Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

Oxford wrote: crap

How can we deny the merit of your argument when your argument is so erudite ? It will be
a very sad day when offensive language is going to win an argument.

Oxford wrote: methinks you're starting to read something into this that is clearly not intended.

So let's never think about the unintended consequences. Doesn't matter how bad they will be,
just think of yourself and to hell with the rest of the world ? Is that your logic here ?

Oxford wrote:
last time I rode a bike, motorised vehicles clearly outpaced me. there was clearly no possible way that I could have been mistaken for an emergency vehicle in a hurry

Maybe emergency vehicles run against red lights at 50 kph plus in your state, but here in NSW, most come to an almost
complete standstill before proceeding into an intersection - no doubt to make sure they are seen and other drivers have stopped appropriately. It's very possible you can be moving at a speed that would be mistaken for an emergency vehicle.

Just like it's very possible that bright LED highlights can leave both cyclists and motorists unsure if they're approaching a
motor bike.

Oxford wrote:
actually makes for a safer environment for all

Have the police cyclists in your state realised this ? If not, maybe they really ought to get with it and put
flashing blue lights on their bicycles. Surely, it's an OH&S issue they really ought to be concerned about.

But wait, then you might be confused with police cyclists responding to a genuine emergency situation. Yep, you've
really thought this one through, haven't you ?

Oxford wrote: based on your line of reasoning blue light usage should be banned entirely by non emergency vehicles lest some poor person mistakenly see a blue light flashing or otherwise and mistake it for what it is clearly not.

Well they have Just, as you've pointed out, not for bicycle use.

find_bruce wrote:Why stop at lights, why not add a two tone siren as well - or are you content with riding along going "eeee awww eeee awww"

No need

I frequently get motorists hanging out of their windows making siren noises when I am only riding with two red fibre flares

On Friday night I got a "get off the farken road" yelled at me.... I guess it was just because I was the only vehicle he had to give way to....not! or that I was on a bike...

cp123 wrote:On Friday night I got a "get off the farken road" yelled at me.... I guess it was just because I was the only vehicle he had to give way to....not! or that I was on a bike...

On the plus side, if motorists have the time to wind down their window and yell at you on your bike, it means they are at least seeing you ... what else can a cyclist do but dress the part

Oxford wrote: I am really struggling to see how you can link all these issues to some cyclists using blue lights. based on your line of reasoning blue light usage should be banned entirely by non emergency vehicles lest some poor person mistakenly see a blue light flashing or otherwise and mistake it for what it is clearly not.

at the end of the day it is clearly not illegal. if it was considered such a serious issue by the authorities as you seem to think it is, it would be illegal.

Maybe you might struggle less if you didn't minimize the consequences by limiting your field of view to "some" cyclists.
Think about what consequences that would follow if every cyclists or even 50% of cyclists used a flashing blue light.

Their use is clearly illegal on motor vehicles which aren't emergency vehicles. Those laws were written in times when a flashing
blue light required a much larger power supply than technology now requires. If there is currently no law or regulation prohibiting
their use (e.g. such as making a public nuisance), it wouldn't be the first time the laws needed to catch up with technology.

If enough cyclists used them and it couldn't be stopped by any other regulation or law, it wouldn't be long before the laws and regulations were amended to prohibit them. Anyone who chooses to use them in the meantime is living on borrowed time - and testing the patience of every motorist they dupe.

Should you want to test motorist patience, your comeuppance could be that your ambulance ride to the ER room is hindered
by motorists who think it's just another one of those fool cyclists.

Cue the forum safety recommendations.

Are you advising cyclists should or should not run blue tail-lights with the red??

Oxford wrote: I think cyclists at the very least should comply with the law. Then do anything legally allowed to enhance their visible presence from there.

if you think blue lights are bad, then don't look at this link:

http://www.visiblebiker.com/

you can make bright pictures in your wheel(s) (blue is included).

There a couple of these available, one even lets you design your own text etc to display.

Graeme

Just an update ...

I sent an inquiry to Qld Transport and they replied with the usual story about the basic requirements for riding at night (red reflector rear , white front, electric lights visible at 200 metres etc) and added ..."the use of other lights on a bicycle would be a a matter for police enforcement.".

Given that police enforcement on the subject is dictated by the transport authority (assuming that one doesn't hold up a service station with a bicycle light or whatever) I sent a reply asking on what authority (if not the transport authority) are they suggesting the police would do their enforcing.

Not hopeful of a straight answer ...