I'm not being unreasonable. People who ride bikes should have farking lights!

[ScaryMotherWhoScreeches]

Because if they don't get lights they'll get blardy killed and then they'll complain. Won't they.

honestly, this evening I saw three cyclists. It was dark, raining. Lots of other cars, with headlights which are really glary in those conditions and bloody idiots cycling round with no lights on their bikes

And then the third had such an ineffectual little thing on the front, frankly it may as well not have been there.

FGS, invest in some decent lighting in your bikes.

I agree. It is a pet hate of mine.

ffs it's not hard to buy bike lights is it?

The police here issue on the spot £30 fines to cyclists caught without lights.

I do have to fight the corner of those of us cyclists who do have lights and all the reflective gear and use them (the lights) from early October to May, and the reflective gear all year round. Although that said I have now been knocked off my bike in busy traffic twice while commutiung to work and the idiots in the cars didn't even stop (it was in broad daylight - so no excuse that they diodn't see me)

There are people out there who do do the right thing, but I agree there are idiots who let the side down.

Did have a go at my boss who supports his sah wife and 2 kids who rides with no helmet or lights. I think that's just stupid!

Lilymaid hopefully the police will crack down on them again like they did last year.

DS is done up like a christmas tree all the time now, bright orange winter coat, high vis reflective jacket, a red light on his helmet, one on his bike, front light on bike, head torch and flashing LED spoke lights that light up when he cycles basically making the whole bike flask and making it more visible form the side.

I was knocked off my bike by a driver who claimed not to have seem me dispite having strong lights flashing away.

You shouldnt use the flashing lights on their own either....on front you need a proper light that is just on...if you want to have flashing as well so be it but the flashing white LED ones do not show up as well (i think it is a legal requirenment as well to have a non flashing light also)

Sorry i stand corrected!

here

and here

In Cambridge the police have a crackdown in Oct / Nov every year - it works very, very well.

However, I think there is a genuine difficulty approaching dusk, when pedestrians and cyclists can still see perfectly well, but once you step into a car you need to get your lights on into order to see. At that point, cyclists won't realise they aren't visible, and if they do ordinary bike lights aren't bright enough to show up when there is still remaining light. That's when the reflective jackets come in so handy.

I think that cyclists who also drive are much more aware of the problem - and drivers who cycle are much more aware of what cyclists need.

I'm afraid there are careless cyclists out there and careless drivers. And daft pedestrians too! People are far less aware of their surroundings moving around than they really need to be.

Me and DP are bike riders, but if we ever see anyone riding without lights at might, we burst into a chorus of "Invisible" by Alison Moyet (er...because that's what they are...)

YANBU!

we were driving down a badly lit street at night, about 10.30pm, a few months ago and there was a guy cycling along with no lights and wearing head to toe black!!!!

if i hadn't suddenly spotted him dh would've hit him at 60mph.

Bettymum where did you get your reflective gilet from? My ugly bright yellow reflective jacket needs replacing.

I realised this morning that I'd left my lights at home. My bike is therefore still at work and I took the train home. I do not understand cyclists who don't use lights!

Toffee I got it about 10 years ago in an outdoor store in San Francisco, I think it's made by REI. If you look at Wiggle or Evans orone of the other cycling websites - not sure if CTC has an online shop - you might find something similar. I've never seen anything quite like it in the UK.
I dreamt last night that I was riding my bike with no lights, I was trying to use my mobile phone as a front light .

I volunteered to help with my son's cycling proficiency lessons, but I very quickly withdrew him and withdrew my help. The reason? The woman trainer from the council was absolutely insistent that:

1)The children from that day forward (10 and 11 year olds) should NEVER under any circumstances ride on the pavement, and if they did they deserved to be be cautioned by the police. She also strongly encouraged them to use their bikes 'for the good of their health' to get to senior school, which was over 3 miles away along very busy roads full of thundering lorries.

2. Before being allowed to take part in the lessons you had to prove that your bike was safe and road-worthy, which included having a working bell. So any child whose bike did not have a working bell could not learn to cycle safely.

However, when I asked about lights I was told, No, it is not a requirement for them to have lights, either by law, or by the council for the purposes of cycling proficiency.

So an eleven year old child is encouraged to cycle on busy main roads fending off buses and juganauts, in the darkness of a winter's evening at 4pm coming home from school, with nothing but a bell for safety, but no need for lights? And should they feel at all vulnerable and need to go onto the pavement they can expect to be told off by a policeman?

Needless to say my kids still go to school by car.

no OP YANBU at all.

I'd like to say (a hopefully not patronising) good for you - to all the responsible cyclists who are done up like Christmas trees.

I used to ride a scooter around London and would see ridiculous numbers of cyclists with no lights and no reflective gear at all. It's madness - I think they ought to change the law on that one really.

My favourite ever was one particular cyclist who was riding the wrong way up a very busy road, at night, in the rain with no lights at all. He then got arsey when someone pointed out his obvious death wish. I only saw him the once...

YANBU. I can't believe there as so many people on bikes on the road with no lights. Even with lights they are sometimes hard to see, think they shgould wear high vis jackets as well at night.

Agree with OneLonelySock, that there are also very responsible bike riders about too. Why is it always the lyrica (tour de france types) bike riding types who ride2/3 abreast and generally give all other decent cyclists a bad name?

Ranty,Rant, Rant, Rant !