Now It Can Be Told

dkahn400 said:

Isn't he also one the world's leading experts on bicycle lighting? What
a clever fellow he must be.

Following the links revealed this gem:

Quoted message said:

What’s bad about DRLs?
1. You lose critical traffic signaling methods. Flashing your
headlights is
a) the accepted signal to a trucker that it is safe to change lanes

But not a part of law in Britain (In fact using your headlights as a
signal _will_ result in a failed test!) or AFAIK the USA.

Quoted message said:

b) a signal to alert drivers that have forgotten to turn on their
headlights

Would alert drivers not already have noticed? Does it work as a signal
to non-alert drivers?

Quoted message said:

c) a signal at a 4-way stop or in a parking lot to let the other
driver go first

See a)

Quoted message said:

d) a signal to other vehicles that you are traveling with that you
need to stop.

Indicators? Are they not fitted?

Quoted message said:

2.You can't turn off your lights when
a) they are glaring into another vehicle

While driving? Surely not an issue unless you routinely turn your lights
on-and-off while driving at night.

Quoted message said:

b) they are shining into a house at the end of a cul-de-sac or tee
intersection

See a.

Quoted message said:

c) they are shining at a pedestrian.

See a. How is this different from the previous examples? I guess his
point wouldn't have looked as good with only 2a

Quoted message said:

d) You are sitting with the engine running on the side of the road, in
someone's driveway, etc.

Turn the engine off?

Quoted message said:

e) you want to be able to see outside your side windows.

How is this prevented by having headlights on!

-----

The above (obviously not including my comments) was from his page on Why
DRLs are the work of the devil... or similar. Judging from his other
page's he considers himself to be the leading expert on any subject
which he is aware of. I've met some of them in real life. The temptation
to slap them is almost irresistible.

I've forwarded cyclehelmets.org to a friend who was trying to convince
me to wear a helmet. I don't know if she'll ever read enough to
understand why I choose not to, but she does at least seem to accept
that the reality is not as she thought.

Jon

dkahn400 said:

Isn't he also one the world's leading experts on bicycle lighting? What
a clever fellow he must be.

Also:

The Earth's Leading Authority on Conveying Coffee by Bicycle--Since 1996

I'm in awe!

Jon

| "Just zis Guy, you know?" <[email hidden]> wrote:
|
| You want to know who's behind http://www.cyclehelmets.org? Now it can
| be revealed.
|
| An updated site is now online with an "about us" page
| (http://www.cyclehelmets.org/mf.html#1121).

Um, it broke, I wasn't fiddling with it, sorry sir. If you edit the url
to take off the #1121, thinking it will show you the top-of-page, as I
am wont, it goes into a loop...

Apart from that, many thanks from me for all of your efforts. It's a
shame such an obvious conclusion takes such a lot of effort to nail
down.

--
Patrick Herring, http://www.anweald.co.uk/ph

On Mon, 25 Apr 2005 22:28:25 +0100, Patrick Herring <[email hidden]>

wrote in message : said:

Um, it broke, I wasn't fiddling with it, sorry sir. If you edit the url
to take off the #1121, thinking it will show you the top-of-page, as I
am wont, it goes into a loop...

Tee-hee :-)

I've let John know.

Guy
--
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

"To every complex problem there is a solution which is
simple, neat and wrong" - HL Mencken

Just for the record, DRLs are the work of the devil, and have a
negative effect on saftey for all road users. Unfortunately, just like
h*lm*ts, its obvious they must be a Good Thing. Read the literature.

--
Peter Headland

Peter Headland said:

Just for the record, DRLs are the work of the devil, and have a
negative effect on saftey for all road users. Unfortunately, just like
h*lm*ts, its obvious they must be a Good Thing. Read the literature.

Presumably not for the reasons cited above however.

Guy: While heading back home today I was pondering over the unstoppable
Mr Scharf and thought that on your rebuttal page you could sign off as:

Guy Chapman: The world's leading expert on Scharf.

Jon

Quoted message said:

Presumably not for the reasons cited above however.

No indeed. The problem is that people withpout DRLs (er, that'd be us
then) are viewed even less as proper vehicles and are further "tuned
out" of drivers' mental maps. This leads to more pedestrian & cyclist
injuries/deaths in places where DRLs are mandatory.

As with plastic hats, there is no evidence of reductions in accidents
involving cars when DRLs are imposed, but very similar rhetoric is
being employed to try and bring in laws requiring them.

--
Peter Headland