Commuting without lights? Is it the new trend.

John U

MTB Precision
Due to a couple of reasons I haven’t commuted in into work for about 3 months, the ride has been ride home only.
That changed last week and in pitch darkness, shortly after getting on the bike path I’m passed by a clown with no front light but with a back light. His gear looked like he should know what he’s doing. It was pitch black and before dawn. About half the riders I saw before sunrise were the same. What is going on with that? My concern isn’t for these drop kicks but for the people doing the right thing that the clowns have a head on with, be that pedestrian or cyclist.
 

ashes_mtb

Has preferences
Must be a trend. I just about cleaned up a roadie without lights the other week. I admittedly cut across a 45* bend taking the racing line, but had no idea he was there in the darkness.
 
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Dozer

Heavy machinery.
Staff member
GRRRR! That really shits me. Not only can I not see the wanker coming, how the fuck can you see what you're doing? Another thing that grinds my gears is that pulsing front light bullshit when it's proper dark and you actually need a light, fuckwits I tells ya!
I see a group of roadies regularly who rely on the guy at the front to have the light and the rest just go with the group, scary idea and damn dangerous.
If / when rego becomes the norm for a bike used on the road, we should be made to use lights. Problem with that is, most of the lights you can run are above the ADR rating allowed and we'd potentially have to run pretty dim front lights. How to counter that rego argument? Build bike lanes, simple.
 

Haakon

Keeps on digging
Special mention also to the muppets that have a rear light - but hide it behind a pannier or angle it up or run it half flat or run a useless dim one.
 

Binaural

Eats Squid
Well, it's a self-limiting trend I suppose. Seeing a lot more bikes around at odd times of the day delivering food and so forth, quite a few of those rely on the reflective tape on the box instead of lights quite often.
 

pink poodle

気が狂っている男
we should be made to use lights.
Lights and reflectors are already compulsory in nsw...the penalty for non-compliance is punitive. More bike lanes would be good. You know what is cheaper? Allow bikes on the footpaths...sure there are times when this doesn't really work, a lot of cyclists would need to learn common sense, and it's not a place for winning the tour; but it is effective and seems to work just fine in a lot of other places.

If you've got lights, it gives drivers something to aim at. Much better to go stealth with no lights and dark clothing*.

*may not be my actual opinion.
Sadly it does...nothing like cruising home from work and either being teleporting to a other dimension where there is an egg storm or maybe it is a car full of dick heads...


Extra points for wearing only black.
Ahhhh you've seen me.
 

pink poodle

気が狂っている男
Well, it's a self-limiting trend I suppose. Seeing a lot more bikes around at odd times of the day delivering food and so forth, quite a few of those rely on the reflective tape on the box instead of lights quite often.
Oh....these cunts get a special mention. Riding along on their shit heap shit bikes with throttle operated e-motors. Fu k th em.
 

Cardy George

Piercing rural members since 1981
Allow bikes on the footpaths...sure there are times when this doesn't really work, a lot of cyclists would need to learn common sense, and it's not a place for winning the tour; but it is effective and seems to work just fine in a lot of other places.
Unfortunately there are too many speed-at-all-cost dicks who'd think it's their right to be on the footpath
 

pink poodle

気が狂っている男
Unfortunately there are too many speed-at-all-cost dicks who'd think it's their right to be on the footpath
I reckon that attitude would change. There are plenty of people who already avoid shared paths so they can ride fast. There are also plenty of dick heads trying to hit warp speed through crowds.
 

LPG

likes thicc birds
Unfortunately there are too many speed-at-all-cost dicks who'd think it's their right to be on the footpath
And pedestrians who's minds are permanenly stuck in their phone/headphones. Wake them up from their daze even at walking speed and it's your fault for being a speed demon because they got scared. Seems people are too self centred to share anything these days leaving cyclists to try and fight somewhere in the middle.
 

teK--

Eats Squid
GRRRR! That really shits me. Not only can I not see the wanker coming, how the fuck can you see what you're doing? Another thing that grinds my gears is that pulsing front light bullshit when it's proper dark and you actually need a light, fuckwits I tells ya!
I see a group of roadies regularly who rely on the guy at the front to have the light and the rest just go with the group, scary idea and damn dangerous.
If / when rego becomes the norm for a bike used on the road, we should be made to use lights. Problem with that is, most of the lights you can run are above the ADR rating allowed and we'd potentially have to run pretty dim front lights. How to counter that rego argument? Build bike lanes, simple.
But it is already law for bicycles to use lights before dawn and after dusk! Reflectors as well.
 

pink poodle

気が狂っている男
It is? Well shit the bed, I didn't know that. Someone made a rule based on common sense!
And if you piss the cops off they'll get pissy with you about not having either on your bike in the day time. And fuck bells too.
 
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