The youth of today....

linsen

I just told a young man to get some lights. You know, it being dark, wet, etc etc.

Wherupon he pulled up on the path and told me to "shut the f*** up".

I had (fortunately) crossed the road by then, but he contiuned to hurl abuse and then told me that if he wanted to ride around in the dark with no lights (dressed in black, naturally) it was his responsibilty.

My informing him that alas it would be my responsibility if I was a motorist and had mown him down was, I fear, lost on the poor stupid blighter.

Grrr :evil:

downfader

Saw 3 people this mornng without adequate lighting (the best one of the bunch only had a rear flashing red).. on the way to the LBS saw a little kid on a small mountain bike this afternoon - he had some lights. So if he can do it they can all do it imo.

chuckcork

linsen wrote:

I just told a young man to get some lights. You know, it being dark, wet, etc etc.

Wherupon he pulled up on the path and told me to "shut the f*** up".

I had (fortunately) crossed the road by then, but he contiuned to hurl abuse and then told me that if he wanted to ride around in the dark with no lights (dressed in black, naturally) it was his responsibilty.

My informing him that alas it would be my responsibility if I was a motorist and had mown him down was, I fear, lost on the poor stupid blighter.

Grrr :evil:

If he is that stupid then perhaps he will improve the species by being naturally selected out of it? We can only hope, though occasionally such stupid people survive long enough to pass on their bad genes to a new generation like in the movie Idiocracy...

ansbaradigeidfran

I never had lights when I was young. All I had was the strict rule to be home by sundown if I was going out on my bike.

The Chingford Skinhead

Saw a young man on a roadie zoom past me. Nice front light but his rear light - on his back pack - was really faint. I caught him at the junction and told him. I thought he might say thanks and then ride on. Instead he said thanks and got off his bike If I'd not just used my spare batteries I'd have given them to him. I think he had some in his bag though.

His attitude restored my faith in human beings.

itboffin

Regardless of his idiotic McD induced response it may have registered in his tiny pea like brain and with any luck next time he's in the LBS he'll pick up some lights without knowing why - I hope.

Well done linsen, sometimes you need to tell people what they don't want to hear or care about but that doesn't mean we shouldn't tell them.

feel

I blame the teachers

girv73

linsen wrote:

and then told me that if he wanted to ride around in the dark with no lights (dressed in black, naturally) it was his responsibilty.

Oh riiiiiight, sure. So if you'd run him over he'd have been all "Fair dos guvnor, it was me own responserbility to ride around in the dark stealthed up with with no lights so its me own silly fault that I'm lying under your car right now" and not on the phone to INJURY-CLAIMZ-R-US before the ambulance?

:roll:

marchant

linsen wrote:

I just told a young man to get some lights. You know, it being dark, wet, etc etc.

Wherupon he pulled up on the path and told me to "shut the f*** up".

I had (fortunately) crossed the road by then, but he contiuned to hurl abuse and then told me that if he wanted to ride around in the dark with no lights (dressed in black, naturally) it was his responsibilty.

My informing him that alas it would be my responsibility if I was a motorist and had mown him down was, I fear, lost on the poor stupid blighter.

Grrr :evil:

Reminds me of a kno8 I encountered a few years ago; riding along a cycle path, saw an "adolescent" on a BMX weaving all over the place. When I eventually got alongside after shouting, ringing bells etc, I discovered that as well as wearing his hoodie up, he had headphones on and was eating a McFlurry (or similar) too :shock:

linsen

feel wrote:

I blame the teachers

They are a bunch of layabouts these days

spen666

itboffin wrote:

Regardless of his idiotic McD induced response it may have registered in his tiny pea like brain and with any luck next time he's in the LBS he'll pick up some lights without knowing why - I hope.

Well done linsen, sometimes you need to tell people what they don't want to hear or care about but that doesn't mean we shouldn't tell them.

He won't know what a LBS is

benvickery

As a teacher myself you should really be saying 'I sympathise with the teachers for having to try and teach these characters'

On my commute the vast majority of people I see ride around with no lights at all.

DavidBelcher

The Chingford Skinhead wrote:

Saw a young man on a roadie zoom past me. Nice front light but his rear light - on his back pack - was really faint. I caught him at the junction and told him. I thought he might say thanks and then ride on. Instead he said thanks and got off his bike If I'd not just used my spare batteries I'd have given them to him. I think he had some in his bag though.

His attitude restored my faith in human beings.

Zero marks for the mum and her 3 kids I saw on Friday night, though (2 of the kids on own bikes, the other in kiddie seat on mum's bike). Using the bike rather than the car for the supermarket run is admirable, but riding home in the dark without lights on (all their bikes had lights, they just couldn't be bothered to switch them on) - and riding on the pavement to boot - is seriously out of order.

David

ansbaradigeidfran

I saw a woman on a bike leaving Tesco yesterday evening, and she did have her lights on. I think they were the same £15 set as mine.

If she had a polythene bag hanging from each end of the handlebars, does that make it a 'shopper bike'?

AndyManc

linsen wrote:

I just told a young man to get some lights. You know, it being dark, wet, etc etc.

Wherupon he pulled up on the path and told me to "shut the f*** up".

How ever tempting it is , you should never tell someone else what to do, especially a complete stranger.

If someone in the street came up to me and 'TOLD' me to do something, they would have a Blackburn hand pump inserted where the sun don't shine.

If anyone feels the need to 'advise' someone about their lack of lights, it needs to be done very tactfully, I wouldn't do it all, maybe if they were very young kids, but I certainly wouldn't 'tell' them to do anything.

linsen

benvickery wrote:

As a teacher myself you should really be saying 'I sympathise with the teachers for having to try and teach these characters'

I try never to give the expected "teachers are all so overworked" response. That way I can avoid the "yes, they get so little holiday" retort

NGale

I have a friend of mine who is a member of the local plod here in Exeter and cycles everyday to and from work (he dosen't own a car). he take great pleasure in telling people when he can they should have lights on their bike, nine times out of ten he dosen't get a problem and even though he knows they'll do nothing they are usually polite. But one one occasion he did have one cyclist get abusive who he chased down and then promptly arrested and had cautioned for not having the legally required lights and threatened him with a further charge of assault of a police officer (which can include verbal by all accounts).
I know on one occassion he has turned up on the doorstep of a motorist who hit him while he was cycling into work and then drove away from the scene of the accident!

canada16

I had the same thing happen to me. but it was 08:00

some guy in a 10 speed said get some lights as he crossed two lanes of traffic and almost hit me in a bike lane.

Im sorry but this light thing is a joke, I am so aware of people,cars and other bikers.

Now im sorry I think a lot of people are di$cks and they will run into you just to prove a point.

I am a nice person, and people making excuses to say get some lights, is a joke.

Yes fair enough if you are on a country road, or a bike path with no street lights.

But if you are not aware of whats going on around you. then how are you not dead.

See my thread on (NEED LIGHTS £40.00 + FUNNY STORY)
.........................................................................................................................................
Hey guys.

I had some crazy 10 speed guy almost hit me, from across the road, yes from across the road, he cut across 2 lanes of traffic and came into the bike lane which I was in and almost smoked me, and all he could say is get some lights?

Well I was stunned, as it was 08:00 on my commute, no cars had their lights on.

He was so serious though, he had the full gear on, the leg-ins, bright yellow helmet, and the bars on front to lean on. Then he just sped away faster than he entered into my lane.

Anyway, he did not really make me mad, more funny than anything, I thought we were supposed to stick together, I think because he knew he was in the wrong, or he was just a general @sshole I just shrugged it off.

It got me thinking though, Yes it is getting dark in the mornings, and sometimes I leave at 07:00, so I am looking for a good commuter light (with no battery packs) as I don't have time to put it all together in the morning.

Can some one help me, I am looking for experience with the lights not reviews, so if you have one and you are amazed please let me know.

Ps. I have a MTB.

Thanks guys.

doog442

linsen wrote:

I just told a young man to get some lights. You know, it being dark, wet, etc etc.

Wherupon he pulled up on the path and told me to "shut the f*** up".

I had (fortunately) crossed the road by then, but he contiuned to hurl abuse and then told me that if he wanted to ride around in the dark with no lights (dressed in black, naturally) it was his responsibilty.

My informing him that alas it would be my responsibility if I was a motorist and had mown him down was, I fear, lost on the poor stupid blighter.

Grrr :evil:

not advisable im afraid...to confront a complete stranger over what is a minor issue is asking for trouble.Why am i saying its minor...because to him it is. Just ignore them, youve ended up angry he's boasting to his mates he told you where to go....ive seen similar incidents end in violence.

Just make sure he/ his loony dad or mates arent waiting in the same spot for you to give you a bit of advice..believe me it happens.

The only reason motorists mouth off / or give advice so often to cyclists is because they are in a steel cage with the ability to drive away from you at speed, you dont have that ability.

linsen

doog442 wrote:

linsen wrote:

I just told a young man to get some lights. You know, it being dark, wet, etc etc.

Wherupon he pulled up on the path and told me to "shut the f*** up".

I had (fortunately) crossed the road by then, but he contiuned to hurl abuse and then told me that if he wanted to ride around in the dark with no lights (dressed in black, naturally) it was his responsibilty.

My informing him that alas it would be my responsibility if I was a motorist and had mown him down was, I fear, lost on the poor stupid blighter.

Grrr :evil:

not advisable im afraid...to confront a complete stranger over what is a minor issue is asking for trouble.Why am i saying its minor...because to him it is. Just ignore them, youve ended up angry he's boasting to his mates he told you where to go....ive seen similar incidents end in violence.

Just make sure he/ his loony dad or mates arent waiting in the same spot for you to give you a bit of advice..believe me it happens.

The only reason motorists mouth off / or give advice so often to cyclists is because they are in a steel cage with the ability to drive away from you at speed, you dont have that ability.

Cheers

I'm not that angry about it, and I'm no vigilante but I do know if it was my child I'd appreciate someone telling them.

I hope it's made him think at least