Lights on - in daylight

Jabel

Was almost hit yesterday, guy pulled out to overtake a bus and of course gave the usual 'I didn't see you' answer when I caught up with him. I'm thinking of leaving the lights on front and back at all times from now on and saw a cyclist this morning with his lights on and I have to say he was certainly more visible as a result on a very bright morning too. Should it be compulsory to not only have lights (maybe it already is?) but to keep them on all the time? I'd be in favour of it anyway.

logically

So how did this go down? You came along behind a car which was behind the bus and didn't think the car would pull out to overtake the bus?

CheGuedara

Can't say I've ridden in daylight with a front light on but have taken to riding with a rear (Knogs super obnoxious blinder road rear) on the last while. Has it made a difference? Hard to prove, but subjectively I think the number of excessively close overtakes has been less with it on. As for making it compulsory - no, not the way to go.

lennymc

I have a motorbike, with DRL (daytime running lights) and people regularly pull into my path. Road users simply dont look. Until that changes, you could be lit up like the blackpool tower during the illuminations and there will still be accidents.

Danjamin1

It's compulsory to have lights on your bike at night as far as I know, but I don't think it should be compulsory to have them turned on at all times, I can't imagine it making much of a difference on a bright summers day. I know you've said it increased visibility this morning, but I wouldn't imagine it'd have that much of an impact on drivers visibility as most likely if they actually didn't see you you could have been in their blind spot. Or they may just not have looked, who knows? Only my opinion.

buffalo

Jabel wrote: »

Was almost hit yesterday, guy pulled out to overtake a bus and of course gave the usual 'I didn't see you' answer when I caught up with him. I'm thinking of leaving the lights on front and back at all times from now on and saw a cyclist this morning with his lights on and I have to say he was certainly more visible as a result on a very bright morning too. Should it be compulsory to not only have lights (maybe it already is?) but to keep them on all the time? I'd be in favour of it anyway.

They still won't see you if they don't look for you.

Ever pull up behind a car where you can see the driver in the side mirror? Play a game and watch and see if they look for you. I'd wager at least 70% of the cars I do this to never look when they pull off.

The only solution would be an extremely bright dazzling light, which would probably be counter-productive overall.

Jabel

I came through a set of lights on Dorset street and he was already in the bus lane letting somebody out of the car, I slowed down and waited for him to exit bus lane but he didn't and pulled up close behind a stopping bus. At this stage I guessed he was turning left at the next junction and I signaled to overtake both him and bus at which point he veers out almost into me, had to brake hard and narrowly avoided him.
Hope that explains it.

droidus

I leave them on day and night.

Ole Rodrigo

Its easier to assume they don't see you and cycle accordingly.

macnab

I also ride a motorbike with daytime lights and motorists still pull out in front of me. I have been riding bikes for over 30 years and am quite aware that there are motorists who have scant regard for anything smaller than a car. It seems to be a "mines bigger than yours" attitude.
I have also noticed recently that oncoming cars are more and more likely to overtake cyclists even if there is a motorcycle or cyclist coming toward them, I have yet to see this when I am in the car.

rob w

Lights on all the time on my bike anyway, no harm in it and it wont make you any less visible!

logically

Jabel wrote: »

I came through a set of lights on Dorset street and he was already in the bus lane letting somebody out of the car, I slowed down and waited for him to exit bus lane but he didn't and pulled up close behind a stopping bus. At this stage I guessed he was turning left at the next junction and I signaled to overtake both him and bus at which point he veers out almost into me, had to brake hard and narrowly avoided him.
Hope that explains it.

It does. Lights would be no harm to keep on, but defensive cycling, driving and even walking is the only way to get around this city. Each mode of transport has its fair share of careless, unobservant types.

Chips Lovell

If he isn't observant enough to spot a cyclist in broad daylight, lights aren't going to make much of a difference.

aFlabbyPanda

I've mine on all the time too

Stokolan

I Usually leave the rear on during the day. I'd only have the front light on at day time if its a dull day, or Raining.

Inquitus

A Van driver said the same to me the other day and told me I should be wearing Hi Viz, I agreed with him re low light, but it was midday and not a cloud in the Sky!

Del2005

Motorbikes have been using DRLs for years and still get pulled out on all the time. Some motorists find that they don't get pulled out on when using DRLs.

So if the majority of road users can only see a car when it has lights on two wheelers don't stand a chance of being seen DRL or not.

Ole Rodrigo

If the rules of the road where modified so that drivers had to leave some space between them and the curb, regardless of whether they see a cyclist or not, it would help. So many times you see cars swerving, drifting and pulling in to the side or cycle lane, for no reason.

1.5 metres from the curb should be reserved for people on bikes, even if they aren't there, even if there is no cycle lane.

Danjamin1

ror_74 wrote: »

If the rules of the road where modified so that drivers had to leave some space between them and the curb, regardless of whether they see a cyclist or not, it would help. So many times you see cars swerving, drifting and pulling in to the side or cycle lane, for no reason.

1.5 metres from the curb should be reserved for people on bikes, even if they aren't there, even if there is no cycle lane.

Can't see that being enforced though, sure we already have unbroken white line cycle lanes that mean next to nothing to some drivers. Don't think it would make any difference.

The Davestator

Why would you not turn your lights on in daytime? For the sake of an extra set of batteries every few months?
On all the time for me as a flashing light is better than nothing and my life is worth more than 4 x AAA!

Alek

I have my on, blinking, at all times.

Danjamin1

The Davestator wrote: »

Why would you not turn your lights on in daytime? For the sake of an extra set of batteries every few months?
On all the time for me as a flashing light is better than nothing and my life is worth more than 4 x AAA!

Same reason I tend not to turn on my lights in the car during the day, it's generally not necessary.

Lumen

Here's a handy cut-out-and-keep template which you can apply to almost anything in life.

The Davestator wrote: »

Why would you not <do something that marginally increases your safety>? For the sake of <some small inconvenience>? I do <this thing> as it is better than nothing and my life is worth more than <the small inconvenience> is!

Some of the many things that marginally improve safety:

Not eating any food you haven't prepared yourself.
Never having sex except for the purpose of making a baby.
Only crossing the road at pedestrian lights.
Not opening the door to strangers.
Avoiding all contact with animals, live or dead.
Not going to a chipper after pub closing time.

For instance, w.r.t. flesh-induced food poisoning, parasitic infection, possible heart disease and cancer.

The Davestator wrote: »

Why would you not be a vegetarian? For the sake of the taste? I eat only vegetables as it is better than nothing and my life is worth more than the taste of a bacon sandwich is!

bambergbike

The problem is mainly people not looking rather than looking but not seeing. Lights are fairly irrelevant, I think, I would only use DLR on my bike if I had a hub dynamo running all the time anyway and couldn't be bothered switching the lights it powers on and off.

Interestingly enough, there has recently been a safety campaign in the UK involving stickers with bikes that people are supposed to put on their mirrors to remind them to look for bikes.

Which sounds sensible, until you realize:

(a) that drivers are having to be asked nicely and reminded to do something which is a very basic part of the task of driving - the drivers who are responsive to such reminders will most likely be the ones who are conscientious anyway

(b) that similar campaigns elsewhere in Europe (Germany etc) stress shoulder checks as well as mirror checks because the mirror won't tell you everything you need to know in certain situations

mamax

I have the rear light flashing during the day, some notice it as you can tell by the wide overtaking they do but some other twats don't care, I recently had a young girl clip me with her mirror, she had some complete ****e blaring from her radio and 2 kids standing up in the car, she kept driving oblivious to what had happened and my loud ranting, a stupid little girl racer !

TheChizler

Lumen wrote: »

Here's a handy cut-out-and-keep template which you can apply to almost anything in life.



Some of the many things that marginally improve safety:

Not eating any food you haven't prepared yourself.
Never having sex except for the purpose of making a baby.
Only crossing the road at pedestrian lights.
Not opening the door to strangers.
Avoiding all contact with animals, live or dead.
Not going to a chipper after pub closing time.

For instance, w.r.t. flesh-induced food poisoning, parasitic infection, possible heart disease and cancer.

You're leaving out the <some small inconvenience> bit which you added yourself in the quote.

Danjamin1

bambergbike wrote: »

The problem is mainly people not looking rather than looking but not seeing. Lights are fairly irrelevant, I think, I would only use DLR on my bike if I had a hub dynamo running all the time anyway and couldn't be bothered switching the lights it powers on and off.

Interestingly enough, there has recently been a safety campaign in the UK involving stickers with bikes that people are supposed to put on their mirrors to remind them to look for bikes.

Which sounds sensible, until you realize:

(a) that drivers are having to be asked nicely and reminded to do something which is a very basic part of the task of driving - the drivers who are responsive to such reminders will most likely be the ones who are conscientious anyway

(b) that similar campaigns elsewhere in Europe (Germany etc) stress shoulder checks as well as mirror checks because the mirror won't tell you everything you need to know in certain situations

(c) the sticker goes on the mirror which isn't being used in the first place

Liam90

Just like when driving my car, my lights are on all the time.

The Novacastrian

This is like the 'hi-vis' thread - some of us like the idea of hi-vis, some don't. Conversely, some of us like the idea of DLR's, some don't. Personally, I would prefer not to have DLR's so on our utopian roads we would all see each other and respect each other. However, reality is far from utopia and we don't always see each other, so for me, I have DLR's. I personally don't think hi-vis or DLR's should be mandatory.