Safe Speed Forums

Sorry could you point me at the post where weepej's said those things. I seem to have deleted it.

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When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race. H.G. Wells
When I see a youth in a motor car I do d.c.brown

weepej, on Tuesday I will be proceeding along an NSL dc (soon to be reduced to 50 with average speed cam ) at circa 25-30 mph. I am the one holding the traffic up. People will shoot past me and I will think, "bloody idiots, where's the fire?" But I know they're not going that fast, because I use that road my self in my car, it just feels fast, because I am going slow.

My scooter does a good 45mph, but I try to avoid NSL roads where possible, because I just can't compete. I am not resentfull of the faster bikes, cars and commercials, it's just how it is. My scooter is at it's best in town, where I shoot past with a smug look on my face. It's just a case of assesing your mode of transport for the particular journey.

I spent £300 on some lights and they came with a small motor cycle attatched. For 400 notes I'd want some pretty fancy lights

I do some work for a bike shop, while changing some cabinet lights displaying a £350 headlamp I asked the guy what was so special about it.

"well, when you've got a £5k bike you can't just put any old light on it, can you?"

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Fear is a weapon of mass distraction

Quite.

If you drive in such a way that you manage to hit an unlit object in the road at night you've only got yourself to blame surely?

£300? Pah!

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Lupin ... 360038399/

Cyclists do pay council tax obviously, same as car drivers.

No it's not, somebody earlier up the thread said they saw people out on push bikes that were lit up like a car! Just poinitng out that lights liek that can set you back somewhat.

A dark, unlit object moving around in the road? It's not like hitting a static roadsign, is it?

I've had the unlit/dressed in black morons only come into view by silhouette on the lights of oncoming cars before now- and quite close

(oncoming headlights will retract the iris and reduce clarity of vision further)

I saw a muppet coming towards me the other day- his stealth mode only failed as he peddled past a brightly lit shop

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Fear is a weapon of mass distraction

and you'd get some pretty fancy lights... ones that dont have a combustion engine, alternator & 6/12v battery to keep them kicking out the same amount of illumination for long periods of time.
not to mention a HID lamp and power circuitry or latest high output LEDs.

Well, seeing as an unlit cyclist is likely to be moving away from you you've got even more time to spot him, if you're not going too fast.



So you should slow down right? Vision impaired, can't see as far? Slow down? Like I say, hit an unlit object in the road and you've only got yourself to blame right?

I should say that I think cyclists that go out on the road unlit are total and utter idiots, but primarily because they expose themselves to being struck by other total and utter idiots who are going too fast for the conditions.

What would you think if whilst monitoring three lads un lit moving along the road in an eratic path, That I hit you cycling properly but with a small dim light?

Under normal circumstances I would have spotted you very early, but with 85% of my attention on these lads, you cop it.

That is the senario I meet most nights on the way home from work

PS I spent a few grand on my car, I think I want to save weight and take off all the safety features that help pedestrians.

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Speed limit sign radio interview. TV Snap Unhappy
“It has never been the rule in this country – I hope it never will be - that suspected criminal offences must automatically be the subject of prosecution” He added that there should be a prosecution: “wherever it appears that the offence or the circumstances of its commission is or are of such a character that a prosecution in respect thereof is required in the public interest”
This approach has been endorsed by Attorney General ever since 1951. CPS Code

just remind me what they are again..

That you should've been driving more carefully, or slowly so you could cope with the conditions presented to you?

BTW, you can see my back light from over two miles away.

I havent yet hit a single pedestrian or cyclist, but the odds are greatly increased by ferral cyclists who take 85% of my attention. Should I drive at 10mph because they want to ignore all the rules? no!


You cannot or will not see that ferral cyclists are giving legit cyclists a bad reputation and reducing the road safety of every road user.

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Speed limit sign radio interview. TV Snap Unhappy
“It has never been the rule in this country – I hope it never will be - that suspected criminal offences must automatically be the subject of prosecution” He added that there should be a prosecution: “wherever it appears that the offence or the circumstances of its commission is or are of such a character that a prosecution in respect thereof is required in the public interest”
This approach has been endorsed by Attorney General ever since 1951. CPS Code

About the only thing I can think of are bull bars, which at a stretch could be said to reduce suffering as they are likely to result in a quick death rather than a slower one.

What I really object to is these cyclist that dress like 'pros' ride 'pro' style bikes, but ride along the road 2, 3 or even 4 abreast and will not move into single file to allow traffic to pass.

The motor car is, by definition designed to travel faster the bicycle and on single carriageway roads, particularly busy or twisty ones, these idiots are being totally selfish and I am afraid if they want to cycle like that then I will give as little room as possible, without actually touching them, when I pass!

My other gripe with these cyclists is that because of the way they dress and the type of bikes they ride they are an extremely bad example to kids who then also think it is perfectly ok to ride in this fashion.

Regarding the issue of cyclists riding in the dark with no lights and dark clothing, there are some roads where it is impossible to see them until you are no top of them, regardless of speed! Along by our park, which is a narrow road, especially due to parked cars, it is frequently only possible to drive at 10 to 20 mph, and several times I have been startled by a cyclist swerving in front of me, directly into the beam of my lights! Around this sort of area it is important to watch out for children and the elderly, particularly those coming off the park to cross the road, or coming out between vehicles as well as clearing the parked cars and allowing for doors to swing open - all these are hazards that the driver has to bear in mind, we don't need the additional hazard of some idiot riding their bike dressed head to toe in black, usually with a hood up as well and no lights or reflectors on their bike! These idiots deserve to be run over; unfortunately the driver does not deserve having to live with the consequences for the rest of his/her life, especially if the bloody stupid cyclist is killed!

To my mind there is far too much mamby pambying of road users with the onus always being on the driver who ultimately has to watch out for umpteen different things at the same time - it is not surprising that on occasion some drivers miss something. It is about time that ALL other road users start taking some responsibility for themselves or for those too young to be responsible for themselves, with due penalties invoked when they are behaving irratically or dangerously!

Weepej didn’t want to fit heavy lights. If I took the same attitude and didn't comply with the safe frontal shape of the car, plastics that bend and absorb or lights indicators etc. Many of those items could be made much cheaper and lighter, if we were not trying to make them pedestrian friendly.
I didn’t make the point very eloquently

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Speed limit sign radio interview. TV Snap Unhappy
“It has never been the rule in this country – I hope it never will be - that suspected criminal offences must automatically be the subject of prosecution” He added that there should be a prosecution: “wherever it appears that the offence or the circumstances of its commission is or are of such a character that a prosecution in respect thereof is required in the public interest”
This approach has been endorsed by Attorney General ever since 1951. CPS Code

Mine cost £4.99, delivered, with batteries.

Then the bike only cost £25, "off of that ebay".

I seem to recall that shortly after the A5 Shrewsbury bypass was built,there were some military vehicles using said road in the dead of night with no lights. They were using night vision goggles and there was a crash. A bad one. From what I remember the sh*t the soliders were is was fairly deep.

According to my Highway Code. Rule 46 says At night your cycle MUST have front and rear lights lit. It MUST also be fitted with a red rear reflector (and amber pedal reflectors if manufactured after 1/10/1985). White front reflectors and spoke reflectors also help you be seen.

According to the Penalty table:

Dangerous Cycling: Max fine £2,500

Careless Cycling: Max fine £1,000

Cycling on pavement: Max fine £500