Cyclist visibility

[firth]

Kamakasi stroboscopes.

Too much ignorance about the highway code or basic driving etiquette ie no rear observation, inadequate hand signals.

I think there is a point of self responsibility that you put yourself in  so you cant rely on everyone to accommodate your riding.

 

[tedfudge]

The original poster 

Was just trying to make a  valid and good point about cyclists riding in the dark without lights and i strongly agree as 90% of my driving is at night and I see it every night, cyclists no lights ( mainly delivery riders i had a cyclist just ride across me on the old kent road near the flyover did not look behind him to see if it was safe and no hand signal to give any warning of his intentions and cyclists going through red lights especially at main junctions ... all the things 

Lights . Helmets. Reflectors. Stopping at red lights.hand signals .. looking behind you to cross lanes or move over from any vehicles or obstacles at side of road is for the CYCLISTS safety more than anything.. 

[first mate]

2 hours ago, exdulwicher said:

I assume you mean sunset and sunrise...?

The problem is that the lighting regulations have not kept up with lighting tech, there's a variety of British Standard regulations that lights are supposed to adhere to which are so out of date that pretty much nothing actually falls within it and the police neither know nor care about the details.

Indeed, yes my mistake 🤣

Weren't the regs reviewed and updated in 2017?

So although bicycle lights are a legal requirement, it is a technicality that few really know or care about. It certainly tallies with the suggestion that more people are cycling at night without them.

[exdulwicher]

2 hours ago, first mate said:

Weren't the regs reviewed and updated in 2017?

So although bicycle lights are a legal requirement, it is a technicality that few really know or care about. It certainly tallies with the suggestion that more people are cycling at night without them.

They've been updated a few times, I'd have to look to see the latest incarnation.

It's not that "lights are a legal requirement but no-one cares". I think even the dumbest chav knows that they *should* have lights. Whether they care or not is another matter and (in true stereotypical fashion), if said chav is using said bike to go out and mug someone for their phone, the lights aren't really the issue!

It's that lights are a legal requirement (and frankly ANY light so long as it's white at the front, red at the rear would be a win) but that the actual legalities of lights in terms of what British Standard they're supposed to meet, quoted lumens or wattage or whatever is a complete minefield.

Personally, I don't know or care if my lights fulfil some British Standard from 20 years ago, I always have them on even in daylight.

[Rockets]

9 hours ago, Earl Aelfheah said:

And do you wear bright clothes and reflective materials when walking after dark, as advised by the Highway Code? Why not?

Because I am not sharing the pavement with faster moving vehicles that can do me real harm if they didn't see me and hit me. I am taking a commonsense and pragmatic approach to joining the carriageway with bigger vehicles. Your argument seems to be based on...there are no rules to say I should so I won't...unless you're applying for a Darwen Award I doubt it is a smart approach to cycling.