why no lights?

[reohn2]

.............What is it with youngsters, do they really think they are invincible ???

Yep,they do,and for the most part they are.
You could buy and fit him some decent lights,he's no excuse then.Thats all you can do.The rest is upto him.

[squeaker]

... the renault garage I use told me that the Modus (i think) needs the front bumper removed to replace the headlights???!!!

Yep: I was delivering some leaflets a while back and saw this chap working on his Modus, with what looked like the lower front end of the car on the ground. "That looks serious" I said, by way of conversation. "Just changing a light bulb" he said. An interesting discussion on the front end design of modern motor vehicles followed

[AlanD]

.............What is it with youngsters, do they really think they are invincible ???

Yep,they do,and for the most part they are.
You could buy and fit him some decent lights,he's no excuse then.Thats all you can do.The rest is upto him.

He has got lights reohn2, think I bought them for him.
He also has a mechanical apprenticeship and last year I bought him all the tools he needs to service his own bike. So why does it look like it had been thrown in the back of the garage and abandoned there???? The only thing that motivates him is his PS3. I also paid loads of sheckels to buy him the IAM Skill For Life after he passed his driving test. He never touched it because he could'nt be bothered and now he is riding his bike to work because he wrote his car off crashing it into the back of a BMW So as you can imagine, I am not impressed.
There comes a point where you just cannot spoon feed them any more, either they will do it for themselves, or they won't.

Sorry for hijacking this thread, spleen well vented. (We need an emicon here showing steam coming out of the ears)

[stewartpratt]

E= =3

[John H]

As a cyclist and motorist I have no time for idiots who ride in dark clothing with no lights but I also really wish people wouldn't ride with just a flashing front light. As a car driver it's very difficult to see how far away a bike is or how fast it's approaching with only a flashing light. It's even worse when it's a super bright one as it just becomes an annoying distraction. A flasher as a second light might be OK, but if anyone thinks they're making themselves safer with just a flashing front light, think again..... !

[De Sisti]

.... but I also really wish people wouldn't ride with just a flashing front light. As a car driver it's very difficult to see how far away a bike is or how fast it's approaching with only a flashing light. It's even worse when it's a super bright one as it just becomes an annoying distraction. A flasher as a second light might be OK, but if anyone thinks they're making themselves safer with just a flashing front light, think again..... !

How accurate does the distance judging have to be? It shouldn't be difficult.

* Flashing light ahead, must be a cyclist.
* Probably doing less than 30 mph, at my speed I'll be approaching cyclist very soon.
* Slow down, give them room and {FFE - family-friendly edit } don't knock them off their bike.

Easy innit.

If a super bright light is annoying you, slow down, wait until it's out of sight, or go a different way.
:

Oh, and after the usual response to the above, don't forget this

[mark a.]

As a cyclist and motorist I have no time for idiots who ride in dark clothing with no lights but I also really wish people wouldn't ride with just a flashing front light. As a car driver it's very difficult to see how far away a bike is or how fast it's approaching with only a flashing light. It's even worse when it's a super bright one as it just becomes an annoying distraction. A flasher as a second light might be OK, but if anyone thinks they're making themselves safer with just a flashing front light, think again..... !

This is true, in my experience. My front light is normally constant and I have a road-specific one to stop it glaring other people. Flashing super-bright lights are definitely noticeable but can be annoying. I currently run a flashing rear light since I reckon being noticed outweighs any potential difficulty in gauging distance, but I am currently figuring out to how to fit a second rear light on my bike so one can run as a solid light.

[irc]

As a cyclist and motorist I have no time for idiots who ride in dark clothing with no lights but I also really wish people wouldn't ride with just a flashing front light. As a car driver it's very difficult to see how far away a bike is or how fast it's approaching with only a flashing light. It's even worse when it's a super bright one as it just becomes an annoying distraction. A flasher as a second light might be OK, but if anyone thinks they're making themselves safer with just a flashing front light, think again..... !

I'd have to disagree. Especially in urban riding. There are numerous light sources competing with a cyclist's front light. A white flashing light ahead says immediately "cyclist". IMO judgement of distance is secondary to being seen sooner rather than later.

To me the most annoying lights in traffic are the brake lights of drivers who sit in a queue of traffic at night with their foot on the brake rather than applying the handbrake.

[thirdcrank]

... To me the most annoying lights in traffic are the brake lights of drivers who sit in a queue of traffic at night with their foot on the brake rather than applying the handbrake.

+1
Even worse if the brake pedal is pumped in frustration and / or the indicator is left flashing, during a prolonged wait at lights or similar.

[AlanD]

As a cyclist and motorist I have no time for idiots who ride in dark clothing with no lights but I also really wish people wouldn't ride with just a flashing front light. As a car driver it's very difficult to see how far away a bike is or how fast it's approaching with only a flashing light. It's even worse when it's a super bright one as it just becomes an annoying distraction. A flasher as a second light might be OK, but if anyone thinks they're making themselves safer with just a flashing front light, think again..... !

This is true, in my experience. My front light is normally constant and I have a road-specific one to stop it glaring other people. Flashing super-bright lights are definitely noticeable but can be annoying. I currently run a flashing rear light since I reckon being noticed outweighs any potential difficulty in gauging distance, but I am currently figuring out to how to fit a second rear light on my bike so one can run as a solid light.

Mark,
You could try my solution, a small Cateye light with its own clip, hooked to the back of the collar.

Aforementioned offspring turned up the following evening, having left something at my place. I asked, "Did you fit your lights on?" "I forgot" was the reply. Well I spoke on the phone today to the man that filled my shoes, he assures me that he does have lights and he has been spoken to. But on the subject of hi-Viz, he does not want to wear it because it is , "not cool". So I have just purchased one of those rucksack covers and will be dropping it round this evening. Still pondering the threat of, "If you don't use it, I'm never buying you any more presents."

[reohn2]

.....................So I have just purchased one of those rucksack covers and will be dropping it round this evening. Still pondering the threat of, "If you don't use it, I'm never buying you any more presents."

You'll just either turn your son into a liar,or alienate him,you'll ask him has he been wearing his r/sack cover to which he'll reply either "yes" in which case he'll be lying(you know he will) or "no" in which your relationship is going down the pan.He'll have the Hump and so will you!

PS when you were his age did you do everything your parents told you to do,be honest.

[mark a.]

I popped into town this afternoon on my hack bike and it was dark by the time I left for home.

I had lights with me, but not my fancier lights that I have on my main bike. Not perfect, but fine.

I also had my reflective ankle bands, which I reckon are great.

However, I realised I was wearing normal clothes which today are grey trousers and black fleece. Not hi-viz in any way. And I thought: that's fine. Yes I had some reflectors and lights, but I almost resented the fact that I might be deemed "wrong" for not wearing my normal hi-viz jacket.

When the CTC and others are trying to encourage cycling I can understand why people would fight against the idea of having to wear "unfashionable" clothing just to hop on a bike into town.

[jan19]

I simply couldn't believe the one I saw (or more accurately almost didn't see!) on my way home...

I was on the cycle lane, with traffic busy but moving easily beside me. Suddenly, on the pavement to my left I was overtaken by a young black man (in his 20s I think). No lights, black clothing - only thing not black were his trainers! A little way ahead he decided to use the cycle lane, then decided better of it and hopped back onto the pavement. To my surprise he waited for me to catch up before remarking "dangerous, isn't it?". I just about had time to say "yes, it is" before he was off again (on the pavement). I didn't get a chance to say "you could do with some lights!"

The traffic would have had no chance of seeing him - neither would any poor unfortunate pedestrian and he certainly couldn't see them. I just hope seeing me with five lights, a florescent yellow jacket, and reflective ankle bands might have given him food for thought.

Jan

[gilesjuk]

Was waiting to turn left at the traffic lights and some ninja cyclists turned into the road. No lights, cheap mountain bikes and black clothes. They shouted to me "turn your lights off". Bear in mind this was about 5.45pm.

People like that seem to have a problem with laws and authority. You just can't help them. We need to rethink how we think about some young people, they don't give a toss. Just like the 16yr old burglar who was told to write the victim an apology letter but wrote that the victim was stupid and deserved it.

[tykeboy2003]

People like that seem to have a problem with laws and authority. You just can't help them.

Maybe its Darwinism at work? Motorists being used to remove useless mutations in the gene-pool?