pedal reflectors



"Paul Boyd" <usenet.dont.work@plusnet> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> I don't think anyone can deny how effective they can be, but they are just
> so impractical long term! They are mounted on the pedals (obviously) so
> are prone to being kicked, knocked, dropping out and that's even before
> you mention off-road bikes, where a set of pedal reflectors lasted
> precisely one circuit of the MBR trail. Possibly less because I don't
> know when I finally lost the last one!
>
> Others have mentioned the impossibility or difficulty on getting them to
> fit the sort of pedals we like. I compromise by making sure that when I
> buy cycling shoes they have one of those Scotchlite reflective patches in
> the heel. That'll have to do, and if by some freak chance I end up in
> court over it, at least I'm showing willing to comply with the law :)
> I'm not losing sleep over it though...


Every bike I've had with pedal reflectors, without fail the pedal reflectors
have dropped off/broken. They have had the life expectancy of a mayfly. So I
compromise. I have reflective anklebands and where I've been able too, I've
put reflective tape on the pedal. I also wear acres of reflectives and have
the bike lit up like a Christmas tree. I even have front & back lights on my
lid!
 
In article <[email protected]>, Danny
Colyer
[email protected] says...
> On 20/07/2007 17:33, Rob Morley wrote:
> > Ian Smith uk says...
> >>Rob Morley wrote:
> >>> There's nothing to prevent the fitting of reflectors that stick out
> >>> beyond the pedals so they can be seen from behind.
> >>
> >>Other than teh fact they'd also need to stick out past my seat, my
> >>thighs and the panniers on the rack. They'd need to sick out about
> >>300mm, I think.

> >
> > Perhaps I should have said "so that they face in the legally required
> > direction" rather than commenting on their visibility,

>
> Simply facing in the legally required direction wouldn't be good enough,
> because the lighting regs state that the reflectors must be positioned:
> "Such that the reflector on the ... trailing edge of each pedal is
> plainly visible to the rear"[1].
>
> > but I do think
> > you're exaggerating.

>
> Having taken a ruler to my bike, I reckon they'd need to stick out about
> 200mm. Ian rides a trike, so would probably need his reflectors to
> stick out further from the ends of the pedals.
>
> Anyway, reflectors sticking out from the ends of the pedals wouldn't
> actually be on the leading and trailing edges of the pedals, so still
> wouldn't comply with the requirement for the pedals to be positioned:
> "On the leading edge and the trailing edge of each pedal"[1].
>
> [1]<http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1989/Uksi_19891796_en_25.htm#nsch20>
>
>

I should have checked the wording myself. I suspect that something
complying with the spirit rather than the letter of the law would
suffice in most cases, but you never know when you're dealing with
insurance company weasels. I have a solution, but it involves fitting
an additional set of pedals at the rear of the cycle. :)
 
Simon Brooke wrote:
> in message <[email protected]>, CJ
> ('[email protected]') wrote:
>
>> This has been the law since 1987. It isn't changing. It was a problem
>> then already for some cyclists to comply and has only gotten worse
>> since. The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations have been revised twice
>> since then. Both times CTC has argued for the front pedal reflector
>> requirement (no proven benefit) to be deleted and for either an extra
>> rear lamp or reflector, ankle bands etc. to be considered as an
>> alternative for the rear requirement. Trouble is that all the rest of
>> the British cycling scene is either in denial over this, or doesn't
>> care, or just waiting for little old CTC to sort it out for them, so
>> we or rather I am a lone voice.

>
> [snip]
>
>> If you guys want to be legal you've got to get your heads out of the
>> sand and start making a fuss!

>
> OK, hang on.
>
> Pedal reflectors are only required when riding on the public road after
> lighting up time. During the day, it is legal to ride without them; and
> off road, it is always legal to ride without them. Most bikes used
> for 'liesure' cycling are never out on the public road after lighting up
> time, and that includes all serious mountain bikes and the vast majority
> of serious race bikes. So it's perfectly legal and appropriate for these
> bikes to be fitted with reflectorless pedals.
>
> And on the road at night, pedal reflectors are exceedingly effective, so
> the legal requirement to have them isn't stupid. For those (relatively
> few) riders who ride seriously at night and require reflector pedals,
> there are clipless pedals to which reflectors can be attached, as I've
> documented. So that isn't a problem either.
>
> The problem is for bikes such as recumbents, where, because of the
> architecture of the bike, the pedals cannot, as the law requires, be seen
> from behind. And I think the law ought to be changed /for/ /recumbents/,
> since it's foolish to ban a whole category of bikes from being used at
> night.

how far behind, and when?
 
On 21/07/2007 11:37, Rob Morley wrote:
> I should have checked the wording myself. I suspect that something
> complying with the spirit rather than the letter of the law would
> suffice in most cases, but you never know when you're dealing with
> insurance company weasels. I have a solution, but it involves fitting
> an additional set of pedals at the rear of the cycle. :)


Unfortunately the regs require "Two reflectors on each pedal" that
comply with the position regulations that I mentioned earlier. Adding
extra pedals wouldn't help.

I guess that also makes tandems illegal at night, as the reflectors on
the trailing edges of the front pedals will never be visible from the
rear and those on the leading edges of the rear pedals will never be
visible from the front.

--
Danny Colyer <URL:http://www.colyer.plus.com/danny/>
Reply address is valid, but that on my website is checked more often
"Daddy, put that down. Daddy, put that down. Daddy, put that down.
Daddy, why did you put that down?" - Charlie Colyer, age 2
 
Danny Colyer <[email protected]> wrote:

> On 21/07/2007 11:37, Rob Morley wrote:
> > I should have checked the wording myself. I suspect that something
> > complying with the spirit rather than the letter of the law would
> > suffice in most cases, but you never know when you're dealing with
> > insurance company weasels. I have a solution, but it involves fitting
> > an additional set of pedals at the rear of the cycle. :)

>
> Unfortunately the regs require "Two reflectors on each pedal" that
> comply with the position regulations that I mentioned earlier. Adding
> extra pedals wouldn't help.
>
> I guess that also makes tandems illegal at night, as the reflectors on
> the trailing edges of the front pedals will never be visible from the
> rear and those on the leading edges of the rear pedals will never be
> visible from the front.


i think we can safely say the law is lagging behind somewhat.

i find the reflecter fall off, that and i have paniers on the bike most
likely to be out at night though it's fairly well lit up.

roger
--
www.rogermerriman.com