Banning Night Riding

[Corzhens]

There were several incidents lately involving night riders particularly in areas where there are no bike lanes. One councilor has suggested an ordinance to ban cycling at night to avoid mishaps. You know, only few riders have the night light so you can expect an accident because most riders cannot be clearly seen by vehicle drivers. An anti to the proponent said that more lights should be installed on the road for the protection of cyclists. But that would too expensive so banning night riding is more practical.

 

[Keyan]

I think I would agree with the suggestion to put some lights on the road for safety. Why would the people have to suffer or be prohibited from doing what they prefer to do just because there is no budget. This is not just a spur of the moment project that someone randomly thought of there is a big return on the people who will be benefiting from it

 

[Zhen25]

I don't think they should ban night cycling, what if that is their only means of transportation. They make a law that no cycling at night with a light is allowed. This would help to prevent accidents and allow night cycling. And what do the mean by, it's too expensive to put up road lights? I thought that is why people pay taxes.

 

[pwarbi]

I think anytime the word banned is used it can cause more problems than it solves. While road safety us obviously the priority, I think other ways need to be looked at instead of just saying cycling is against the law between set times.

Here in the UK with the winter setting in now it's getting dark at 4pm and not coming light till 8am at the earliest, so if that was implemented over here, that would rule out everybody cycling to work and back for a start.

 

[Corzhens]

I don't think they should ban night cycling, what if that is their only means of transportation. They make a law that no cycling at night with a light is allowed. This would help to prevent accidents and allow night cycling. And what do the mean by, it's too expensive to put up road lights? I thought that is why people pay taxes.

I have to agree to you on that - what if the bike is their only means of transportation. I know some people who use the bike day and night, most of them the newspaper delivery guys. Some of them say that they never take the public transportation because they have their bikes and they can save money. However, I also know that some of them have figured in accidents particularly when biking at night. And the usual story is that the place is dar. So I guess putting in more light on the road makes sense.

 

[bykster]

I think we have a law here which prohibits night riding without a reflecting vest (the vest that glows in dark when lights are on it, my English is messy here), but I don't ever wear it. I don't go night riding as much as I used to though and I have to agree that this is a pretty decent solution. Proper lights on the roads should also be a concern.

 

[pwarbi]

Riding without the adequate safety gear, is probably against the law in most countries I would imagine, but the problem is how well those laws are enforced.

Making sure you have the right equipment to ride at night though shouldn't need a law, surely that's just basic common sense?

 

[Corzhens]

Riding without the adequate safety gear, is probably against the law in most countries I would imagine, but the problem is how well those laws are enforced.

Making sure you have the right equipment to ride at night though shouldn't need a law, surely that's just basic common sense?

You are right on that. However, I don't know if there is a law or even ordinance on riders without protective vest at night particularly for bikers. Particularly lights, I have not seen racer bikes with headlights although most of the cyclists I see (those wearing cycling shorts and jersey) are using led lights on their back or backpack to at least provide ample warning to vehicles behind. But again, I don't think there is a law enforcing the use of such warning devices.

 

[pwarbi]

You are right on that. However, I don't know if there is a law or even ordinance on riders without protective vest at night particularly for bikers. Particularly lights, I have not seen racer bikes with headlights although most of the cyclists I see (those wearing cycling shorts and jersey) are using led lights on their back or backpack to at least provide ample warning to vehicles behind. But again, I don't think there is a law enforcing the use of such warning devices.

Here in the UK it's illegal to ride on the road at night without lights, and you will get an on the spot fine if you get caught.

While not all bikes come with lights, there are a number of aftermarket kits that you will be expected to buy and fit if you do intend to cycle at night.

 

[kuroba]

I think they should enforce cyclists wearing lights, instead of making responsible cyclist pay for the ninjas, a case where the innocent pay for the sins of the guilty. Where I live it's illegal to ride without lights at nights and while police doesn't reinforce this law that much I give the ninja cyclists a side or rolling eyes and a "LIGHTS?!", if I'm really annoyed.

Really, you can have a pair of blinkies for less that $10, so I really don't get the "I can't afford lights" argument. A few weeks ago there was a campaign done by my local urban cycling group that aimed to give lights to cyclists who didn't have any. They asked for economic cooperation from members, I refused because I'm not one to reward irresponsibility.

 

[sunshiney]

I think enforcing headlights and/or reflective gear is fair, but prohibiting people from cycling at night seems a little overboard, especially in places where a lot of people rely on bikes as their sole transportation.

It's seems especially backwards that they're trying to force people to stay off the road, rather than putting money towards keeping those people safe while commuting

 

[Froze]

Ban, I just love that word. As soon as something goes wrong let's ban the activity. Funny they haven't banned alcohol yet people buy it and drive while drinking and kill people, but something like riding a bike a night that caused a minor problem...let's ban that.

 

[oportosanto]

Banning night riding seems somewhat absurd... It would make more sense to make mandatory to use night lights and reflectors, that would solve the problem.

 

[9lines]

Riding at night should not be banned since that is the only way one can avoid heavy traffic. Riders have to obey road rules to avoid accidents. We must always wear reflective jackets so that we can be visible to other road users. We must also ride bikes which have head lights.

 

[Froze]

we should ban automobiles too since they kill more people than any other form of transportation, cars even kill more people than guns do, so ban cars and keep the guns.

 

[Susimi]

I don't agree with the idea of banning night cycling at all. Why not just implement a law requiring all cyclists to have working lights on their bikes if they plan to go for a ride during night time hours. Would that not be a more appeasing solution?

 

[Froze]

I don't agree with the idea of banning night cycling at all. Why not just implement a law requiring all cyclists to have working lights on their bikes if they plan to go for a ride during night time hours. Would that not be a more appeasing solution?

Sure would, except the police departments would never enforce it, they don't enforce the law now that requires reflectors in all states, and some states do require lighting and they don't enforce any of it.

 

[Susimi]

Sure would, except the police departments would never enforce it, they don't enforce the law now that requires reflectors in all states, and some states do require lighting and they don't enforce any of it.

Of course it's bound to not be enforced that well but the law will also maybe add some sort of safety net to a motorist who happens to accidently run into one of them while riding without lights.

With lights going for so cheap these days I cannot for the life of me work out why people continue to go around without lights? It's crazy.

 

[Jcycle]

Banning night riding is just silly. Passing and enforcing rules that require lights, reflectors, and appropriate clothing is better than an outright ban.

 

[moneyman]

Banning night riding would not be the solution for this problem. It is only lack of common sense to not act safely in the traffic and use at least one lightning equipment.