I nearly killed a cyclist today?

I nearly hit one about a week ago. He's riding hoodie up, smoking, all dark clothes, no lights (unless you count his cigarette) in the gutter, on the wrong side of the road, on a busy 4 lane city road, in drizzle, at about 7.15am. I was on the right side of the road so nearly hit him head on. I'm on a road bike with constant and flashing front lights, constant and flashing rear lights, day-glo Altura top. Guess what.... he shouts and swears his little head off at me. No wonder some drivers regard cyclists as idiots. Some of us are. Depressing, and in 50+ years I don't think I've ever seen the police enforce the basic and sensible safety laws.

Very much doubt that a mass night ride would achieve anything - unless it woke the police up and they started to do this part of their job, which I doubt.

As one who cycles (and drive too), I am often bemused when I meet cyclists who appear not to give a toss if they can be seen at all by other road users. They are completely clad in dark clothing, no lights, no safety vest, no helmet, no consideration. There should be some law against this. What it does to the nerves of other road users when there is a near miss is too serious to ignore.

Personally I hate using lights at night as it doesn't help my vision significantly but with that sacriface I'll ride on safe well lit roads. Those kids in black hoodies on jump bikes are just being dumb kids who think they're invincible. If I ride somewhere where I needed lights then I will, cuz I wanna live! So yeah start night rides where you require lights in order to ride together. That sounds like a grand idea.

There are a lot of BMX and Fixed gear cyclists that think having lights are lame. They don't realize that is more for them to be seen then for them to see. They also think that you don''t need lights if there are street lights. Most states require lights that can be seen at 500 feet away. Reflectors are pretty much useless and will never replace a light.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/reflectors.html

Cycling without lights at night makes no sense, except as a deliberate attempt to dissociate the rider from cycling and act as a display of loyalty to the car-cult. I presume these are not so much real cyclists as wannabe motorists who can't afford, or are too young for, cars, who do stupid thinks like riding without lights or on pavements deliberately to emphasise the point that they are messing about on bikes, treating them as toys, and do not regard them as real vehicles.

They should do something with that Think! campaign. I ALWAYS have my lights on in the foggy mornings and when it's getting dark. They should do those shock adverts of a cyclist with no lights getting hit by a car or something. People who don't put their lights on are... stupid and put other people at risk. It is definitely something that should be brought to attention.

In Australia it is illegal to not have a helmet and illegal not to have a light in the dark.

These people are idiots and you should do this mass ride to bring awareness.

However, good lights are expensive. Mine costed me $275 for my road bike.

i think he would have deserved it...maybe not death but a good fright!!

i think your story sounds made up

wle.

I laughed so much when I read the title!

Yeah I agree we should either ban them or kill them, either or.