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Guys in black, no lights and on the phone…

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  • December 20, 2012 at 10:03 pm #17498
    Stedmonkey

    Riding across Oxford city centre starts and ends each day for me and has done for the past 18 months, day in day out. I normally keep myself to myself and just try and get to where I’m going, sticking to the rules of the road or cycle path.

    This evening on the High Street there’s a guy on a bike, dressed in black, no lights front of rear on his mobile phone one hand on the bars.

    I ride past him, hardly seeing him and for some reason I just felt like I had to say something so I did “get off the phone and put some f’ing lights on” to which he says as we cycle side by side – “I’m busy, I’m on the phone”. Then I say “if you carry on like that you’ll get knocked off or get killed’ to which he say “its my responsibility” and tells me to “f’@k off”.

    Having never said anything to a fellow cyclist before I now feel like a vigilanty and can’t help but feel I should have just kept to my own business. I certainly wish I had not sworn in the first place in hindsight.

    Anyone have any thoughts on this, would you do the same?

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  • February 10, 2013 at 12:20 am #709409
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    fishstew

    I see them all the time in
    I see them all the time in Oxford, its not the ones without lights, its the ones on mobile phones ride pavements ride double, run red lights the list goes on.

    Out of annoyance I tweeted Thames Valley Police about it and their response was “there is a scheme set up” frankly i dont see how a media friendly event stops these menaces on the road. I know not all cyclists are psychos on 2 wheels. but it seems that nothing is being done to prevent them. I’ve got so annoyed ive written to my MP (she hasnt replied yet).

    Tonight i told someone off for not having lights on his bike and pretty much dressed in dark clothing, he told me that the police has stopped him 7 times (after the threats and abuse) then he said “my lights where broken then stolen” he was just making excuses.

    i might be unpopluar saying this but i feel that instead of this media friendly slap on the wrist, “we tear the ticket up if you get lights” if a cyclist is caught without lights the bike is taken away. and not given back until the offender has got lights, and the fine sticks. i dont care if they kill themselves being idiots but when they cause accidents that involve others that’s when something should be done.

    sorry i went on a bit of a rant. but thats how i feel

    January 27, 2013 at 10:50 pm #709407
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    hairybiker

    He wasn’t on the phone but
    He wasn’t on the phone but wearing a darkish hoody, riding along the unlit road from Wargrave to Henley at about 17:45 Friday, no lights, chav type with one hand on the ‘bars being towed along by his Staffy-esque mutt.
    Sorry mate but you deserve to end up in the ditch.
    Don’t know about the Somme but this one obviously thought he was immortal X(

    January 27, 2013 at 11:34 am #709405
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    andyp

    ‘Young lads went over the top
    ‘Young lads went over the top on the Somme in 1916. They thought they were immortal.

    Need I say more?’

    Yes, say more. I’m intrigued, as I’ve never encountered artillery, mustard gas or machine gun fire on my commutes, and I go through some very rough parts of Manchester.

    December 30, 2012 at 11:40 pm #709403
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    paulfg42

    bobdelamare wrote:Driving to

    bobdelamare wrote:
    Driving to work in my mobile toolbox through Woking before sunrise I pass about a dozen people on bikes. Only about 3 have any lights or bright clothing; not Day-Glo but just not black or grey. When I ride my bike (I’m not a “cyclist”) I wear red, hat, gloves and pannier and lit up like a Christmas tree. But then I’m old and know I’m not immortal.

    Young lads went over the top on the Somme in 1916. They thought they were immortal.

    Need I say more?

    Daftest analogy ever.

    December 30, 2012 at 11:55 am #709401
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    joncrel

    Well, just to put a slightly
    Well, just to put a slightly different point of view, in many UK urban areas street lighting is so bright (and most car lamps are so bright) that low powered cycle lights may not be very useful. In fact even though my 200 lumens front light, and rear lights are considerably brighter than average I still get drivers occasionally telling me to put lights on. …and on high vis jackets, the dayglow stuff was designed for overcast daylight, not for the night. At night its only really reflectors that work, and those only if a light is being shone failry directly on to them.

    Not much to say about mobile phones tho, on the odd SMIDSY occasion the driver nearly always is using a phone/gps/talking to a passenger etc, and its no different for cyclists or pedestrians using the infernal things.

    December 28, 2012 at 8:05 pm #709399
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    Municipal Waste

    My friend Daryl came up with
    My friend Daryl came up with the easiest thing I know for speaking out against cyclists who don’t use lights, just loudly ask the question, “What lights?”

    December 27, 2012 at 11:12 pm #709397
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    londonplayer

    This is one of my pet hates.
    This is one of my pet hates. I have said things in the past but have also been told to “F*** off man!”.

    My view now is as long as they don’t ride into me or cause me problems, let Darwin’s laws of evolution take care of them.

    December 27, 2012 at 10:04 pm #709395
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    Kebab Meister

    I see a few cyclists wearing
    I see a few cyclists wearing just black, with no lights, on my commute. I regularly see a woman wearing a bright pink top but no lights. Considering the cycle path is unlit, completely pitch black, I only ever see her when I’m about 5 metres away from her. I guess she thinks by wearing pink she doesn’t need lights.

    December 25, 2012 at 1:01 am #709393
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    notfastenough

    Had to revisit this thread as
    Had to revisit this thread as I passed just this type of individual tonight, on his phone. He caught me up at the lights, no longer on the phone, but looking down at his screen, with big music headphones on instead! Oh and yes, he ran the red.

    December 24, 2012 at 2:10 pm #709391
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    badback

    I’d have done the same.
    I’m
    I’d have done the same.

    I’m sure that idiots like are out to prove that Darwin’s theories on natural selection are true.

    Unfortunately the headline in the paper if / when he got mashed would have been ‘tragic death of cyclist’. I’d feel sorry for the poor driver that hit him because he did not see him.

    December 21, 2012 at 8:22 pm #709389
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    bobdelamare

    Driving to work in my mobile
    Driving to work in my mobile toolbox through Woking before sunrise I pass about a dozen people on bikes. Only about 3 have any lights or bright clothing; not Day-Glo but just not black or grey. When I ride my bike (I’m not a “cyclist”) I wear red, hat, gloves and pannier and lit up like a Christmas tree. But then I’m old and know I’m not immortal.

    Young lads went over the top on the Somme in 1916. They thought they were immortal.

    Need I say more?

    December 21, 2012 at 4:41 pm #709387
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    Simon E

    ilovemytinbred wrote:just

    ilovemytinbred wrote:
    just remember a large proportion of people are cocks, some travel by bike.

    Yes, sadly it is and will always be the case.

    And yes, drivers will tar all ‘cyclists’ with the same brush because it’s easy and makes them feel a bit better about themselves (and in some cases help justify their bending or breaking of rules of the road – mobile phone use, RLJ, not looking etc). It’s human nature, it’s not about cyclists per se.

    Incidentally, someone raised the issue of cars with defective lights on another forum recently and it’s surprising just how many have one or more brake or tail lights not working or even a headlamp not functioning. The latter can be quite scary on an unlit road.

    December 21, 2012 at 3:56 pm #709385
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    Anonymous

    Another worrying trend I’ve
    Another worrying trend I’ve been seeing is newspaper delivery boys on bikes with no lights, or even hi-vis. I wonder if the newsagents these lads work realise they are breaking the law with regards to employee heakth and safety.

    December 21, 2012 at 2:38 pm #709383
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    md6

    I see that kind of thing
    I see that kind of thing regularly in London on my commute, but they generally also have headphones on and are either sending or reading a text a lot of the time too. I have tried to explain they’re risking their life and probably mine if i’m anywhere near them but they don’t get it, so now i just leave a lot of space as I pass.

    December 21, 2012 at 1:12 pm #709381
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    SideBurn

    I saw a guy coming towards me
    I saw a guy coming towards me last night, at speed, down hill, in the rain with the wimpiest of headlights. How he could see where he was going in the dark is a complete mystery to me; definately a guy on a bike (not a cyclist). No way he could see or be seen. I think you were right to speak up, good on you!

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