legal requirement after dark and riding on the pavement is an offence. _________________ Darren Griffin |
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DennisN Tired Old Man
Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 14893 Location: Keynsham
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Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2007 10:31 am Post subject: |
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Darren wrote: | GPS_fan wrote: | In daylight hours, I would agree with this, but if the blighters don't use lights, do we really want them on the road after dark? |
Well the law is clear, lights are a legal requirement after dark and riding on the pavement is an offence. | I once spent half a morning arguing these points with the man who was at the time in charge of the County Council's team on cycling matters - he set up any number of cycle routes and was happy to paint a white line down the centre of a footpath and put a bike sign on one side of it. He even set up one route through a pedestrian underpass, showing both bike and pedestrians on BOTH sides of the white line, with arrows to show them to keep to the left in each direction - deliberately having both bikes and pedestrians sharing the same "lane". He was dead set against painting a white line down the side of the road to create a cycling channel because it was too dangerous for cyclists to mix with vehicles.
Wasn't it just last week that a man was jailed for killing a pedestrian whilst cycling on the pavement?
It's coming up to Christmas and any number of children will be getting bikes and hardly any of them will have a bell - bike shops used to TELL you you needed one and if you didn't like the one included FREE with the new bike, they had a selection to choose from. Hobby horse again. _________________ Dennis
If it tastes good - it's fattening.
Two of them are obesiting!! |
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MaFt Pocket GPS Staff
Joined: Aug 31, 2005 Posts: 15156 Location: Bradford, West Yorkshire
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Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2007 11:00 am Post subject: |
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my biggest bug-bear with cyclists (and i used to be one) is those who assume that traffic lights are just for cars...
but yes, it's a shame there's no license or registration for pedal bikes as prosecuting anyone is next to impossible!
MaFt |
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Tim Buxton Pocket GPS Moderator
Joined: 14/09/2002 20:56:18 Posts: 5231 Location: Surrey, United Kingdom
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Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2007 1:59 pm Post subject: |
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Dan_Gleebitz wrote: |
What should we do about car driver's (sic) driving with fog lamps on at all times.
Dan. |
Prosecute under provisions of the RVLR 1989. Keep taking their money and eventually they will get the message. _________________ Tim |
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7andy Regular Visitor
Joined: Jul 02, 2005 Posts: 74
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Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2007 2:03 pm Post subject: |
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So, can we also have a poll about what we do about motorists who are 'cyclist blind'? I drive a car, but I cycle to work, and you can guess where I get most trouble.
Yes, I replace the batteries in my lights, which are used when light gets dull, not dark. I wear a high visibility jerkin, and I remain at my place in the queue when the lights are red. I use hand signals all the time, and have a very good technique for looking behind me.
So why do car drivers insist on running me off the road? This has happened four time in the last year, where I have had to literally jump off my bike to avoid being injured. I can't count the near misses, except to say they are at least once a week. The favourite trick is when approaching a parked car, I pull out pass it, and some (insert own expletive here!) thinks he can get by, but there's a car coming the other way, so said (insert alternative expletive, for variety) has to brake sharply, right in front of me, in a situation where I could have continued.
So, whilst there are rogue cyclists, there also rougue mototrists.
Therefore, when one lives in a glasshouse, please avoid ejecting solid missiles!!!
Cheers, 7&Y |
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MaFt Pocket GPS Staff
Joined: Aug 31, 2005 Posts: 15156 Location: Bradford, West Yorkshire
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Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2007 2:41 pm Post subject: |
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when i cycled to work i used to wear steel toe-capped trainers so any offending motorists would soon get the point when they drove too close to me ;)
i've also had far too many near misses resulting in people's wing-mirrors being removed by my elbow... surprisingly none of them stopped so they must have known they were in the wrong...
on a slightly different note i also kicked a car once when it ran over my foot... i was on the pavement at the time!!!
MaFt |
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Anita Pocket GPS Moderator
Joined: Mar 15, 2006 Posts: 3219 Location: Windlesham, Surrey
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Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2007 6:11 pm Post subject: |
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Dan_Gleebitz wrote: | Perhaps you could do another poll.
What should we do about car driver's driving with fog lamps on at all times. |
We could go on and on here!
What about motorists who don't turn their lights on until it's really dark?
Or who drive on parking lights?
Or who have only one working headlight? You see so many of these since they've reduced the number of police on the roads. _________________ Anita
TomTom VIA 135 - App 12.075
UK map 1130.12368
Samsung Galaxy S21 |
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Gee-Pee Lifetime Member
Joined: Feb 10, 2005 Posts: 1951 Location: Mostly somewhere in Essex
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Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2007 7:38 pm Post subject: |
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Anita wrote: | Dan_Gleebitz wrote: | Perhaps you could do another poll.
What should we do about car driver's driving with fog lamps on at all times. |
We could go on and on here!
Very true, but can I have my pennorth?
What about motorists who don't turn their lights on until it's really dark?
They see other drivers with theirs on, so assume they are OK
Or who drive on parking lights?
Grrrr!
Or who have only one working headlight? You see so many of these since they've reduced the number of police on the roads. |
and those who still drive straight at you with a 'phone against their ear.
But, then I never do anything wrong _________________ Gee-Pee
Lifetime member PGPSW - time rapidly decreasing |
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Skippy Pocket GPS Verifier
Joined: 24/06/2003 00:22:12 Posts: 2946 Location: Escaped to the Antipodies! 36.83°S 174.75°E
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Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 11:04 am Post subject: |
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Gee-Pee wrote: | But, then I never do anything wrong |
Me either. _________________ Gone fishing! |
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999tommo Frequent Visitor
Joined: Feb 07, 2006 Posts: 616 Location: Midlothian
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Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2007 10:44 am Post subject: |
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Cyclists without lights, going through red lights, cars with fog lamps when it isn't foggy, car drivers without lights.....it's all the same to me.......£30 fixed penalty unless there is a good excuse.
Welcome to my monthly score........ _________________ Tommo...
Regularly absent, but still here in spirit ! |
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Skippy Pocket GPS Verifier
Joined: 24/06/2003 00:22:12 Posts: 2946 Location: Escaped to the Antipodies! 36.83°S 174.75°E
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Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2007 11:31 am Post subject: |
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999tommo wrote: | Welcome to my monthly score........ |
Ahhh, that's cheered me up! Next time you nick a dumb cyclist you can think of how happy you've made me. _________________ Gone fishing! |
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