To plead with cyclists

[oharibo]

Please please wear something reflective and check you have working lights.

Twice in the last week I've seen a cyclist wearing completely dark clothing with no lights when it's dark. It's so dangerous as it's so hard to see you.

I know some motorists pass too close etc but wearing such dark clothing is so irresponsible

And pedestrians. Why do schools insist on pupils wearing head to toe black?

Yanbu. I'm a pedestrian and bollocked a cyclist for this once as he slowed down at a junction. I don't think he knew what hit him as he sheepishly got off the road and walked his bike on the path 😳 .

snoop my dc's school only allows black or navy coats. I've had it out with them and they won't budge. I have a clip on light for my bag and reflective gloves.

Agree @oharibo . It's so hard to see pedestrians or cyclists who are wearing dark clothing, particularly when lights from oncoming traffic are so blinding.

I'm a cyclist, I have 2 very bright Iights and also have a couple of extra back and front lights. My tires have reflective strips and reflectors on the peddles and wheels so I'm very much lit up. I go for a ride near enough every night and the amount of cars that actively try to hit me is unreal. They turn into roads directly in front of me narrowly missing me, overtaking me while not even going wide around me.Its scary how inconsiderate drivers can be. On one of my rides 4 cars could have killed me. I follow all the rules of the road but car drivers don't care. When I'm in the car with my husband, who is driving, it makes me laugh because he always says look at this dickhead without any lights. Well at least that dickhead has been seen because he has no lights on the bike, me on the other hand who's lit up like a Christmas tree nearly gets killed on every bike ride. So maybe I'd probably be safer not to have lights and reflectors then least I might be the dickhead that's seen because I didn't have lights

Wow, what happens if you're in a different colour coat?!

I had no idea uniform could stretch to outer wear. Though saying that I recently looked at a school where they had specifications about the size, material and colour reusable water bottles had to be. So coats shouldn't surprise me.

Two cyclists riding side by side out tonight after dark on the main road where I live. No lights, no hi-viz, dark clothing and no helmets. I mean WTAF!

The problem is, you are pleading with the wrong people.

Most cyclists reading MN will be sensible law abiding lady cyclists and commuters
The ones going around without lights are mostly
Delivery service e bike balaclava types or Yoofs

They aren't hearing you!

Theres a cyclist on my morning commute, always head to toe in black/dark clothes. One dull light on back of bike. I pass him on same stretch of road so know to look out for him, but I've often thought of buying him a high viz vest…One morning, if he’s not there I’ll be worried he’s been run over!

There's so many uber type delivery guys on bikes around here that have neither. I don't know how they don't get hurt or don't get stopped by the police.

It's crazy isn't it. Both my DC's secondary schools insisted on black coats...it gets dark so early in winter, pupils are often going home in the dark if they have an after school club or detention.

Honestly I think it should now be a legal requirement for all road users to wear hi vis and or something reflective. Including children.

Even on sunny days it can be really hard to see cyclists, pedestrians, horse riders etc. Vehicles obviously have lights but I do think drivers should have something hi vis in the car to wear should they breakdown etc.

I really don't understand the resistance to it. Ultimately it only makes things safer.

Yep, totally agree. I leave for work in the dark in the mornings. Bloke cycling, the other day, wearing dark clothes and no light. Very hard to see - if it was raining I may not have seen him at all.

Bloody idiots.

In the olden days, when there were short safety films on the telly, wearing light clothes at night was the subject of one of them. Up to date reruns would be a good idea. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gyW6Zi2Usfs

100% agree. I look like a bloody Christmas tree. Not cool but I hope safe. I’ve stoped a mum with small kids cycling near me. No lights and the long coats were draped over the reflector. Madness.

Agree! However I'm head to toe in neon and it didn't stop me getting by a bus in broad daylight (very much my right of way). Most days there's a near miss, it feels very insafe 😢

YANBU, and I say that as a car driver, motorcyclist and cyclist! I was driving home yesterday evening from work and saw a cyclist (with no lights, reflectors or high vis stuff) doing a wheelie down the road. I'm a cautious/careful driver and spotted him, but I couldn't believe it. The road is poorly lit and the weather wasn't great. If someone was speeding, they may have not spotted him in time.

My cycling and motorbike clothing is all high vis stuff. My bicycle has good lights and lots of reflective things on it. I wouldn't go out on either bike without that sort of stuff.

I drive 1000 miles a month and strangely haven’t had this problem

I use my eyes

I agree completely. I walk a lot and I have come to the conclusion that cyclists often aren’t road aware or observant. They seem not to notice what can and cannot be seen. They wear dark clothes so often, and even when they have reflective jackets they cover the back with a rucksack.

This morning I saw a child of about 10 riding a bike at 8:00 on a grey day. He was wearing dark school clothes and a black helmet and wasn’t easy to see at all. I saw another cyclist, an adult, riding competently but he stuck his hand out to turn right, fine, but like most cyclists he obviously wasn’t comfortable riding with one hand so his right hand was out for only a couple of seconds then back on the handlebars so by the time he turned right, the car that had come up behind him hadn’t seen his signal.

Then there’s the flashing lights. I understand why cyclists want to draw attention to themselves but, as I recall, it’s against the Highway Code for cyclists lights to flash and the reason is that it’s difficult to judge the distance- get a spot, if you like- when a light is flashing. I used to cycle with one flashing light and one constant one.

My heart is in my mouth so often because they’re so vulnerable.

Perhaps have your vision checked op; you have powerful lights on your car. Maybe slow down a bit and anticipate other road users.

Or if you’re not a very experienced driver, get some advanced lessons on hazard perception, and learn to pass other users at a safe distance.

@HoppityBun flashing lights are permitted in the Highway Code.

also even if you’re a competent cyclist it can be hard to signal for a long length of time due to the conditions of the road, needing to apply brakes etc. The onus is on car drivers (cars can’t see at all) to wait. As they should wait if there’s another road user ahead at a junction.

Ok my point was about being seen, rather than battling over the legalities. It’s hard to judge distance when a light is flashing so be aware of that and make it easy for people to do judge how far away you are by having a constant light as well. This is an observation intended to explain how to make yourself safer.

I take your point about the responsibility of the driver but I’ve obviously not explained well: the car wasn’t there when the cyclist fleetingly flashed his hand out. I’ve seen this often.

It is fine and dandy to be right and tell everyone else what their responsibility is but it’s better to be safe and take note and perhaps change what you do.

Push back all you want. I have seen this so often. It’s all the same to me. I’ve no skins in the game and I don’t care: I walk and use public transport.

Whilst I agree cyclists, like every other road user, should take care to be safe, some drivers really, really just don't see us.

I used to ride a bike like https://www.e-bikesdirect.co.uk/electric-bikes/cargo-electric-bikes/amcargobikes-ultimate-harmony-cargo-electric-tricycle-black-wood/

Complete with lights, bright stickers, me in hi Viz, but there were multiple times when we were nearly hit in broad daylight by cars pulling out of junctions who "didn't see" us.

Not so :( no delivery cyclists here in Cornwall but an awful lost of visiting cyclists who wear all black on very narrow, unlit roads with high hedges & lots of 'tree tunnels'. Doesn't even need to be dark to be an issue, they are in the full shadow of the hedges - utterly invisible. Fluorescent yellow is almost as bad in the sunshine cos they become the same colour as the hedges.

Local cyclists tend to wear pink or orange as they're about the only colours that can been seen in all conditions.

You can't reason with cyclist's who ride in the dark with no lights. I call them deadheads

To the PPS saying Drivers should have their sight tested, if they can't spot bikes without lights, would you think the same about a car infront of you with no lights?
Answer: Nope, you would flash Like mad until they realise 😂