Do I need lights?

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
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andrew_s
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Re: Do I need lights?

Post by andrew_s »

Pedestrians are advised to walk on the right so that they have a chance to dive into the hedge if it looks like the car driver hasn't seen them.
There are various situations where walking on the left is more advisable, such as not showing lights or reflectors of the wrong colour, or not walking round the inside of a tight bend.
thirdcrank
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Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 2:44pm

Re: Do I need lights?

Post by thirdcrank »

As I mentioned in the rest of that post, I think they were writing regulations to cater for dynamo users: it's an exception for when a rider is stationary or not moving fast enough to generate any light. I don't think it was intended for pedestrians who happened to be wheeling a bike or standing around with one. What does seem odd in 2017 is the idea that anybody ever wrote regulations governing lights on pedal cycles.

The HC has been mentioned in connection with hi-viz etc., and it's true that if there is a crash, it's taken into account. Here's a recent example

That report states that the rationale for not seeking charging advice included that:
1.       Mr Mason was wearing dark clothing, the collision having taken place during the hours of darkness;
2.       Mr Mason was not wearing a cycle helmet, the cause of death being head injury;


http://www.cyclinguk.org/blog/duncandol ... on-verdict

A first-time poster on a controversial topic who hasn't been back ....?
jgurney
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Re: Do I need lights?

Post by jgurney »

andrew_s wrote:Pedestrians are advised to walk on the right so that they have a chance to dive into the hedge if it looks like the car driver hasn't seen them.


The rule goes back to before cars were invented.
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mjr
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Re: Do I need lights?

Post by mjr »

andrew_s wrote:There are various situations where walking on the left is more advisable, such as not showing lights or reflectors of the wrong colour, or not walking round the inside of a tight bend.

And yet, when cycling, we have to use lights at night even when riding contraflow on a cycle track to the right of the carriageway, effectively "showing lights or reflectors of the wrong colour" to oncoming carriageway traffic nearest us and a misleadingly-placed tail light to same-direction carriageway traffic. I have sometimes switched my lights off on such tracks in daytime fog, in an attempt to avoid misleading substandard motorists.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
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jgurney
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Re: Do I need lights?

Post by jgurney »

mjr wrote: when cycling, we have to use lights at night even when riding contraflow on a cycle track to the right of the carriageway, effectively "showing lights or reflectors of the wrong colour" to oncoming carriageway traffic


That is not unique to cycling - exactly the same applies to a motor vehicle on a two-way service road alongside a main carriageway, or in any similar situation where in effect two carriageways run in parallel and close to each other.
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mjr
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Re: Do I need lights?

Post by mjr »

jgurney wrote:That is not unique to cycling - exactly the same applies to a motor vehicle on a two-way service road alongside a main carriageway, or in any similar situation where in effect two carriageways run in parallel and close to each other.

And in many of those situations, barriers or light baffles have been erected, such as west of M4 J5. It must be more common for it to happen with two-way cycle tracks than two-way carriageways, and with less distance between traffic heading in the same direction.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
All the above is CC-By-SA and no other implied copyright license to Cycle magazine.
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