And we wonder why people don't like cyclists!

Eat My Dust

I went for a run this morning at 6 am and it's pitch black. I see 10 cyclists, only ONE had lights and only three were on the road. What a great example of why people moan about cyclist!! (me included now) :evil:

il_principe

Last night I passed 2 cyclists on Edgeware road - which is a very busy road heading from Marble Arch in the centre of London towards Kilburn - both were dressed all in black and neither had lights nor any hi viz at all. I told them both to "get some lights" but was in a hurry and didn't hang round to debate the issue. It's bad enough in London when it's dark and wet even with lights, these people must be completely brain dead.

girv73

It's not just London mate, I saw three or four on the way home yesterday with no lights and dressed in stealth clothes. A couple were on the footpath (not sure if that's better or worse) but one in particular was on this steep downhill (MTB rolls down it at ~30mph), semi-rural and therefore semi-dark road at the end of my commute. I feel dodgy enough going down it in the daylight, but no way would I do it stealthed up!

I keep telling myself "Darwin will win in the end", but I'm going to start shouting at them soon I think.

lost_in_thought

Saw two on the way home last night on the Uxbridge Road - a main road running from Shepherd's Bush off to the west, usually very busy in the evening.

Told both that they really ought to get some lights, that it's actually against the law to cycle without them, and the Police could (theoretically) fine them.

Both were young-ish - one told me to eff off, which I'd expected, but one was very apologetic and asked me if I knew where a bike shop was, so I told him.

Wonder if either will get lights.

I also saw a woman with 2 kids on seats weaving through traffic, and going onto the pavement to avoid red lights... :shock:

chuckcork

lost_in_thought wrote:

I also saw a woman with 2 kids on seats weaving through traffic, and going onto the pavement to avoid red lights... :shock:

LiT, what can I say, its funny that the 'media' tag for errant cyclists tends to be along the lines of "lycra clad louts" when you see th exact opposite you would think of that stereotype.

Most blatant red light running I ever saw, well for a cyclist anyway, was a woman on a ladie bike wearing a dress, who stopped momentarily for the (red) pedestrian crossing lights outside a school, then started off again, and came close to taking out a couple of 6-7 year olds in the process.

No road cyclist would I think be that daft or arrogant.

Nick6891

i saw 1 when i was walking home yesterday, so its not just london, and there was another with a High vis vest and a rear light but no front light.

I also remember a while ago riding home at about 12.30 and i saw a guy out on a run without any reflective gear, i wouldn't have seen him if he hadn't ran onto the other side of the road

always_tyred

Can someone explain to me why runners need reflective gear? (other than when they run along country lanes)

Is it because they cross roads in a manner requring reflective gear?

AndyManc

Always Tyred wrote:

Can someone explain to me why runners need reflective gear? (other than when they run along country lanes)

Is it because they cross roads in a manner requring reflective gear?

Remember the TV campaign in the early 70's , be seen be safe.

"Even carry a newspaper to make you stand out " :roll:

The government advised all pedestrians wore something light or reflective, makes sense really.

always_tyred

AndyManc wrote:

Always Tyred wrote:

Can someone explain to me why runners need reflective gear? (other than when they run along country lanes)

Is it because they cross roads in a manner requring reflective gear?

Remember the TV campaign in the ealry 70's , be seen be safe.

"Even carry a newspaper to make you stand out " :roll:

The government advised all pedestrians wore something light or reflective, makes sense really.

I'm still struggling - I'm a pedestrian, on the pavement and I cross roads when the little flashing light tells me or when there is no traffic. Why are joggers any different? Either we should all wear reflective al the time in case cars mount pavements, or not.

My perspective, fairly obviously, is that when there is a yellow blob, a blinkie or reflective, I want motorists NOT to think "oh its probably someone jogging on the pavement" I want them to think "its a cyclist ahead".

Jen J

Always Tyred wrote:

Can someone explain to me why runners need reflective gear? (other than when they run along country lanes)

Is it because they cross roads in a manner requiring reflective gear?

I run a lot, and spend a lot of time on a running website, the majority of people there do seem to be in favour of wearing reflective stuff.

However I live in London, and always run on the pavement therefore never wear additional reflectives (some of my stuff has reflectives strips on anyway).

The only time that I may come into contact with a vehicle whilst running (as I learnt my green cross code and know how to cross roads safely) is if a car loses control and mounts the pavement, in which case I can't imagine reflective gear would be much help...

AndyManc

Public information campaign


Get yourself seen on your bike at night
Dark means danger, so get yourself seen
At night, make it white,
In the dark make it light,
But get yourself seen.

Take a brush to your bike,
Use some tape if you like,
But get yourself seen.

Make it big,
Make it bold,
Make it bright!

To be sure that you’re seen
Keep your lights bright and clean,
But get yourself seen.

Whether working for a living or just riding for your pleasure
Let the world see your life is something that you treasure
And get yourself seen,

Make it big,
Make it bold,
Make it bright,
And get yourself seen!

fairweatherbiker

In the end it probably has a lot to do with age. You can't tell young people what to do - they ususally think they know best - and don't know enough to know that they don't.

I go out in reflective gear with lights - but if I had ever used a bike when I was in my teens or early 20's I don't think I would have bothered with the yellow jacket that would have been really uncool - and maybe not even lights - I can see well enough without lights - that would have been my logic. Now from experience as a motorist I, and a little less faith in my own immortality - I want to be seen - I don't care if I look like a dork anymore.

AndyManc

fairweatherbiker wrote:

I go out in reflective gear with lights - but if I had ever used a bike when I was in my teens or early 20's I don't think I would have bothered with the yellow jacket that would have been really uncool - .

I agree, ( but I did go thru a stage in my early teens when I had about 20 lights on my bike :? ), even if you keep the spoke reflectors on your MTB kids will consider you a geek.

As I've said on a previous thread, we cycle cos we enjoy it and we choose to,those that don't have the gear will often cycle cos they have no other choice.

NGale

I recently got back in contact with a friend of mine from Uni, had been trying to track her down for a while.

Anyhoo, turns out she now lives and works in London for a certain security service (not the Bond type). She regularly cycles into work and often she is stopping cyclists without lights during the evening hours.

Turns out one day it was just as well she did as the cyclist was wanted by the security services for some serious offences.

So next time you shout at someone for now having lights on the bike, just watch out for them pannier bags! :shock:

markybhoy67

fairweatherbiker wrote:

In the end it probably has a lot to do with age. You can't tell young people what to do - they ususally think they know best - and don't know enough to know that they don't.

I go out in reflective gear with lights - but if I had ever used a bike when I was in my teens or early 20's I don't think I would have bothered with the yellow jacket that would have been really uncool - and maybe not even lights - I can see well enough without lights - that would have been my logic. Now from experience as a motorist I, and a little less faith in my own immortality - I want to be seen - I don't care if I look like a dork anymore.

Excellent post 8)

_Brun_

Always Tyred wrote:

Can someone explain to me why runners need reflective gear? (other than when they run along country lanes)

Is it because they cross roads in a manner requring reflective gear?

For when the pavements are in such a state that you either use the road or risk turning an ankle or landing on your face after tripping. Having said that, I feel safe enough if I'm wearing something bright. Think the only reflective stuff is on the heels of my shoes.

chuckcork

A local gardai (irish copper) started a campaign in the town where he was based in Cork for all people out and about in the dark to think about safety and wear High Viz gear while walking their dog etc.

He started his campaign after he had to deal with a case of a local girl who went under a truck....I think there might be something in it?

cougie

Running stuff always seems way ahead of bike kit for reflectives - even though most runners stick to the pavement. I really dont like running on the road - but when I have to - I wear hi viz. At thats in daylight, I wouldnt risk it at night.

So much of my bike kit has no reflective stuff on at all - but even the cheapest run kit has it all over.

My swimming trunks even have reflective bits on. Should I be wary of submarines running me down ?

Littigator

Part of my ride home at night is through Battersea Park and there is a perimeter road closed to cars all the way round. So many runners use it and have no reflective stuff etc and run along in the middle of it. Bit of a nightmare as sometimes you can't see them until the last minute.

biondino

I'd have thought if you have a minute you can probably take evasive action.

ride_whenever

The number of completely stealthed up student cyclists you see round oxford is depressing, they might be clever but not one jot of sense between them.

The rowers are twice as bad, great big boats, combined weight about three quarters of a tonne, splashing up and down the river with the tiniest of lights on, it is a miracle there aren't more crashes tbh. I might start making my crews wear high vis and fairy lights!

wgwarburton

Sometime last winter I had to dodge round a pedestrian as we approached the station. He was crossing the road, dressed head to toe in black and was in front of a parked bus that was dazzling me with it's headlights.

When we got on the train he said I should be more careful... that he saw me all the time (when he was driving) on the road and always gave me plenty of room. I thanked him, pointed out my hi-vis jacket, lights etc, the circumstances that he was in, and that he was, in practice, invisible and we went our seperate ways...

Cheers,
W.

Jen J

Littigator wrote:

Part of my ride home at night is through Battersea Park and there is a perimeter road closed to cars all the way round. So many runners use it and have no reflective stuff etc and run along in the middle of it. Bit of a nightmare as sometimes you can't see them until the last minute.

At the risk of sounding anti-cyclist (I'm not, honest) is it not the case that on all shared paths, pedestrians have the right of way, so you should be cycling at a speed low enough to cope in situations where you may suddenly see runners?

I know on the Thames Path for example, there is a 10mph speed limit and pedestrian priority (which is why I will never bike there, just run)

cougie

ride_whenever wrote:

The number of completely stealthed up student cyclists you see round oxford is depressing, they might be clever but not one jot of sense between them.

The rowers are twice as bad, great big boats, combined weight about three quarters of a tonne, splashing up and down the river with the tiniest of lights on, it is a miracle there aren't more crashes tbh. I might start making my crews wear high vis and fairy lights!

Ha - I saw a canoeist/kayaker come a cropper the other year when he came round on the land side of the landing stage. Must be mad canoeing in the pitch black with no lights.

Feltup

We ended up rowing in the middle of a flooded field one year surrounded by sheep; not dark but really foggy, took a while to find the way out again :roll:

JoeSoap76

Glad I spotted this thread before double-posting!

I came on the forum tonight to ask: just what is wrong with these people?!?

My bike has been in the shop for a month and I just got it back a couple of weeks ago so I didn’t really get a chance to acclimatise to the shortening days (especially with the clocks going back). Whilst most of my commute is on well lit roads there are a few sections where the street lights are hidden behind trees and it's pretty dark. I was quite surprised by how little visibility I got with my front light (a cateye EL220) - which I thought was pretty powerful. Anybody who knows Glasgow will likely be familiar with our Pothole problem (there are a lot of them) so I went out and got myself an Electron Twin 8 LED light set. They're great, no problem seeing the holes now.

Anyway - back to the point. As well as bright front and rear lights, I've also got reflective bands around my ankles, a bright yellow jacket and a reflective buff (which is also nice and warm), reflective strips on my gloves and trousers and the required reflectors on my bike. In short, I don't think there's much more I could do to make myself visible.

But I keep seeing people around Glasgow cycling along in the dark on dark-coloured bikes in dark clothing with no lights. To add to their lunacy, they've all either been racing down the pavement (one came within inches of hitting a kid coming out of a shop) or swerving in and out of traffic.

I honestly don't know what's wrong with them. I hear that some scientists have just come up with a magnetic force-field for the space shuttles - perhaps these idiots are actually undertaking some kind of field trial?

always_tyred

ride_whenever wrote:

The number of completely stealthed up student cyclists you see round oxford is depressing, they might be clever but not one jot of sense between them.

The rowers are twice as bad, great big boats, combined weight about three quarters of a tonne, splashing up and down the river with the tiniest of lights on, it is a miracle there aren't more crashes tbh. I might start making my crews wear high vis and fairy lights!

Why are rowers twice as bad? Are there a lot of accidents?

redvee

Saw a pavement cyclist with no lights ridingno handed this afternoon. The no lights wasn't an issue as it was daylight but the no hands was worrying as his hands were busy eating a kebab whilst riding along the pavement outside a row of shops :x

Mr_Cellophane

chuckcork wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

I also saw a woman with 2 kids on seats weaving through traffic, and going onto the pavement to avoid red lights... :shock:

LiT, what can I say, its funny that the 'media' tag for errant cyclists tends to be along the lines of "lycra clad louts" when you see th exact opposite you would think of that stereotype.

Most blatant red light running I ever saw, well for a cyclist anyway, was a woman on a ladie bike wearing a dress, who stopped momentarily for the (red) pedestrian crossing lights outside a school, then started off again, and came close to taking out a couple of 6-7 year olds in the process.

No road cyclist would I think be that daft or arrogant.

Hopefully you meant that to be tongue firmly in cheek. If not, you should come to London soon.

Jay dubbleU

Bane of my life - cheap full sus MTBs without lights and wearing hoods so that they don't have any lateral or rear vision - fortunately they don't have any lubrication either so I can hear them creaking along

downfader

Eat My Dust wrote:

I went for a run this morning at 6 am and it's pitch black. I see 10 cyclists, only ONE had lights and only three were on the road. What a great example of why people moan about cyclist!! (me included now) :evil:

This year has been bad - as soon as it started getting darker, mixed with the fact that I've been taking busses - I've seen alsorts. Was nearly run into by a small child on a bridge yesterday - that I dont mind, but it was her father pulling her along into my path because he'd used a length of cable to tether them together.

Have seen plenty of cyclists with a lack of lights. Really annoys me that people see them and suggest we are like that