TodayFM Fri-Nov16th

Gavin

David Maher and a journalist, surname Nolan I think was on TodayFM just now with Matt Cooper.

Usual stuff, journo very angry chap not happy with cyclists. (He reckons global warming is a joke too)

The point of cyclists not having lighting is fairly valid though, I see it an awful lot going through town with no lights. Same topic at the moment over in the Motors forum. Is there something that can be done ?

Some sort of promotion from Dublin Cycling Campaign perhaps ? Hand out free lights or something. I dunno ! Try and make cyclists aware of it.

Tomas_V

Verb wrote: »

The point of cyclists not having lighting is fairly valid though, I see it an awful lot going through town with no lights.

Some with no lights others with lights fixed to bags or clothing.

Lights must be fixed to the bike. Personally, I take a lot of trouble to attach them to my frame and aim the beams so that they projects effectively.

Lights are really cheap and with good quality LEDs and rechargeables, very reliable, effective and inexpensive to run. It should be possible to be very well equipped for less than 50 euro.

A shock/horror campaign probably won't work. One that sells the idea on the basis of being cheap, easy to do, considerate to others and which might help avoid near-misses might work. Another angle would be to promote it as a key to mutual respect.

I think those who don't take the trouble to light up properly are just being casual. They see themselves as pedestrians with bikes.

cunnins4

This has been threaded to death of late. Can we not have a thread about something other than cyclists who don't use lights?

How about........cyclists using umbrellas???? Oh yeah, that was done yesterday, but at least it was interesting.:cool:

Use your lights lads, if you don't and you get milled by a car tough shít.

niceonetom

cunnins4 wrote: »

This has been threaded to death of late.

Use your lights lads, if you don't and you get milled by a car tough shít.

hear hear.

i'm sick of defending cyclists who give us a bad name.

unionman

niceonetom wrote: »

hear hear.

i'm sick of defending cyclists who give us a bad name.

Yep. And nothing left to discuss at this stage, issue has been done to death.

Tomas_V

unionman wrote: »

Yep. And nothing left to discuss

Other than what's the best way to get people to light up?

'Light up or you'll get mashed' is not going to impress anyone.

'Lets show motorists how to drive properly' might work?

Gavin

As Tomas says, the point is if we can do something about it. Cyclists without lights give the rest of us a bad name. It's an easy thing to fix.

So, question is, what can be done about it?

Turbulent Bill

Free high-vis vests and/or reflective bands might help; I think some of these were introduced when the Luas was launched. They certainly wouldn't be as effective as lights, but some visibility is better than none. Very cheap and easily accessible LED lights would also help. As Tomas V said, the target market is people who consider themselves as pedestrians on wheels rather than 'proper' road users.

As a cyclist and motorist, unlit people on bikes are one of my pet hates.

niceonetom

i consider cycling without decent lights to be very very stupid, and i don't generally agree with rewarding stupidity. that's why the idea of giving away free lights to those who don't have the cop-on to buy them annoys me slightly. i'd be more in favour of on-the-spot fines, i.e. making it cheaper to have lights than not have them.

stigmatisation is a powerful force for behaviour change too. if riding unlit was highlighted as irresponsible asshóle behaviour (in ads or something), akin to the littering campaign at the mo, some progress might be made.

i'm not above telling people to "get some fúckin lights, dick" to these 'pedestrians on wheels' either as i pass them, particularly in the phoenix bloody park [shudders]. only if it's been a long day though.

unionman

niceonetom wrote: »

i consider cycling without decent lights to be very very stupid, and i don't generally agree with rewarding stupidity. that's why the idea of giving away free lights to those who don't have the cop-on to buy them annoys me slightly. i'd be more in favour of on-the-spot fines, i.e. making it cheaper to have lights than not have them.

Agreed. Easy enough to enforce too I would imagine. This time of year, even in what passes for daylight, on a day like today, cyclists are invisible unless they have some sort of high viz and lights combination. When I'm driving, I am always amazed at how unlit cyclists just merge into the background.

The only way to improve the visibilty of all cyclists is to penalise those who refuse to do it. God knows I've argued the point until I'm blue in the face (with someone close to me as it happens), and it has zero effect on their behaviour.

Turbulent Bill

The chances of this being enforced are about zero. Cyclists are at the bottom of the Garda prosecution list, so unless they're actually ramming squad cars, they're unlikely to be stopped. It's not right, but it's the reality. The 'pedestrians on wheels' aren't aware (or bothered) about their invisibility, so things stay as they are.

The free (or very cheap) gear isn't just for the dozy cyclist, it's useful to anyone using the road. There are so many people riding unlit that there's no stigma: maybe if the majority had gear this would change.