If a cyclist is riding according to the Highway code and is hit by a car it is absolutely the 100% responsibility of the driver. To suggest that the cyclist bears any responsibility is just plain wrong.
Come and live in a country with dedicated bicycle lanes welcome!
Yes - largely. If they are riding according to the highway code, though, then they will be wearing clothing that makes them visible. Iโm puzzled - are you suggesting that it is perfectly acceptable for a cyclist to ride without making any such attempt? Wearing dark clothes at night, for instance, possibly with no lights on? I assume - hope - that you do not think thatโs OK.
We should all be following the highway code as a MINIMUM. I see nothing wrong, though, in trying your best to compensate for other people who maybe are not doing so.
They have lights - and increasingly these automatically come on when the light deteriorates (my 16-year-old Focus does. I often see cyclists with no lights on their bikes at all. I have seen cyclists with no lights on, and wearing dark clothes. They are very difficult to see. If I did hit one of them, do you think that I would be 100% at fault (which implies no fault can be ascribed to the cyclist)? Do you, for that matter, think that cyclists are never at fault (I would hope not, but I have seen some cyclists who seem to think that is the case).
Anyone riding at night absolutely should be dressed appropriately and carry decent lights. Itโs the idea that a cyclist riding legally in broad daylight is to blame if a driver fails to see them that is my issue.
Fair enough
Best way to avoid a collision isโฆobey the law
Martin
But they buy a bike on line, from a shop and do not have to take any testโฆโฆ.its bad enough with motorists that have โso calledโ passed a driving test.
My first โfightโ with my wife (by then my gf for a few weeks) was about bicyclists without lights. I almost had one on the hood of my car, indeed in black and no lights. Raining & dark (like current weather).
Sometimes you simply canโt see them.
Itโs quite a job for me to keep all the lights of our bikes working. The quality of them isnโt great unless you pay top money.
If one has suggestions for The Best bicycle lights
I have always used Lezyne lights and you can get the front and back lights of their KTV range at a very good deal price
Good evenig everyone,
Skilfully (!) moving the cycling visibility argument back to the theme of this thread. I use a bike computer which controls the front and rear lights pictured below. The rear light incorporates a radar sensor which displays a warning image on the screen of the bike computer and also gives an audible alert.
They are absolutely invaluable and, in my experience, are The Best. I suspect that there might have been some updates, but these are the best that I have used in about 60 years of cycling. They are not al all cheap, but I am fairly certain that any vehicle in front or behind can see me and, critically, I am alerted to vehicles approaching from behnd.
I canโt do anything about the alertness, skills, sobriety, legality or compassion of drivers, but I can do my best to look after myself.
Best wishes,
Brian D.
Bad cyclists are a subset of humanity as are bad motorist. The difference is that bad cyclists donโt kill people, bad motorists do - every single day.
The reality, logistically and in reality is that drivers are responsible for a potentially lethal piece of equipment. This elevates their level of responsibility
As a cyclist and car driver, seeing things from both perspectives, I would never dream of riding on a road under poor visibility conditions - rain and twilight as well as night, without bright clothing, reflective at night. And the brightest lights I can (and I use two rear in case one fails). It is not a matter of fault, just, in my view, stupidity to make yourself invisible as some cyclists seem to prefer. I was knocked off my bike in broad daylight with full sun on me, while wearing a high vis yellow jacket - and the driver claimed not to have seen me. How many more wouldnโt see me if I camouflaged myself? And I once hit a person wheeling a bike on an unlit road before sunrise, they on the outside of the bike, wearing dark clothing and the bike had no lights. The police considered that she was partially culpable and took no further interest. (Fortunately not seriously injured, a few hours in hospital for observation and somewhat bruised.) It brought home to me how invisible I could be as a cyclist.
Well put.
I can legally ride my motorbike wearing Speedoโs, flip-flops and a motorcycle helmet but I donโt, oddly enough.
I did once see a chap on a GSXR1000 wearing shorts and flip-flops
Some people will go to any lengths to make sure people see them: I was once overtaken on the M4 near London by a bike with a topless young lady on the back - and she wanโt leaning in close to him. (Ouch - it doesnโt bear thinking about).
Any pictures?
That was late 1970s or early 80s, before we all carried pocket computers that can take photos - and I was driving.
Not often, anyway.