Should you have lights on during the day?

Commuting, Day rides, Audax, Incidents, etc.
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[XAP]Bob
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Re: Should you have lights on during the day?

Post by [XAP]Bob »

geocycle wrote: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.


Different conditions to the theme of the OP
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Cunobelin
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Re: Should you have lights on during the day?

Post by Cunobelin »

[XAP]Bob wrote:
geocycle wrote: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.


Different conditions to the theme of the OP


Basically the way I work.... You are always observing the local environment and responding. If the lights are making things more visible due to reduced visibility, rain, overcast cloud etc, then my lights go on

However during daylight, I just strap a couple of kids to the bike.
geocycle
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Re: Should you have lights on during the day?

Post by geocycle »

[XAP]Bob wrote:
geocycle wrote: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.


Different conditions to the theme of the OP


Yes you are right Bob. The problem with all these things is that someone will mention compulsion or the lawyers will use it for wiggle(sic) room when all most of us do is watch the local situation and make decisions accordingly.
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Re: Should you have lights on during the day?

Post by Bmblbzzz »

Xilter wrote:
Cyril Haearn wrote:Which country is that?


Canada

I didn't know Canada did that. I would have guessed one of the Scandinavian countries or possibly Eastern Europe.
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Cunobelin
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Re: Should you have lights on during the day?

Post by Cunobelin »

Colleague of mine used to catch the Hayling Ferry. They were a keen cyclist and had lights, but usually by the time they got off the ferry it was light enough.

One morning there was a Police Constable stopping cyclists for no lights.

My colleague was stopped......... They pointed out that it was now outside lighting up time and a bright spring morning, so she did not need them.

Constable insisted and issued ticket. She decided to challenge.

When it was heard the Constable recognised her argument about lighting up time, but he felt that as the weather on the morning constituted seriously reduced visibility that my colleague was in fact guilty.

Of course it then became an argument where my colleague was stating it was a bright spring morning and the constable citing seriously reduced visibility. Unfortunately the Constable's word was taken and the fine upheld
Cyril Haearn
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Re: Should you have lights on during the day?

Post by Cyril Haearn »

Hope he booked some motons later for using lights in bright sunshine
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[XAP]Bob
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Re: Should you have lights on during the day?

Post by [XAP]Bob »

Cunobelin wrote:Colleague of mine used to catch the Hayling Ferry. They were a keen cyclist and had lights, but usually by the time they got off the ferry it was light enough.

One morning there was a Police Constable stopping cyclists for no lights.

My colleague was stopped......... They pointed out that it was now outside lighting up time and a bright spring morning, so she did not need them.

Constable insisted and issued ticket. She decided to challenge.

When it was heard the Constable recognised her argument about lighting up time, but he felt that as the weather on the morning constituted seriously reduced visibility that my colleague was in fact guilty.

Of course it then became an argument where my colleague was stating it was a bright spring morning and the constable citing seriously reduced visibility. Unfortunately the Constable's word was taken and the fine upheld


Which would be fine if the regulations required cyclists to carry lights in case of fog/reduced visibility - which I don't think they do. They require cars to light the lights they have, but since cyclists aren't IIRC required to carry lights outside of lighting up time they cannot be required to have them lit...
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
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gaz
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Re: Should you have lights on during the day?

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Xilter
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Re: Should you have lights on during the day?

Post by Xilter »

Changed my mind... doesn’t matter any. Of it. I had my obnoxiously bright high vis helmet on my bright yellow hi vis jersey with reflective strips on in. My flashing red light on the back. ******* still hit me with his van today. Doesn’t matter how visible you are people just see red when approaching a cyclist and if pushing past means hitting them on the way by so be it.

I was still thankful to be wearing my helmet. Fair enough I don’t believe the head impact would have been fatal. But it’s one less area of my body not covered in road rash
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Cyril Haearn
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Re: Should you have lights on during the day?

Post by Cyril Haearn »

Xilter wrote:Changed my mind... doesn’t matter any. Of it. I had my obnoxiously bright high vis helmet on my bright yellow hi vis jersey with reflective strips on in. My flashing red light on the back. Ass hole still hit me with his van today. Doesn’t matter how visible you are people just see red when approaching a cyclist and if pushing past means hitting them on the way by so be it.

I was still thankful to be wearing my helmet. Fair enough I don’t believe the head impact would have been fatal. But it’s one less area of my body not covered in road rash

You could add black-and-white checks to your hi-vis vest to try to look like a policeperson
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Xilter
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Re: Should you have lights on during the day?

Post by Xilter »

He ruined my jersey :( I only got it 3days ago
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mjr
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Re: Should you have lights on during the day?

Post by mjr »

Xilter wrote:Changed my mind... doesn’t matter any. Of it. I had my obnoxiously bright high vis helmet on my bright yellow hi vis jersey with reflective strips on in. My flashing red light on the back. Ass hole still hit me with his van today. Doesn’t matter how visible you are people just see red when approaching a cyclist and if pushing past means hitting them on the way by so be it.

How's the bike? ;-)

But sorry to read that, even if I agree with it. It ain't that we're invisible. It's that they're careless or incompetent and it only takes one in the wrong place at the wrong time. :-(
I was still thankful to be wearing my helmet. Fair enough I don’t believe the head impact would have been fatal. But it’s one less area of my body not covered in road rash

Cycling caps and bobble hats can also save road rash.
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Xilter
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Re: Should you have lights on during the day?

Post by Xilter »

Fortunately for him it wasn’t my new road bike. ( that I can’t afford to buy yet ) It was my £90 charity shop MTB It’s a bit scratched the hand grip is torn and the brake cable is bent. But I’m more upset about my shirt
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[XAP]Bob
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Re: Should you have lights on during the day?

Post by [XAP]Bob »

Xilter wrote:Changed my mind... doesn’t matter any. Of it. I had my obnoxiously bright high vis helmet on my bright yellow hi vis jersey with reflective strips on in. My flashing red light on the back. ******* still hit me with his van today. Doesn’t matter how visible you are people just see red when approaching a cyclist and if pushing past means hitting them on the way by so be it.

I was still thankful to be wearing my helmet. Fair enough I don’t believe the head impact would have been fatal. But it’s one less area of my body not covered in road rash


Pretty sure you don’t mean that it’s one less area *not* covered in RR ;)

Glad you’re still typing!

This is one of the points - if someone is not looking, they won’t see you, if they are looking they will - assuming no active camouflage.
Of course if they see you and just don’t care then it doesn’t matter either way.
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
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