The importance of using lights

randomname2005

I'd say they are just happy that you have lights in the first place!!
R

Cabaal

randomname2005 wrote:

I'd say they are just happy that you have lights in the first place!!
R

I'd imagine so, al;though the amount of people on bikes each day that I see without lights is insane and cycling on the footpath is not acceptable just because you have no lights!

These people need to get some lights!

blorg

Flashing lights are explicitly legal in the UK. This was a recent change in the law. I believe they are not yet technically legal here (the issue is that flashing lights are only allowed on emergency vehicles) but as others have pointed in reality out no-one is going to object. I have two rear lights, one of which I leave on constant and one of which I put on flashing. The flashing one is one of those new Smart 1/2 watt ones which is _seriously_ bright.

vasch_ro

Bunnyhopper wrote:

@Verb - good point about having lights on you as well as the bike.


Does anyone know whether pedals here are supposed to have reflectors on them? I think it's a legal requirement in the UK but I don't know about here. Anyone ever get grief from the Guards about reflectors? (Just curious.)

It is a requirement, and people are prosecuted for it , though Ido not consider it giving grief to people

vasch_ro

King Raam wrote:

I'll wager that the Gardai couldn't give a fiddler's if a cyclist's light flashes or not

To be honest I wasn't aware of the regulation until I read Boards soem time ago it was discussed on this forum, obviously I cannot speak for other Gardai but I never use a flashing light and have mentioned to my cycling colleagues, I have spoken to one or two about it on the streets ....

Raam

vasch_ro wrote:

To be honest I wasn't aware of the regulation until I read Boards soem time ago it was discussed on this forum, obviously I cannot speak for other Gardai but I never use a flashing light and have mentioned to my cycling colleagues, I have spoken to one or two about it on the streets ....

I wonder has anyone ever been prosecuted for using flashing lights?

I use a flashing one for my rear light, which also has a non-flash mode. Front one doesn't flash though. I have considered getting a flashing front light, but only to try and draw the attention of some walkers and joggers who insist on heading straight down the cycle track from Clontarf to Sutton, seemingly oblivious to all the cyclist dodging them and the nice walking section right next to the cycle lane. Although, I've no foundation to say whether a flashy would actually help.

P

Cabaal

King Raam wrote:

Although, I've no foundation to say whether a flashy would actually help.

P

I'd say youd' have better luck with a very bright front lite and a bell or horn

tabatha

daymobrew wrote:

I think that reflective items are better than lights, when vehicles approach from behind. The reflective jacket/vest harnesses the power of the vehicle's lights (considerably more powerful than most bike lights). Often you'll see a reflective jacket well before you see the bike lights.
During the day the bright colour of these jackets works well.
And it is better than nothing.

I recently upgraded to Cateye EL-530 up front and Cateye TL-LD1100 at the back. 88 euro for the pair at BikeDock.com.
I also have a hi-viz cover for my backpack and a reflective band for my helmet.

what about front lights? when a car is turning left and looks in his mirrors sometimes its very hard to see a cyclist with no front lights in the dark. reflective items dont work in this instance.

Ciaran500

Anyone reccomend a set of lights? Preferably cheap and will last a reasonble amount of time on batteries.

Was looking at these and they sound good and have positive reviews.
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=15974

Raam

Cabaal wrote:

I'd say youd' have better luck with a very bright front lite and a bell or horn

I think a lance would be even better!

daymobrew

tabatha wrote:

what about front lights? when a car is turning left and looks in his mirrors sometimes its very hard to see a cyclist with no front lights in the dark. reflective items don't work in this instance.

I agree that not having front lights is risky in these situations. In this case the cyclist has to approach the situation in such a way as to minimise the risk e.g. slow down to let the car turn left (if the car had overtake the cyclist they would have seen their reflective gear).
For the situation where a cyclist without front lights approaches a left turn junction and a car is waiting to exit, the cyclist can choose to slow down to allow the car to turn.

daymobrew wrote:

And it is better than nothing.

Ideally everyone would have lights, but I give those with reflective gear a lot more credit than does with neither reflective gear or lights.

Civilian_Target

Ciaran500 wrote:

Anyone reccomend a set of lights? Preferably cheap and will last a reasonble amount of time on batteries.

Was looking at these and they sound good and have positive reviews.
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=15974

I use the back-light from that set as my backup, strapped to the saddle. It's pretty good, it's quite visible and very rugged. I've run it since the summer, probably averaging 90-120 mins run time a week and it's still going strong on the original batteries too...

Certainly better than the cheap and dirty cateyes you usually find!

Ciaran500

Thanks Civ, will have to order a set as soon as I get paid. You can have one less to moan about in this thread then

cyclopath2001

daymobrew wrote:

e.g. slow down to let the car turn left (if the car had overtake the cyclist they would have seen their reflective gear)....
For the situation where a cyclist without front lights approaches a left turn junction and a car is waiting to exit, the cyclist can choose to slow down to allow the car to turn.

While a confrontation with a car is best avoided, in the first situation, the driver has acted illegally by overtaking if the result would be to cut across the path of the cyclist. The regulations are very clear about this. Most drivers know this and will not cut across.

In the second scenario, unless a collision is inevitable, I would never give way to an exiting car, especially if the car is unlawfully obstructing the road, as it might lead the driver to expect that all cyclists will give way to them. Instead, I'll indicate prominently, move out and and give the car a wide berth, blocking following traffic as necessary.

I just use good, reliable, effective front and rear (constant) LED lamps with the regulation rear reflector and some reflective piping on the seams of my jacket. Personally, I think that excessive flashing lights and uncool sam-brownes and builders-bibs are counter-productive as they normally project an image of a slow-moving passive cyclist rather than a no-nonsense lycra-warrior. The colour-scheme of any crash-helmet worn is also important as it offers a great aid to visibility and to a driver observing your head movement in situations where indicating is impossible.

Obviously, I've learned to judge when to yield to motorist intimidation, or I would not be here!

Stark

By the way, speaking as a motorist (it's been a while since I used to cycle around Dublin), those high vis jackets you see some cyclists wearing are brilliant. You can see cyclists a mile off wearing them whereas those little blinkers can easily get lost amongst other lights.

cyclopath2001

Stark wrote:

By the way, speaking as a motorist (it's been a while since I used to cycle around Dublin), those high vis jackets you see some cyclists wearing are brilliant.

Hopefully, drivers will take similar measures to make their cars more visible, especially when parked.

cast_iron

cyclopath2001 wrote:

Hopefully, drivers will take similar measures to make their cars more visible, especially when parked.

Don a high-vis vest?

Stark

Reflective stripes to replace the go-faster ones

cyclopath2001

cast_iron wrote:

Don a high-vis vest?

Like choosing appropriate colours and using parking lights.

blorg

I have one of these Smart 1/2 Watt LEDs and it is seriously bright while still being very small and light. Only drawback is that battery life is not great, but then I use rechargables. If you root around on the internet you'll likely find somewhere that will do free postage to Ireland.

EDIT: Chain Reaction have this light for £13.99 with free shipping.

oobydooby

"In the second scenario, unless a collision is inevitable, I would never give way to an exiting car, especially if the car is unlawfully obstructing the road, as it might lead the driver to expect that all cyclists will give way to them. Instead, I'll indicate prominently, move out and and give the car a wide berth, blocking following traffic as necessary."

I feel the same righteousness sometimes but I think it's better to be a bit humble sometimes and especially at night. Drivers might be tired, drunk etc. and although you might have light and a high-viz vest (I can't believe some people here are calling these useless) you might not be as visible as you think you are. Most cyclists' lights are poor and reflective gear is far more visible to me as a driver, whether reflected from street lights or from headlamps.

Please remember that having the right of way or being "legally" entitled to cycle aggressively is trivial compared with the consequences of an accident. Similarly I don't agree that the gardai should (or should have the power to) impede cyclists without lights. In this day and age we can depend on cyclists to look out for their own safety.

I always carry cheap rear lights and keep 'em in my pocket or my bag. I sometimes have a front light but don't fret about this one.

Kudos to the OP for the dynamo lights - this country is so backwards in that and similar respects.

311

I've never drank and drove in my life ,I'm proud of it.

BUT ,I've often gone out on my bike very drunk in the belief I wouldn't hurt anyone. I've been called a mad yoke for doing this.

I've never used lights during these occasions ,as I wouldn't have anything ready.

What do you think ?

cyclopath2001

oobydooby wrote:

Please remember that having the right of way or being "legally" entitled to cycle aggressively

Do you understand the difference between aggressiveness and assertiveness?