Cyclists mega-thread (WARNING: Before posting you must read post #1)

Hilly Bill wrote: »

It would be money well spent.

Not really...

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Macy0161 wrote: »

My answer is every situation and circumstance is different, so no I don't think someone driving a car hitting someone on a bike without lights means an automatic free pass for the person driving the car. It may do depending on the circumstances.

Using your logic, the poster earlier saying he deliberately doesn't slow down for someone on a bike, who is clearly breaking several laws, but who they have seen nonetheless, should get an automatic pass because of what the person on the bike is doing. I don't think that's right, and wouldn't expect a court to find it to be right either. One road user being in the wrong, doesn't make the other road user in, or within, their rights, especially given the relative consequences of any collision.

If I see them I can avoid them but it's where they are clearly unseen due to their illegal activity and then being blamed for hitting them is where I have issue.

Almost got run down by a cyclist in pearse at this morning who thought lights didn't apply to her as she ploughed through people crossing the road legally.

TheQuietFella

hmmm wrote: »

If the guards can put a checkpoint on the M50, it shouldn't be too hard to stand in the cycle lane on the quays and pull over every cyclist who does not have lights.

And those who don't cycle in the cycle lane!

what would the guards charge them with?

magicbastarder wrote: »

what would the guards charge them with?

Riding a bicycle without reasonable consideration

TheQuietFella

magicbastarder wrote: »

what would the guards charge them with?

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/travel_and_recreation/motoring_1/driving_offences/driving_offences.html

Fixed charge offences
A system of fixed charge driving offences operates in Ireland which allows the driver of a vehicle who has been detected of committing certain offences under the Road Traffic Acts to pay a fixed charge or fine as an alternative to going to court to answer the driving offence. View a list of fixed charge only offences (pdf).
The Minister has the power to declare any summary (or minor) offence under the Road Traffic Acts 1961-2011 to be fixed charge offences. A person has 28 days from the date of the issue of the fixed charge notice to pay the fine. If it is not paid within 28 days, the charge is increased by 50% and if it is still unpaid after a further 28 days then court proceedings are initiated.
If you receive a fixed charge notice for a driving offence and you were not the driver of the vehicle you must return the notice to the Garda Fixed Charge Processing Office (see 'Where to apply' below) and include the details of the person who was driving (including his/her driving licence number) in the form attached to the fixed charge notice for that purpose. The Gardaí will then issue a fixed charge notice to the driver of the vehicle. The registered owner of the vehicle is the person to whom the fixed charge notice will be sent if the driver of the vehicle was not identified at the time the offence was detected, (e.g. detected by a speed camera or if a car was parked illegally). If the registered owner was not the driver he/she is still obliged by law to notify the Gardaí of who the driver of the vehicle was at the time of the offence.

I note it states vehicle and essentially they are not the same but the same rules should apply!

tough one to make that stick, it's an easy argument that the explanatory note in the act says it's permissible.

TheQuietFella wrote: »

I note it states vehicle and essentially they are not the same but the same rules should apply!

what offence would the guard actually charge them with? your post didn't answer my question.

magicbastarder wrote: »

what offence would the guard actually charge them with? your post didn't answer my question.

I answered it - Riding a bicycle without reasonable consideration

This one can be used for almost anything...weaving on a road, cycling the wrong way on a one-way street, listening to earphones, etc, etc.

Roadhawk wrote: »

I answered it

your answer was nonsense - anyone hit with that offence would be able to point to the fact that there was an explanatory note added to the law to specifically allow the act you are claiming is an offence.

just because you don't like something doesn't make it an offence.

amcalester

Roadhawk wrote: »

Riding a bicycle without reasonable consideration

Perhaps they would be better suited issuing fixed charge penalties for actual offences, such as no front or rear light during lighting up hours, instead of making up offences.

[Deleted User]

I've noticed a lot of cyclists without lights on their bikes as of late, too.

But I think there's a reason for it to be honest. I have lights on my bike and I always see others without and think 'you're mad', but then I have a garage to throw my bike into and I only cycle on it in round trips for a bit of exercise (ie; it's never left anywhere). And then I remember why I never had lights on my bike before when I used to leave it places.

It's because if you lock a bike up anywhere with lights on it, in about 10 minutes they'll have been stole. You learn that lesson once or twice and then you quickly stop spending money on bike lights that people will seemingly have no issue wandering up to your parked bike and taking. Scummers have an obsession with lights, torches, shiny things in general.

This might seem a bit radical, but considering it's 2017, and LED lighting, long-life batteries and USB charging are all everyday things now.. would it not make sense for manufacturers to, dare I say it, actually include a light in the handlebars, as part of the bike's design?!

All you'd need is a slightly downward facing, white strip of light across the handlebar, and a tiny removable, USB-chargeable battery. Wouldn't cost a whole lot, and wouldn't exactly be shaking the world with groundbreaking technology.

First Up

Deleted User wrote: »

I've noticed a lot of cyclists without lights on their bikes as of late, too.

But I think there's a reason for it to be honest. I have lights on my bike and I always see others without and think 'you're mad', but then I have a garage to throw my bike into and I only cycle on it in round trips for a bit of exercise (ie; it's never left anywhere). And then I remember why I never had lights on my bike before when I used to leave it places.

It's because if you lock a bike up anywhere with lights on it, in about 10 minutes they'll have been stole. You learn that lesson once or twice and then you quickly stop spending money on bike lights that people will seemingly have no issue wandering up to your parked bike and taking. Scummers have an obsession with lights, torches, shiny things in general.

This might seem a bit radical, but considering it's 2017, and LED lighting, long-life batteries and USB charging are all everyday things now.. would it not make sense for manufacturers to, dare I say it, actually include a light in the handlebars, as part of the bike's design?!

All you'd need is a slightly downward facing, white strip of light across the handlebar, and a tiny removable, USB-chargeable battery. Wouldn't cost a whole lot, and wouldn't exactly be shaking the world with groundbreaking technology.

Its a while since I owned a bike but I clearly remember the lights being detachable.

monument

Hilly Bill wrote: »

It would be money well spent.

Advocating running people over won't be tolerated.

-- moderator

[Deleted User]

First Up wrote: »

Its a while since I owned a bike but I clearly remember the lights being detachable.

It's what makes them so easy to steal (mind you, i got ones before that you needed a screwdriver to get on and off and they were still stolen).

Maybe I was just unintentionally locking in a bad area, but it seems a common theme.

Carrying bike lights around with you everywhere isn't practical, unfortunately.

Deleted User wrote: »

I've noticed a lot of cyclists without lights on their bikes as of late, too.

But I think there's a reason for it to be honest. I have lights on my bike and I always see others without and think 'you're mad', but then I have a garage to throw my bike into and I only cycle on it in round trips for a bit of exercise (ie; it's never left anywhere). And then I remember why I never had lights on my bike before when I used to leave it places.

It's because if you lock a bike up anywhere with lights on it, in about 10 minutes they'll have been stole. You learn that lesson once or twice and then you quickly stop spending money on bike lights that people will seemingly have no issue wandering up to your parked bike and taking. Scummers have an obsession with lights, torches, shiny things in general.

I would imagine if someone were to rob lights off a bicycle it would be to put them on another bicycle. If this was the case it wouldn't be as noticeable that there are so many cyclists without lights because the robbed lights would be applied to another bike. Same amount of lit bikes on the road.

The main reasons why it appears like there are so many cyclists without lights at night is because they couldn't be arsed being responsible for their own safety and there is practically zero enforcement applied to cyclists in general which gives them free reign to do as they please.

Verdict:
Main issue is enforcement!

monument

Roadhawk wrote: »

I answered it - Riding a bicycle without reasonable consideration

This one can be used for almost anything...weaving on a road, cycling the wrong way on a one-way street, listening to earphones, etc, etc.

No, it can't.

It legally can't be used to fine for another offence (where a Court or on-the-spot offence exists) and it's also can't be used for something which is not illegal (i.e. use of earphones, unless the use of such can be proven to be the cause of driving without reasonable consideration).

amcalester

Roadhawk wrote: »

I would imagine if someone were to rob lights off a bicycle it would be to put them on another bicycle. If this was the case it wouldn't be as noticeable that there are so many cyclists without lights because the robbed lights would be applied to another bike. Same amount of lit bikes on the road.

The main reasons why it appears like there are so many cyclists without lights at night is because they couldn't be arsed being responsible for their own safety and there is practically zero enforcement applied to cyclists in general which gives them free reign to do as they please.

Verdict:
Main issue is enforcement!

Enforcement is definitely an issue but I think that ignorance on the cyclists part plays a large part too.

I would wager that of all the cyclists without lights the majority are not motorists and just don't realise how difficult it is to see an unlit cyclist.

Johnnio13

As a driver and daily cyclist now in Galway I can't get over the amount of people that take to cycling without even a reflector on their bike or person. every evening I pass a couple of cyclists with no lights. Last night the Gardai TC stopped one such lad at top of Taylor's hill where the lighting is ****e at the best of times. Didn't see the outcome but may have saved his possibly short life.

I bought these recently after my cheap lights were continually being nicked:
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ie/en/lezyne-micro-drive-450xl-front-light/rp-prod152253

and my sis bought me this https://blaze.cc/?lcur=UK which is mega bright and gives an led of a bike about 5 feet in front.

monument wrote: »

No, it can't.

It legally can't be used to fine for another offence (where a Court or on-the-spot offence exists) and it's also can't be used for something which is not illegal (i.e. use of earphones, unless the use of such can be proven to be the cause of driving without reasonable consideration).

I thought Pascal Donohoe mentioned something back in 2015 about cyclists wearing earphones could be fined €40 under - Riding a bicycle without reasonable consideration?

Roadhawk wrote: »

I thought Pascal Donohoe mentioned something back in 2015 about cyclists wearing earphones could be fined €40 under - Riding a bicycle without reasonable consideration?

this is the comment.

Transport minister Paschal Donohoe has confirmed that there is no offence banning the use of headphones while cycling

...

the minister added that if the person wearing the headphones was putting other road users at risk, this could be covered by the offence of “pedal cycle without reasonable consideration”

http://irishcycle.com/2015/11/06/td-says-large-number-of-cyclists-with-headphones-putting-themselves-and-fellow-road-users-at-risk/
emphasis mine.

Deleted User wrote: »

It's what makes them so easy to steal (mind you, i got ones before that you needed a screwdriver to get on and off and they were still stolen).

Maybe I was just unintentionally locking in a bad area, but it seems a common theme.

Carrying bike lights around with you everywhere isn't practical, unfortunately.

:eek: What? do you not have Pockets?, a backpack?...

Roadhawk wrote: »

I thought Pascal Donohoe mentioned something back in 2015 about cyclists wearing earphones could be fined €40 under - Riding a bicycle without reasonable consideration?

"Donohoe said while the new system did not create any new specific offence dealing with those who wear headphones, the ‘cycling without reasonable consideration’ provision could be applied.

It means members of the Garda now have discretion in deciding whether cyclists are putting their own safety and that of other road users at risk by using headphones."

http://www.stickybottle.com/latest-news/gardai-now-have-power-to-fine-cyclists-wearing-earphones/

Alf Veedersane

amcalester wrote: »

Enforcement is definitely an issue but I think that ignorance on the cyclists part plays a large part too.

I would wager that of all the cyclists without lights the majority are not motorists and just don't realise how difficult it is to see an unlit cyclist.

I also think a lot of people think wearing a high vis makes them stand out like a beacon. Better than nothing but no substitute for lights.

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

I also think a lot of people think wearing a high vis makes them stand out like a beacon. Better than nothing but no substitute for lights.

Couldn't agree more! and the RSA and Gardai handing out free Hi-Viz only adds to this notion!

I'd love to see the Gardai confiscating bikes from cyclists who are cycling at night with no lights!

07Lapierre wrote: »

I'd love to see the Gardai confiscating bikes from cyclists who are cycling at night with no lights!

I dont think they would have the space to store the amount of bikes if they were to enforce that.