Free lights
- Ross
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Free lights
Postby Ross » Thu May 02, 2013 7:58 am
As season closes in it's time to light up the night
DateMay 2, 2013
Larissa NicholsonJournalist at The Canberra Times.
As the temperature drops and the days get shorter, more Canberrans are heading home from work in the dark.
And for cyclists frozen hands and faces are not the only challenges the changing seasons bring.
Volunteers for local advocacy group Pedal Power ACT will take to the streets of Canberra on Thursday night, handing out hundreds of free, flashing lights to bicycle owners without one, to help cyclists stay visible after the sun goes down.
Pedal Power Executive Officer John Armstrong said the idea of distributing free lights to cyclists came last year when one of the organisation's council members noticed that after daylight savings ended some cyclists on Canberra's roads were riding without adequate lighting.
''The flashing lights can be incredibly effective in providing notice, in fact probably more effective than the standard lights of a car for people coming up behind cyclists,'' he said.
David Medlock is the manager of Nitelights, a lighting manufacturer which is owned by health business Capital Health Care.
A keen cyclist, he said he donated 250 dual flashing LED lights for Pedal Power to distribute because he had seen too many local cyclists risking their safety by riding without them.
''Front lights are getting really good, but rear lights are a problem, people don't have them or don't realise they need them in traffic,'' he said.
Mr Armstrong said a count of cyclists in March showed cycling had increased in Civic, and anecdotal evidence suggested there were more people on the capital's bicycle paths.
''Is it because there are more bicycle paths being built? Perhaps, but this has been a very mild autumn, so that might have something to do with it as well,'' he said.
Territory and Municipal Services Minister Shane Rattenbury also supports the initiative.
- find_bruce
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Re: Free lights
Postby find_bruce » Thu May 02, 2013 9:33 am
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Re: Free lights
Postby WestcoastPete » Thu May 02, 2013 11:16 am
The idea is a great one. I hope the lights will last, but even if they don't, it gets the message out that lights are so important at night time.
Perhaps this thread might be better and get more coverage in the cycling safety and advocacy heading?
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Re: Free lights
Postby twizzle » Fri May 03, 2013 1:12 pm
...real cyclists don't have squeaky chains...
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Re: Free lights
Postby cp123 » Fri May 03, 2013 3:46 pm
twizzle wrote: And the number of riders on the road who are too dumb to change batteries also astonishes me.
and so say all of me.
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Re: Free lights
Postby FXST01 » Fri May 03, 2013 5:01 pm
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Re: Free lights
Postby trailgumby » Fri May 03, 2013 5:50 pm
Make that three.cp123 wrote:and so say all of me.twizzle wrote: And the number of riders on the road who are too dumb to change batteries also astonishes me.
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Re: Free lights
Postby FXST01 » Fri May 03, 2013 7:33 pm
I think when they turn them on, they are bright and off they go on their ride, but five minutes later the battery is losing it's battle and they never check the light when they finish riding.trailgumby wrote:Make that three.cp123 wrote:and so say all of me.twizzle wrote: And the number of riders on the road who are too dumb to change batteries also astonishes me.
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Re: Free lights
Postby twizzle » Fri May 03, 2013 7:59 pm
But part of me knows that making lights mandatory means that car drivers will stop looking and it would become just another excuse for not paying attention.
So... keep it up you Ninjas, but I will have nil sympathy it a driver doesn't spot you as you pass on the inside.
Sent from my iThingy...
...real cyclists don't have squeaky chains...
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Re: Free lights
Postby ironhanglider » Fri May 03, 2013 10:56 pm
I presume you mean daytime lights. In reduced visibility conditions lights are already mandatory.twizzle wrote:Having driven Northbourne in the morning peak period, I had trouble spotting bikes in my left mirror that I *knew* were there. And dark clothed cyclists in the shadows as you approach from behind are pretty easy to miss as well.
But part of me knows that making lights mandatory means that car drivers will stop looking and it would become just another excuse for not paying attention.
So... keep it up you Ninjas, but I will have nil sympathy it a driver doesn't spot you as you pass on the inside.
Sent from my iThingy...
Cheers,
Cameron
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Re: Free lights
Postby twizzle » Sat May 04, 2013 8:50 am
...real cyclists don't have squeaky chains...
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Re: Free lights
Postby jcjordan » Sat May 04, 2013 9:35 am
Twizzle the Australian road laws removed the mandatory on lights for motorcycles.twizzle wrote:Yes - like the motorbike laws.
Now just need to find the reason
Veni, Vidi, Vespa -- I Came, I Saw, I Rode Home
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Re: Free lights
Postby twizzle » Sat May 04, 2013 10:29 am
Sent from my iThingy...
...real cyclists don't have squeaky chains...
- Ross
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Re: Free lights
Postby Ross » Sun May 05, 2013 5:30 pm
Judging by the amount of Ninja commuters I saw the day after this light giveaway there were many that didn't take advantage of the giveaway or there weren't enough lights to go 'round.
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Re: Free lights
Postby cp123 » Mon May 06, 2013 12:33 pm
FXST01 wrote:Strange that the members of pedal power don't get given one. Not saying I want one, my magicshine 818 is doing just dandy.
err - some of us got one. They commented very favourably on my blue flashing light too. The same one i've had for 6 or 7 years that some people say are totally illegal as I'm "impersonating a copper" which i'm not, but just use it as an added extra to my reds. And given I ride past Julia's joint every night and have had multiple cop cars pass me in the last few years, i don't think they give a fluff either.
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Re: Free lights
Postby wombat 23 » Mon May 06, 2013 6:14 pm
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Re: Free lights
Postby cp123 » Tue May 07, 2013 11:58 am
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Re: Free lights
Postby twizzle » Tue May 07, 2013 1:13 pm
...real cyclists don't have squeaky chains...
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Re: Free lights
Postby m@ » Tue May 07, 2013 5:23 pm
Would make more sense than having to include wheel reflectors imo... I guess retailers wouldn't like it as it would be harder to sell more expensive lights if they had to include cheapies with each bike sold.Ross wrote:I wonder if lights should be compulsary on a bike when sold new (like reflectors and bells are supposed to be) but I guess it would be a bit silly having them on a child's 16" bike that would never be ridden at night.
Mind you, if someone is too stupid to realise they need lights they're probably not smart enough to change the batteries anyway...
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Re: Free lights
Postby Ross » Thu May 09, 2013 10:06 am
Pedal Power ran out of bike lights on Thursday night -- all 400 of them -- so they're ordering more (probably 500) and will do the same again in a few weeks. Not surprisingly, the busiest place to hand out was at ANU where the line-up for something free and useful was long.
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Re: Free lights
Postby x8pg2qr » Thu May 09, 2013 11:19 am
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Re: Free lights
Postby Ross » Mon May 13, 2013 2:36 pm
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