I'm not usually the sort to do public service announcements but thought I'd better remind people that its better to look a bit naff rather than be dead. Out on my run this evening I saw a girl out running, dressed all in black, come within inches of being run over by a car as she was crosding the road. The driver was obeying the speed limit so no fault on his part. Be safe people!
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The amount of cyclists I see out and about this time of year dressed in black with a single flashing red light is staggering
YOU CANNOT BE SEEN
Why do manufacturers make them in black??
Agreed Cougs but the amount of just black and just a dirty flashy light on the back of a bike is just not enough?
You need to be lit like a christmas tree
I did see a cyclist in the pitch black on a dual carriageway in the lakes. All in black. No lights. But he did have pedal reflectors. Would I ride on a 70mph road like that ? Nope.
Cyclists on the towpath in my neck of the woods seem to come in two categories. They're either in black with no reflectives or lights and therefore invisible in the dark. Or they're so festooned with lights that they resemble a 747 on the approach to Heathrow.
I run with a headtorch. It's amazing how effective modern reflectives are now. You can be half a mile ahead of me and still lit up like a christmas tree.
I''ve been amazed at the amount of kids that i've seen with no lights on. It's just dangerous. We're lit up like a christmas tree when we run but it doesnt stop other factors playing a role (weather conditions).
Totally agree!
I work in London and the number of cyclists riding in the dark, black/dark clothing, no lights or reflectives, is astounding.
I guess they think that if THEY can see, then other people can see them.
Apparently it doesn't work like that.
I think some cyclists work on the principle that since they're saving the planet from car exhausts, anything they do is right per se. I've noticed that while driving on some nights you can't even see slow-moving pedestrians who happen to be wearing dark clothing, so how we're supposed to see people on bikes with no lights and black outfits, I don't know. Many cyclists and runners are much more clued-up, of course.
I saw the opposite last night on my run. Mother and daughter walking on the pavement both wearing hi viz jackets, the streetlights were working so not sure if they were going into another road without lights but it seemed a little OTT but the small child will probably grow up thinking that wearing hi viz at night is the norm.
maybe she was an elite ninja on counter terrorist duty
You are actually not allowed to just have a flashing light - if you only have one light it has to be steady. A recent study suggested the most visible was one steady and one flashing.
I prefer to have one steady and one flashing - but given that most eedjits ride around with flattish batteries - its probably better to have them flashing than solid. Batteries will last a bit longer.
And I do love the cyclists that have lights and then ride with a big coat hanging down over the light, or put something else on the bike blocking it.
You know what else should have flashing lights on? Black dogs. Nearly ran over a labrador on a dark path the other night, even though I had a pretty decent light on my bike.
my dog has a flashing collar - actually its a flashing running armband re-invented as a collar as the pet shop ones are really expensive!
That's the explanation for decades of UFO sightings, right there.
Aldi have their hi viz gear (crane) in store at the mo.
https://www.aldi.co.uk/en/specialbuys/thursday-specialbuys-3rd-october/product-detail/ps/p/glow-in-the-dark-torch/
Bright blue top. hi vis vest, flashing LED armband and headtorch complete with back light (those alpkit gammas are great for running on the road at night!) when running in the dark. I tend not to cycle in the dar but always carry lights just in case...
I once passed 2 cyclists on a busy A road, the first was lit up like a Christmas tree and wearing hi vis, I saw him a mile off, the second was ninja cyclist in black with a single dull flashing light so I didn't see him until I had practically run him over...
I go out lit up like a bloody Christmas tree when running in the dark, I've still managed to be hit 3 times by cars in the passed 10 years, and twice when out on the bike but to be fare I do ride a bike like I've just stolen it when I'm in town traffic so I could say it's my own fault.
Struggling to get out since the clocks chaged.
Do the headlamps work well enought to light up dark paths (with no street lighting) or are they best used to let others see you?
Would rather run away from traffice in the current conditions, but dont want to fall over tree roots, pot holes etc in the woods.