It's a rant I know but it deserves a separate thread

Kieran_Burns

I left work late tonight but had a blinder of a bike ride home. The total lack of wind was great, I matched my personal best and I was taking it easy Plus the quieter roads relieving the waiting in traffic. 8)

That's the good bit. :evil:

By the time I get to the last road to my village it's basically full dark (as near as), the sun has gone down and I'm riding with full lights on.

Vaguely in the distance I can see this black blob on the road in front... when a car goes the other way it shows up a cyclist wearing nothing but black clothes on a completely unlit bike

I put the pedal down and catch up as quick as I can, get behind this school kid on his Argos full sus MTB special with NO FECKING LIGHTS ANYWHERE. :roll: :shock:

I start shouting at him to get some bloody lights but he can't hear me! and Why????

'COS THE DOZY FECKING IJEET IS CYCLING IN THE DARK WITH NO LIGHTS, AND WEARING BLOODY HEADPHONES!!!! On a completely unlit stretch of country road!!!

ARGH!!!!! :shock: :shock:

We go through the lights and I sit behind him, protecting him (unknown to him ) from all the traffic whizzing past. Once it's clear, I pull up alongside and shout "BUY SOME BLOODY LIGHTS!!!"

He damn near jumps off the bike in fright, and quietly replies "I've got some"

"PUT THE THINGS ON THEN!!!!! you complete and utter gob****e..... mumble, mumble

He stops, gets off the road (thank God) and the last I see of him is him finally fitting the lights he had packed in his rucksack.

I don't know whether to be pleased I took the time to help the dozy wazzock out, or despair at the utter, utter lack of common sense shown.



On a cheerier note my neighbour pulled up behind me when I got home and commented on how incredibly bright my lights were, so I'm pleased that they are the right ones for the job . I was also REALLY impressed with how the flashing front light (I have one flashing and my Cateye on full beam) was lighting up all the road signs from a hell of a distance away!

linsen

You have probably saved that wally's life... or at least prologed it a little

If I shouted at the number of wombats I see with no lights at the moment (who therefore think it's acceptable to cycle on the path), I'm sure I would be hoarse....

_Brun_

I had a crap journey home tonight. Totteningham Court Rd at 6.15 was a nightmare, practically everything was straddling lanes (several in the case of the 73 bus) and the brief rush away from the lights was a mess of bikes, scooters and cyclists. Half of the latter being unlit of course, or with batteries so flat they may as well have been.

The one highlight was a bloke pulling up at the lights on something like a track bike with very fancy looking five-spoke wheels. Meant to remember the bikes brand but it escaped me. Anyway, he came from somewhere on my right, endoed to straighten up and stop then into a precision trackstand. All without unclipping. He then went through the red and rode off like a bit of a cock, but the man certainly had talent and for that I salute him.

The Chingford Skinhead

linsen wrote:

You have probably saved that wally's life... or at least prologed it a little

If I shouted at the number of wombats I see with no lights at the moment (who therefore think it's acceptable to cycle on the path), I'm sure I would be hoarse....

+1. I've not been out in the dark for ages but I simply couldn't believe the number of cyclists out tonight without lights and a fair few of them jumping red traffic lights too. One complete nonse did it across a really busy road where he had to weave between the cars coming from the right to get to the middle, when he then had to put the bike sideways to avoid the cars from the left, and then weaved into the path of a truck. It saved him all of 30 seconds. I'm not a SCR commuter but I put my foot down and wafted past him just to make the point.

No wonder so many motorists hate us

girv73

Kieran_Burns, good for you, I say. Maybe you didn't save his life that night, but hopefully he'll think about putting his lights on tomorrow and the next day and the day after that...

Belv

How old was he?
I did enough daft things on a bike when i was young that it would be hypocritical for me to judge him too harshly. :oops:

Kieran_Burns

looked about 14-15. Clearly cycling home from school after some after-school activity.

In his defense, when he set off it would've been fairly light, but it's a few miiles from the school (two villages down) to where I verbally lashed him, and by which point it had gone dark,

I think the worst of it was his use of headphones which (in his case) left him utterly oblivious to the trouble he was in.

I know the arguments about wearing headphones (it was my thread afterall) but in this specific case he was totally unaware of me bellowing at him from directly behind and apparently unaware of the cars swerving to miss him at the last moment.

The slightly comical aspect to the whole thing was the way he put his arm out to turn left at the traffic lights and struggled 'round as he was wobbling like hell as he kept his arm out!

I think in hindsight I should've stopped and had a calmer natter with him. If I see him again I might just do so.

il_principe

_Brun_ wrote:

The one highlight was a bloke pulling up at the lights on something like a track bike with very fancy looking five-spoke wheels. Meant to remember the bikes brand but it escaped me. Anyway, he came from somewhere on my right, endoed to straighten up and stop then into a precision trackstand. All without unclipping. He then went through the red and rode off like a bit of a fool, but the man certainly had talent and for that I salute him.

Was it one of these:



Beloved by hipsters everywhere, and ironically known as "Arrospok"

dang65

Kieran_Burns wrote:

I was also REALLY impressed with how the flashing front light was lighting up all the road signs from a hell of a distance away!

I think that's at least partially down to the properties of the road signs though. Often been impressed with that effect myself.

fairweatherbiker

I was also REALLY impressed with how the flashing front light (I have one flashing and my Cateye on full beam) was lighting up all the road signs from a hell of a distance away!

Are flashing lights legal? Just bought a set and it says on the packet you can;t use them on the roads in flashing mode! - It also says you have to use them in conjunction with a BS/ approved set. Ar5e! I thought - it should have said that on the ebay site.

Big Red S

Flashing lights have been legal for some time.

Sounds like that's a non-BS approved set with outdated packaging.

hisoka

Lights, I wish I could be legal and visible with them but guess what? My new ones got stolen from my bike (not even clip on, they clamped on) while I went into a shop (locked bike) to get myself a quote on a new bike. Was only in 5 minutes as I called ahead and was basically just picking up paperwork.
So in the last month, my bike got stolen without it's lights on (as I had clip on ones) and so I have a set of clip on without the clips at home. And then I bought some cheap ones to go on a REALLY cheap temp bike and the lights get stolen. Now have to wait till payday to get some more, due to damn double billing month.
So anyone shouting get some lights to me (in high vis and only going on well lit city roads) will have me FULLY agreeing with them as I grind my teeth at myself, but I must travel and will try to do only during day.

*grumble over*

alfablue

Big Red S wrote:

Flashing lights have been legal for some time.

Sounds like that's a non-BS approved set with outdated packaging.

Well, it is unfortunately not that simple. Flashing lights are not illegal if they flash regularly between 1 and 4 times a second, however to be legal as your only light, if it has a steady mode, that has to be BS Approved. So if it is a light with a non-BS approved steady mode (which it will be because these are almost non-existent) then they are right to say you need a separate BS approved light. Note that some manufacturers sell their lights as meeting BS standard/specification etc, however if they are not actually approved (i.e. tested) by BSI they are not BS Approved and hence not legal.

The very few approved lights available are actually amongst the most useless lights you can buy!

chuckcork

alfablue wrote:

Big Red S wrote:

Flashing lights have been legal for some time.

Sounds like that's a non-BS approved set with outdated packaging.

Well, it is unfortunately not that simple. Flashing lights are not illegal if they flash regularly between 1 and 4 times a second, however to be legal as your only light, if it has a steady mode, that has to be BS Approved. So if it is a light with a non-BS approved steady mode (which it will be because these are almost non-existent) then they are right to say you need a separate BS approved light. Note that some manufacturers sell their lights as meeting BS standard/specification etc, however if they are not actually approved (i.e. tested) by BSI they are not BS Approved and hence not legal.

The very few approved lights available are actually amongst the most useless lights you can buy!

I would think that if they meet regulation requirements in any EU country then they would be legal in the UK.

For example I was riding last year using a Schmidt E6 and a Busch & Muller Topal Senso Plus LED light. As they are German manufacture I doubt either of those have been tested to see if they are British Standard. What they are however is legal in Germany where they more than meet the requirements. If there was a court case and the issue was brought up, you'd just bring out a load of EU regulations to show that if it is branded CE then it is legal in any other EU country.

Besides which any argument over a BS not being adhered to vis. the highway code would hinge on the facts, like were you actually well lit up? Wa the driver being reckless? As someone here said, a driver about to run into you isn't going to scrutinise whether you have a fully compliant bike beforehand, its only lawyers who pretend that non-compliance = legal non-existence who do that, and I can't see that washing with a jury.

alfablue

Chuckcork, you are correct, a light that complies with an equivalent EU standard is fine. I also agree with you that if called into question I reckon the actual effectiveness of ones lighting is going to be of more relevance than technical compliance issues. If for example I should ever have to be making a claim in court having been hit by a driver claiming not to have seen me I would just have to demonstrate my Smart Superflash rear light and I am sure the case would be in the bag It just irritates me that the law was modified to accommodate new technology (flashing lights) but failed miserably in allowing us to use the best lights available. In my view, if the law compromises my safety or visibility, the law is an ass, I will do what is right, whether or not it meets the letter of the law.

ride_whenever

The most ridiculous thing is the minimum battery life.

Nearly all of the most powerful lights are illegal due to their short burn times. Although I'm sure you'll be seen.

Kieran_Burns

The whole debate about short battery life and the flashing legal / illegal issue is why I carry two front lights and two rear.

I also have spare (fully charged) batteries for both rear lights and one of the front ones.

It may seem overkill but I am utterly paranoid about being seen at night as I do live out in the sticks and there are unlit and FAST roads between work and home.