-------- Original Message -------- Subject: Re: [Bikies] Slippery slope Date: Fri, 06 Jul 2007 01:11:31 -0500 From: Eric Westhagen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Darryl Jordan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> References: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Indeed you are right. Common sense does advocate dim lights rather than no lights. But your faith in the fairness and compliance in State regulated cycling is misdirected. Eric Darryl Jordan wrote: > The issue is being seen. A weak light or even a > reflector is better than nothing at all. And it isn't > a matter of government intervention as it is public > safety. As a driver and cyclist, I have been taken by > surprise by those cyclists at night who do NOT have > any lights or reflectors at all. Once, I nearly > avoided a head-on collision on a city bike path with > some old guy putzing along in what I call "stealth > mode." > > As a driver I have seen approaching cyclists with weak > lights. But at least I've seen them. Whether or not > they are doing any good for the cyclists' forward > visability is another issue. In an urban environment, > there are usually (not always) enough street lights to > see by. > > If you are fearing some government crackdown for > insufficient lighting, common sense will tell you that > most police officers won't cite such an ordinance > unless a crash occured or if they saw other safety > violations or concerns by the cyclist. However, I feel > that public knowledge that there is enforcement even > if it's after the fact should be enough to encourage > night time visability. And reduction in night crashes > leads to less time and tax money spent by public > servants. In the end, I would lean toward more safety > promotion and less tax money expenditures. > > Darryl > > > --- Eric Westhagen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > Dear Bidget, > > > > Since you ask----This is not the same as lights on > > cars and trucks. If > > the motivation by the cyclist is not not enough, it > > is doubtful the > > cyclist will do more damage to others than he would > > with lights. > > Personally, I have an LED tail light and a dandy new > > Cateye white > > light. But these AAA battery lights are hardly as > > reliable as > > automotive lighting. How would you like a fine if > > you are caught out > > with a dim or faulty light. And if a small LED > > works, maybe there will > > then be a standards committee that will determine > > yours isn't bright > > enough? etc. etc. Then maybe we should outlaw > > "fast bikes" which sneak > > up on people or drop handlebars because a person is > > in less > > control---triathelon bars, sewup tires------------. > > > > Eric > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Bikies mailing list > > [email protected] > > http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies > > _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected] http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies
