Get Some F**king Lights

Just out of curiosity - does anyone know the legal implications of if driving at night hitting a cyclist with a car if the cyclist has no lights on? There are some people who are begging taken out of the genepool - mainly the cyclists wearing black, on black bikes, at night with no lights on?

The missus had a scare recently when turning left at night and a cyclist undertaking at night with out any lights so was just wondering what would of happened from a legal/police p.o.v.

I was reading up on it the other day. Gist was, if the cyclist is not displaying lights and gets knocked off by a driver, it is their own fault. Makes it difficult for the cyclist to claim injury/loss etc. Also cycling without lights is illegal. If you are displaying lights and you get knocked off, it is much easier to prove the driver was at fault as they should've seen you. And the law will look more kindly upon your case.

Anyone got any evidence about how many collisions are caused by cyclists not having lights on their bike? And then take in to account how the cyclist was riding etc etc .
We are just perpetuating the idea that cycling is incredibly risky and that we need to have as many safety devices as possible "just in case". A decent front light and a decent back light are all you need. The way you ride is a lot more important than anything you can add after you have those two lights.

Agreed, road positioning is almost if not equally as important as lights. Riding in the gutter/shadows/hidden by vehicles you are inviting someone to squeeze past etc.

how long do the batteries last in those fibreflare malarkies?

longer than the light itself

I was reading up on it the other day. Gist was, if the cyclist is not displaying lights and gets knocked off by a driver, it is their own fault. Makes it difficult for the cyclist to claim injury/loss etc. Also cycling without lights is illegal. If you are displaying lights and you get knocked off, it is much easier to prove the driver was at fault as they should've seen you. And the law will look more kindly upon your case.
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Cheers - good to know - i personally feel like a Christmas tree in the evenings now - reflective strip, two rear blinky lights and two front lights. The wife does a bit more driving around town and so was a little shaken up - I'd have been a bit more "Stupid twat" - especially with the undertaking a car when indicating with no lights on

Yeah I'm not sure about the situation when it comes to 2 cyclists colliding, one without lights, I would hope someone consciously cycling without lights would take a little more care...

I have gradually been upgrading lights after realizing recently just how little visibility some lights provide.. can't bring myself to don hi viz though. But looking at alternatives like 3m. may even wrap the seat stays in it.

Malaysian, just get some decent light, like the Exposure Flare, the Smart 1/2 Watt 3 LED, the NiteRider Cherrybomb, etc.

(i'd go for the Smart, the cherrybomb is also equally great, but let down by it's weak clip that doesn't stay on your bag that well).

Is it possible to get durable 3M reflective tape? was thinking about modifying a jacket and a bag.

You can get iron-on reflective material in strips or sheets. I bought some from Evans a couple of years ago and it's still stuck solid on a couple of bags. Will post a pic later if I remember.

I have a knog skink on the back which I have found very bright, then a topeak whitelight II and a really bright wilkos led backup light on front. Got a set of cateyes in the post from cycling plus as well.

FYI

http://magazine.bikeradar.com/2011/01/22/3184/

while the new Knog are a lots brighter and noticeable, their battery aren't exactly obtainable, the best thing I tend to recommend is to get a normal light that have normal battery (AA or AAA), thus the cyclists can able to replace them easily even at 12am in the evening.

Have you seen the new knogs, Ed? They are actually really good. They take AAA batteries and the LEDs are really bright.

The watch batteries in the knog frogs can be purchased in packs of 10 from poundland. they come as part of a multipack, so you even get extra useless batteries to use as tiny coasters or to try and fool vending machines into giving you chocolate.

hehe

I've read Ed's post about 10 times and find a new "funny" each time.

usb rechargeable lights. it's the future. i've seen it.

I have a Knog Frog set to flashing LED & a Magicshine 900lumen up front.

On the rear I have a Knog Gekko, along with two dual LED's set to flash on the rear or my cycle helmet.

Have you seen the new knogs, Ed? They are actually really good. They take AAA batteries and the LEDs are really bright.

I'm talking about the new Frog that replaced the terrible one actually.

My rear knog is too unreliable and my front is bust, so I've now got a pair from Kathmandu. They're good, they're bright. Can't see what else you need from a light.

Knog skink - really bright, has been coated in grime and soaked and still going fine.

That's the rear I had. Bad luck for me I guess, it's got a mind of its own. Work-shy.

you have it for long? send it back?

Few months. Not fussed about a refund or whathavya, happy to have my current lights instead.

I've had 3 knogs. Every single one stopped working. Pieces of shit, no?

I can safely say I won't have another, lets leave it at that.

my two frogs remain excellent pieces of kit, i use them in emergences only now though, for when i forget to charge my fleas. they never stopped working till the batteries went, new batteries for a quid, all good again! why are so many lights named after animals, yet there is no fire fly or angler fish light?

I'm talking about the new Frog that replaced the terrible one actually.

Shoulda said then mate.

usb rechargeable lights. it's the future. i've seen it.

rechargeable lights are a bad idea, what happens when they run out?

thats the future - no one knows.