quotables

Two examples of why (in traffic) daytime running lights for bicycles are a very good idea.

--

- GRL

"It's good to want things."

Steve Barr (philosopher, poet, humorist, chemist, Visual Basic programmer)
"Barry Gaudet" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Two accidents in one day might not be a lot in big cities but around here I rarely see one
reported accident in a week.

At least the drivers were caught and held accountable. I suspect many such accidents go
unreported or the driver unidentifed.

The Guelph Tribune, 23/5/3 [A bad day for cyclists] or [why I loathe

autos]

Quoted message said:

Police Blotter.

'A 49-year-old man suffered minor injuries when he was hit by a van May

20.

Quoted message said:

The cyclist was westbound on Willow Road when he was hit at the intersection of Applewood Crescent
by a van driven by a 67-year-old man turning left on to Willow at 4:42 p.m. A Highway Traffic Act
charge is pending against the van driver. [...] 'A cyclist suffered minor injuries after being hit
by a car May 20. The 23-year-old cyclist was headed south on Gordon Street at 1 p.m. when he
collided with a northbound car driven by a 74-year-old woman as she turned left on to Waterloo
Avenue. A Highway Traffic Act charge is pending against the car driver.'

--
'They paved paradise And put up a parking lot' -Joni Mitchell

GRL <[email hidden]> wrote:
: Two examples of why (in traffic) daytime running lights for bicycles are a very good idea.

My first thought was an uncomplimentary generalization of elderly drivers but to your idea: Do you
think day time lights would make that much difference? I've been told that blinkies in night time
aren't that visually significant from the auto drivers POV.

:>The Guelph Tribune, 23/5/3 [A bad day for cyclists] or [why I loathe autos]
:>
:> Police Blotter.
:>
:> 'A 49-year-old man suffered minor injuries when he was hit by a van May
: 20.
:> The cyclist was westbound on Willow Road when he was hit at the intersection of Applewood
:> Crescent by a van driven by a 67-year-old man turning left on to Willow at 4:42 p.m. A Highway
:> Traffic Act charge is pending against the van driver. [...] 'A cyclist suffered minor injuries
:> after being hit by a car May 20. The 23-year-old cyclist was headed south on Gordon Street at 1
:> p.m. when he collided with a northbound car driven by a 74-year-old woman as she turned left on
:> to Waterloo Avenue. A Highway Traffic Act charge is pending against the car driver.'
:>
:> --
:> 'They paved paradise And put up a parking lot' -Joni Mitchell

--
'They paved paradise And put up a parking lot' -Joni Mitchell

Quoted message said:

Do you think day time lights would make that much difference?

Back on May 12 I saw a rider ahead of me almost get right-hooked by a car that passed him. The rider
didn't have daytime running lights, but he did have lots of visibility-enhancing colour. Lots of
bright yellow, shone-on from behind by the midday sun. It was more effective than any active
lighting, which would have been washed-out and limited to being a mere point-source by the bright
daylight. I'm still astounded that the driver missed noticing him.

I do use (generator) lights on rainy or dark, overcast days; the drivers seem to appreciate it.

cheers, Tom

--
-- Powered by FreeBSD Above address is just a spam midden. I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn
[point] bc [point] ca

Our friends in Canada have made daytime running lights mandatory on cars based on (me-thinks)
studies showing it reduces collision rates. Some states require daytime running lights on
motorcycles for the same reason.

One can make all the snide remarks one wants about inattentive drivers, regardless of age, but the
simple fact remains that in the event of a bike/car collision, it's not the inattentive driver who
gets the worse of
it. At least in the U.S., bicyclists are a relatively rare bird and the average motorist running on
autopilot as he commutes to work or home (hey, he's human, he makes mistakes, so do you) is not
on the lookout for them on the street. I think that in traffic, bright daytime running lights
(like the new high brightness LED lights) are a good idea that give a little bit of "hey look at
me" message to motorists and just might keep you, the bicyclist, out of a collision. Just
another addition to riding defensively.

--

- GRL

"It's good to want things."

Steve Barr (philosopher, poet, humorist, chemist, Visual Basic programmer)
"Barry Gaudet" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

GRL <[email hidden]> wrote:
: Two examples of why (in traffic) daytime running lights for bicycles are

a

Quoted message said:

: very good idea.

My first thought was an uncomplimentary generalization of elderly drivers but to your idea: Do
you think day time lights would make that much difference? I've been told that blinkies in night
time aren't that visually significant from the auto drivers POV.

:>The Guelph Tribune, 23/5/3 [A bad day for cyclists] or [why I loathe

autos]

Quoted message said:

:>
:> Police Blotter.
:>
:> 'A 49-year-old man suffered minor injuries when he was hit by a van

May

Quoted message said:

: 20.
:> The cyclist was westbound on Willow Road when he was hit at the intersection of Applewood
:> Crescent by a van driven by a 67-year-old man turning left on to Willow at 4:42 p.m. A Highway
:> Traffic Act charge is pending against the van driver. [...] 'A cyclist suffered minor injuries
:> after being hit by a car May 20.

The

Quoted message said:

:> 23-year-old cyclist was headed south on Gordon Street at 1 p.m. when he collided with a
:> northbound car driven by a 74-year-old woman as she turned left on to Waterloo Avenue. A
:> Highway Traffic Act charge is pending against the car driver.'
:>
:> --
:> 'They paved paradise And put up a parking lot' -Joni Mitchell

--
'They paved paradise And put up a parking lot' -Joni Mitchell