"Pete Biggs" <pLime{remove_fruit}@biggs.tc> wrote in message
news:<
[email protected]>...
>
> But in bulit up urban areas at least, I have no doubt that a motorists should be able to see
> cyclists with or without lights if they stick to a reasonable speed. Of course cyclists should use
> lights but I don't think those who don't deserve capital punishment.
>
> ~PB
Sorry, but I have to disagree.
I do a twenty mile round trip commute per day by bike across West London and also drive in London
a fair bit.
When I'm on my bike, never mind the car, even in fairly well lit streets, an unlit fellow cyclist is
difficult to see. Even when they have lights, the lights are often inadequate, particularly those
dim blue flashers that many cyclists seem to have on the front.
Taking Pete's reasoning above to argumentum ad absurdam, I would not be able to drive my car at
night at all because the fact is that I cannot always see unlit cyclists sufficiently quickly to
take them into account, particularly on a rainy night, makes the risk of driving at night much too
high if it is my responsibillity to see them.
To make it the responsibillity of a motorist to see a cyclist without lights is surely another
example of the "nanny state" gone mad. When I'm on my bike, I consider that I have a duty as well as
it being good manners to make sure I'm visible and it's in my own interests to not just be lit, but
to positivly proclaim my presence "in your face."
I would consider reflective leg bands and something like a twenty five watt Lumicyle on the front
and a "flasher" on the back to be the absolute minimum in London, A motorist has lots of things to
think about in a rapidly changing environment and a cyclist is just one of these. It's in my
interests to move myself up his/her list of priorities!
For example, cat runs into road, motorist swerves. If I'm well lit and have already been seen, I
have a better chance that the motorist will swerve away from me.
It's not just in the car that unlit cyclists are a menace. Not so long ago I was riding my bike in
the rain and came to a road junction as the lights were turning to red. I slammed on my (very
effective) Campagnolo brakes and had an unlit cyclist who had no intention of stopping at the lights
go into the back of me. Ok, an extreme case but if I'd known he was there, I would have taken him
into account and stopped more slowly: as it is, I got a load of abuse from him as though it were my
fault! grrrrr
Rikybabe