[XAP]Bob wrote:costs you nothing if dynamo, does cost (financially and directly) in rechargeable world.
More significant cost is external - it’s marking cycling as a ‘specialist kit’ world of activity, not the jump on and ride to the shops activity that would benefit so many.
I agree that lights aren’t going to make you *less* visible (assuming they aren’t dazzling) but that’s a race which absolutely isn’t necessary, and has other effects on society as a whole...
Tinkering at the edges of what *looks* like a safety intervention is almost never a good thing - because it distracts from conversations about things that could actually help...
People are visible during the day - I find it really bizarre that people are suggesting that they are not.
No one is suggesting that peds and cyclists are invisible.
But that something that aids the vehicle driver to see them is probably a help. In my now much stated view.
A vehicle driver has an enormous amount of visual information to process rapidly, especially at certain road configurations.
Then there is the low light, dappled shade road environment, where I have satisfied myself, that wearing something bright helps.
And a simple brightish light may well be of benefit too. IMHO.
As to cost, well a few pence extra worth of electric charge, for a light used in darkness anyway, isn't a game changer.
I use no specialist cycle clothing except clip-less shoes.
A pair of new cheap Aldi gloves with a bit of hi-viz and reflection replaced some older black with plain green worn out ones.
Seemed a reasonable idea to make my signals a bit clearer? Comment?
It's personal choice though.
No one is suggesting any statutory intervention.
Society has a lot of complex, hard to solve, problems.
Whether cyclists use or don't use lights or hi-viz seems pretty low down on the scale of importance to me.
And as a slightly off topic point about pedestrians at night.
There are a great many unfootwayed roads in this part of the world.
To walk along them at night, not facing the traffic and not wearing something bright/reflective and/or carry a torch amounts to putting oneself in very grave danger.
People know this and apart from the odd drunk don't do it.
There have been a great many fatalities and injuries caused just so.