Cycling UK Forum

Cyril Haearn wrote:

Airsporter1st wrote:

Cyril Haearn wrote:Lights at the front but not at the back, how crazy is that then?

I guess the idea is to see others coming, not going.

I keep under the maximum speed limit and need bright lights at the back to hold off normal drivers

I don't think normal drivers give a hoot what lights you're showing, unless they are flashing blue - they'll still sit up your backside in the hope of making it to their destination 5 seconds sooner.

meic wrote:

Xilter wrote:It’s like the helmets. I’m certain some people are dead against it for no reason than having something to gas about. Lights/helmets aren’t going to kill you. Just get on with them.

A call for blind obedience in contrast to considering the facts.
The attitude of "just getting on with it" would carry some weight if it was the existing status quo reached through either experience or logic. It carries no weight when it is a call to make a new initiative which involves us passing money to the instigators of the " services" which they are pushing.

Particularly when there is no evidence.

I think you should all get on with wearing rabbits feet - but only the ones I sell obviously....

[XAP]Bob wrote:

meic wrote:

Xilter wrote:It’s like the helmets. I’m certain some people are dead against it for no reason than having something to gas about. Lights/helmets aren’t going to kill you. Just get on with them.

A call for blind obedience in contrast to considering the facts.
The attitude of "just getting on with it" would carry some weight if it was the existing status quo reached through either experience or logic. It carries no weight when it is a call to make a new initiative which involves us passing money to the instigators of the " services" which they are pushing.

Particularly when there is no evidence.

I think you should all get on with wearing rabbits feet - but only the ones I sell obviously....

No evidence?
I’m leaving before pure exasperation causes me to say something utterly uncalled for

I don't want to be distracted from dangers on the road by vehicles exhibiting their completely unnecessary 'look at me' lights when travelling in compliance with the law.

Xilter wrote:
No evidence?
I’m leaving before pure exasperation causes me to say something utterly uncalled for

Try finding it. You may be shocked by its weaknesses and holes. I know I was. Common sense misleads again!

[XAP]Bob wrote:

meic wrote:

Xilter wrote:It’s like the helmets. I’m certain some people are dead against it for no reason than having something to gas about. Lights/helmets aren’t going to kill you. Just get on with them.

A call for blind obedience in contrast to considering the facts.
The attitude of "just getting on with it" would carry some weight if it was the existing status quo reached through either experience or logic. It carries no weight when it is a call to make a new initiative which involves us passing money to the instigators of the " services" which they are pushing.

Particularly when there is no evidence.

I think you should all get on with wearing rabbits feet - but only the ones I sell obviously....

A carved wooden love-spoon from Wales should do the trick

From another thread.....

It appears that one of the most effective visibility aids is a child.

Anecdotally children happily waving at cars increases visibility by several orders of magnitude


Anyone for compulsory children?


Could be a winner in the Summer holidays with all these children lowering around without gainful employment, but knocking on the door of the headmasters office and taking your child out of school so you can ride your bike may not go down well

Plus One for children

Xilter wrote:

[XAP]Bob wrote:

meic wrote:A call for blind obedience in contrast to considering the facts.
The attitude of "just getting on with it" would carry some weight if it was the existing status quo reached through either experience or logic. It carries no weight when it is a call to make a new initiative which involves us passing money to the instigators of the " services" which they are pushing.

Particularly when there is no evidence.

I think you should all get on with wearing rabbits feet - but only the ones I sell obviously....

No evidence?
I’m leaving before pure exasperation causes me to say something utterly uncalled for

Ok - what evidence is there that in typical UK conditions (I’ll accept that north of the artic circle things may get a little murky) that having ~3W of lighting makes someone more visible in amongst a sea of ~1kW/m^2 light from the big ball?

What evidence is there that people who run lights are in any way safer than those who don’t. Heck the evidence is weak enough at night, let alone when everyone is clearly visible anyway.

[XAP]Bob wrote:

Xilter wrote:

[XAP]Bob wrote:

Particularly when there is no evidence.

I think you should all get on with wearing rabbits feet - but only the ones I sell obviously....

No evidence?
I’m leaving before pure exasperation causes me to say something utterly uncalled for

Ok - what evidence is there that in typical UK conditions (I’ll accept that north of the artic circle things may get a little murky) that having ~3W of lighting makes someone more visible in amongst a sea of ~1kW/m^2 light from the big ball?

What evidence is there that people who run lights are in any way safer than those who don’t. Heck the evidence is weak enough at night, let alone when everyone is clearly visible anyway.

The Arctic is no different in treality, the rules refer to Sunet and Sunrise, it is just that instead of requiring lights (for example) between 18|:00 and 07:00 it is between October and March

Having said that unless you really are within a few degrees of the Poles then there will be a "Twilight" period, so it is not totally dark.

From my experiences in Longyearbyen, they simply use lights as we do when it is dark

.... and the good news is that you can get bright yellow rabbits feet

Cunobelin wrote:

[XAP]Bob wrote:

Xilter wrote:
No evidence?
I’m leaving before pure exasperation causes me to say something utterly uncalled for

Ok - what evidence is there that in typical UK conditions (I’ll accept that north of the artic circle things may get a little murky) that having ~3W of lighting makes someone more visible in amongst a sea of ~1kW/m^2 light from the big ball?

What evidence is there that people who run lights are in any way safer than those who don’t. Heck the evidence is weak enough at night, let alone when everyone is clearly visible anyway.

The Arctic is no different in treality, the rules refer to Sunet and Sunrise, it is just that instead of requiring lights (for example) between 18|:00 and 07:00 it is between October and March


Having said that unless you really are within a few degrees of the Poles then there will be a "Twilight" period, so it is not totally dark.

From my experiences in Longyearbyen, they simply use lights as we do when it is dark

I could imagine that the extended duration of dusk could easily end up with people being lax about lights, because they are sort of used to the gloom.
But you are of course correct - fundamentally there isn't a difference between the artic and any other region of the planet in terms of daylight visibility.

Cunobelin wrote:.... and the good news is that you can get bright yellow rabbits feet

I said it was only the ones I sold...

Cunobelin wrote:From another thread.....

It appears that one of the most effective visibility aids is a child.

Anecdotally children happily waving at cars increases visibility by several orders of magnitude


Anyone for compulsory children?


......

Here is an opportunity for a certain kind of modern entrepreneur of the revived Victorian ilk to make loadsamoney! The swarming children of the undeserving poor may be given the choice of either the modern Workhouse (a "job" in MacFud palaces") or the opportunity for travel and fun strapped to the handlebar or seatpost of a MAMIL, who will go about boasting about how he is providing "an opportunity" for the bairns albeit they are fed only the remnant of a gel packet or some of the Haribo sweetie things the MAMIL got for nowt with his latest Dura-Ace bit.

Cugel Squeers, thinking of starting a motorist-attraction hand-waving school.

I run a dynamo system which comes on when the light fades. Yesterday was very overcast and wet in NW England and the lights were on much of the day.