Please don't ride your bike on busy streets after dark

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please don't drive your car on busy , multi-use streets after dark if your vision has declined to where it is difficult to see bicyclists or pedestrians. It is an accident waiting to happen when you cannot see someone legally using a crosswalk at 5:30pm after work, or a bicyclist in the bike lane at 5:30pm after work. This is actually not meant to be snarky- many of us, as we age, suffer from reduced ability to see our surroundings in the dark and if this is you, you need to take some responsibility for yourself and not drive a 2 thousand pound vehicle at 30mph through intersections where you cannot see clearly. Use public transport, or walk.

Wrong thread. This is about pedestrians and cyclists making sure they are visible at night. It’s very simple and has absolutely nothing to do with driver’s eyesight. It is difficult for a person with 20/20 vision to see a dark object against a dark background.

Not the wrong thread at all. If your car has working headlights, shining ahead as you drive, you can 10000% a person or a cyclist without reflective gear in your path. If you cannot- no shade- then you should not be driving at night or you need better glasses. Truly.

This is just silly. Go drive around at 6pm and tell us how easy it is to see people. It can be quite difficult no matter how careful you are.

It IS quite difficult which is why you need to slow down, drive a smaller car that can stop more quickly, or preferably both. This isn’t suburbia, you can’t drive your Suburban around at 45 or even 35MPH and expect everyone to wear a beacon for your convenience of tearing through their neighborhood.

This little hissy fit from cyclists is very tiresome. Do more to make yourself visible to drivers -- or don't! It's totally up to you. I'm just telling you that what bicyclists are doing now to make themselves seen in the dark, generally speaking, isn't working. You'll pay the price for that, not me.

Right! Everyone is telling you cyclist that you are not as visible as you believe you are or should be. Be safer for everyone! Instead of arguing with the truth they are telling you, light it up.

But it’s my RIGHT to wear black Lycra head to toe and ride my black carbon fiber bike at night with no lights through a red light at 30mph! And it’s YOUR fault if you hit me!”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please don't drive your car on busy , multi-use streets after dark if your vision has declined to where it is difficult to see bicyclists or pedestrians. It is an accident waiting to happen when you cannot see someone legally using a crosswalk at 5:30pm after work, or a bicyclist in the bike lane at 5:30pm after work. This is actually not meant to be snarky- many of us, as we age, suffer from reduced ability to see our surroundings in the dark and if this is you, you need to take some responsibility for yourself and not drive a 2 thousand pound vehicle at 30mph through intersections where you cannot see clearly. Use public transport, or walk.

Wrong thread. This is about pedestrians and cyclists making sure they are visible at night. It’s very simple and has absolutely nothing to do with driver’s eyesight. It is difficult for a person with 20/20 vision to see a dark object against a dark background.

Not the wrong thread at all. If your car has working headlights, shining ahead as you drive, you can 10000% a person or a cyclist without reflective gear in your path. If you cannot- no shade- then you should not be driving at night or you need better glasses. Truly.

This is just silly. Go drive around at 6pm and tell us how easy it is to see people. It can be quite difficult no matter how careful you are.

It IS quite difficult which is why you need to slow down, drive a smaller car that can stop more quickly, or preferably both. This isn’t suburbia, you can’t drive your Suburban around at 45 or even 35MPH and expect everyone to wear a beacon for your convenience of tearing through their neighborhood.

This little hissy fit from cyclists is very tiresome. Do more to make yourself visible to drivers -- or don't! It's totally up to you. I'm just telling you that what bicyclists are doing now to make themselves seen in the dark, generally speaking, isn't working. You'll pay the price for that, not me.

You'll sit in jail for vehicular manslaughter and have to live with the fact that you killed someone biking legally in the bike lane because you were too proud to admit you could no longer see in the dark, or you refused to pay proper attention to your surroundings, or both

Not really. Shockingly few drivers are prosecuted for accidentally killing people.

Oh good, now we're moving on from threatening to casually murder someone to gloating about being able to get away with it.

People like you are the problem with society.

Not gloating. I'm neither a driver nor a biker. I walk or take the subway. I'm just saying that in my neighborhood little kids have been hit and killed, and literally nothing has happened to the drivers. It's weird.

It's not weird when the driver isn't at fault. Even if the driver did everything correctly, an an accident can still happen due to circumstances outside of their control, like a person in dark clothing on a dark rainy night darting out of the shadows inches from a car moving slower than the speed limit. It doesn't even need to be that extreme. Twilight is the most difficult time of night to be able to see while driving.

If you hit a person who is walking in a crosswalk you are at fault and the resulting injury or death was completely in your control. Pedestrians walk into the intersection, they don’t “dart.” If you don’t have time to stop before hitting a pedestrian who walks into the crosswalk then you are driving too fast.

Obviously this is wrong. Why do you think people get hit by cars and sometimes killed and no one is charged? Because they determined the driver wasn't at fault.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please don't drive your car on busy , multi-use streets after dark if your vision has declined to where it is difficult to see bicyclists or pedestrians. It is an accident waiting to happen when you cannot see someone legally using a crosswalk at 5:30pm after work, or a bicyclist in the bike lane at 5:30pm after work. This is actually not meant to be snarky- many of us, as we age, suffer from reduced ability to see our surroundings in the dark and if this is you, you need to take some responsibility for yourself and not drive a 2 thousand pound vehicle at 30mph through intersections where you cannot see clearly. Use public transport, or walk.

Wrong thread. This is about pedestrians and cyclists making sure they are visible at night. It’s very simple and has absolutely nothing to do with driver’s eyesight. It is difficult for a person with 20/20 vision to see a dark object against a dark background.

Not the wrong thread at all. If your car has working headlights, shining ahead as you drive, you can 10000% a person or a cyclist without reflective gear in your path. If you cannot- no shade- then you should not be driving at night or you need better glasses. Truly.

This is just silly. Go drive around at 6pm and tell us how easy it is to see people. It can be quite difficult no matter how careful you are.

It IS quite difficult which is why you need to slow down, drive a smaller car that can stop more quickly, or preferably both. This isn’t suburbia, you can’t drive your Suburban around at 45 or even 35MPH and expect everyone to wear a beacon for your convenience of tearing through their neighborhood.

This little hissy fit from cyclists is very tiresome. Do more to make yourself visible to drivers -- or don't! It's totally up to you. I'm just telling you that what bicyclists are doing now to make themselves seen in the dark, generally speaking, isn't working. You'll pay the price for that, not me.

Right! Everyone is telling you cyclist that you are not as visible as you believe you are or should be. Be safer for everyone! Instead of arguing with the truth they are telling you, light it up.

But it’s my RIGHT to wear black Lycra head to toe and ride my black carbon fiber bike at night with no lights through a red light at 30mph! And it’s YOUR fault if you hit me!”

It's even worse when they pull this crap with a child on their bike.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please don't drive your car on busy , multi-use streets after dark if your vision has declined to where it is difficult to see bicyclists or pedestrians. It is an accident waiting to happen when you cannot see someone legally using a crosswalk at 5:30pm after work, or a bicyclist in the bike lane at 5:30pm after work. This is actually not meant to be snarky- many of us, as we age, suffer from reduced ability to see our surroundings in the dark and if this is you, you need to take some responsibility for yourself and not drive a 2 thousand pound vehicle at 30mph through intersections where you cannot see clearly. Use public transport, or walk.

Wrong thread. This is about pedestrians and cyclists making sure they are visible at night. It’s very simple and has absolutely nothing to do with driver’s eyesight. It is difficult for a person with 20/20 vision to see a dark object against a dark background.

Not the wrong thread at all. If your car has working headlights, shining ahead as you drive, you can 10000% a person or a cyclist without reflective gear in your path. If you cannot- no shade- then you should not be driving at night or you need better glasses. Truly.

This is just silly. Go drive around at 6pm and tell us how easy it is to see people. It can be quite difficult no matter how careful you are.

It IS quite difficult which is why you need to slow down, drive a smaller car that can stop more quickly, or preferably both. This isn’t suburbia, you can’t drive your Suburban around at 45 or even 35MPH and expect everyone to wear a beacon for your convenience of tearing through their neighborhood.

This little hissy fit from cyclists is very tiresome. Do more to make yourself visible to drivers -- or don't! It's totally up to you. I'm just telling you that what bicyclists are doing now to make themselves seen in the dark, generally speaking, isn't working. You'll pay the price for that, not me.

You'll sit in jail for vehicular manslaughter and have to live with the fact that you killed someone biking legally in the bike lane because you were too proud to admit you could no longer see in the dark, or you refused to pay proper attention to your surroundings, or both

Not really. Shockingly few drivers are prosecuted for accidentally killing people.

Oh good, now we're moving on from threatening to casually murder someone to gloating about being able to get away with it.

People like you are the problem with society.

Not gloating. I'm neither a driver nor a biker. I walk or take the subway. I'm just saying that in my neighborhood little kids have been hit and killed, and literally nothing has happened to the drivers. It's weird.

It's not weird when the driver isn't at fault. Even if the driver did everything correctly, an an accident can still happen due to circumstances outside of their control, like a person in dark clothing on a dark rainy night darting out of the shadows inches from a car moving slower than the speed limit. It doesn't even need to be that extreme. Twilight is the most difficult time of night to be able to see while driving.

If you hit a person who is walking in a crosswalk you are at fault and the resulting injury or death was completely in your control. Pedestrians walk into the intersection, they don’t “dart.” If you don’t have time to stop before hitting a pedestrian who walks into the crosswalk then you are driving too fast.

You should let the police know that the individual circumstances in any given accident don't matter because it's always the driver's fault so there's no need for them to investigate what happened.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seriously? Don't bike after dark?

Drive more carefully.

The most careful driver in the world will hit an object in the road that is not visible. Reflective clothing was invented for a reason.

Bikers don't want to be required to do anything at all. They want to do something that is very dangerous but it's everyone else's job to make sure they don't get killed doing it.

As drivers, it is our job to make sure we don't kill anyone while we drive, no matter what they're doing. The reason bikes aren't required to be registered and checked for safety equipment, meanwhile, is the same as the reason that pedestrians aren't required to wear lights: because of bikes, cars, and people walking, only one weighs thousands of pounds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seriously? Don't bike after dark?

Drive more carefully.

The most careful driver in the world will hit an object in the road that is not visible. Reflective clothing was invented for a reason.

Bikers don't want to be required to do anything at all. They want to do something that is very dangerous but it's everyone else's job to make sure they don't get killed doing it.

Exactly. They want license to behave totally recklessly with the onus of their safety on everyone else. That mentality is what gives us things like the ridiculous Idaho stop law.

Actually, the Idaho stop law says that bikes can proceed through stop signs if, but only if, there are no other vehicles at the intersection. I don't see how that's particularly unsafe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You people are funny. Are you capable of talking about literally anything else but the fact you ride a bicycle? My god your lives must be boring and unfulfilling if you have substituted a bicycle for a personality.

Whoever started this thread was a driver talking about how other people ride bicycles.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seriously? Don't bike after dark?

Drive more carefully.

The most careful driver in the world will hit an object in the road that is not visible. Reflective clothing was invented for a reason.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seriously? Don't bike after dark?

Drive more carefully.

The most careful driver in the world will hit an object in the road that is not visible. Reflective clothing was invented for a reason.

Bikers don't want to be required to do anything at all. They want to do something that is very dangerous but it's everyone else's job to make sure they don't get killed doing it.

As drivers, it is our job to make sure we don't kill anyone while we drive, no matter what they're doing. The reason bikes aren't required to be registered and checked for safety equipment, meanwhile, is the same as the reason that pedestrians aren't required to wear lights: because of bikes, cars, and people walking, only one weighs thousands of pounds.

Yeah, this makes zero sense. The reason bikes aren't regulated in any way whatsoever -- the reason why you're free to balance a two year old on your head while riding your bike sans helmet down the middle of Connecticut Avenue during rush hour in the dark -- is because there is no organized group pushing for cyclists to be regulated. It would make no sense to treat cyclists like pedestrians because, unlike cyclists, pedestrians are on the sidewalk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seriously? Don't bike after dark?

Drive more carefully.

The most careful driver in the world will hit an object in the road that is not visible. Reflective clothing was invented for a reason.

Bikers don't want to be required to do anything at all. They want to do something that is very dangerous but it's everyone else's job to make sure they don't get killed doing it.

As drivers, it is our job to make sure we don't kill anyone while we drive, no matter what they're doing. The reason bikes aren't required to be registered and checked for safety equipment, meanwhile, is the same as the reason that pedestrians aren't required to wear lights: because of bikes, cars, and people walking, only one weighs thousands of pounds.

Yeah, this makes zero sense. The reason bikes aren't regulated in any way whatsoever -- the reason why you're free to balance a two year old on your head while riding your bike sans helmet down the middle of Connecticut Avenue during rush hour in the dark -- is because there is no organized group pushing for cyclists to be regulated. It would make no sense to treat cyclists like pedestrians because, unlike cyclists, pedestrians are on the sidewalk.

Bicycles are vehicles under DC Code. Pedestrians are not vehicles under DC Code.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please don't drive your car on busy , multi-use streets after dark if your vision has declined to where it is difficult to see bicyclists or pedestrians. It is an accident waiting to happen when you cannot see someone legally using a crosswalk at 5:30pm after work, or a bicyclist in the bike lane at 5:30pm after work. This is actually not meant to be snarky- many of us, as we age, suffer from reduced ability to see our surroundings in the dark and if this is you, you need to take some responsibility for yourself and not drive a 2 thousand pound vehicle at 30mph through intersections where you cannot see clearly. Use public transport, or walk.

Wrong thread. This is about pedestrians and cyclists making sure they are visible at night. It’s very simple and has absolutely nothing to do with driver’s eyesight. It is difficult for a person with 20/20 vision to see a dark object against a dark background.

Not the wrong thread at all. If your car has working headlights, shining ahead as you drive, you can 10000% a person or a cyclist without reflective gear in your path. If you cannot- no shade- then you should not be driving at night or you need better glasses. Truly.

This is just silly. Go drive around at 6pm and tell us how easy it is to see people. It can be quite difficult no matter how careful you are.

It IS quite difficult which is why you need to slow down, drive a smaller car that can stop more quickly, or preferably both. This isn’t suburbia, you can’t drive your Suburban around at 45 or even 35MPH and expect everyone to wear a beacon for your convenience of tearing through their neighborhood.

This little hissy fit from cyclists is very tiresome. Do more to make yourself visible to drivers -- or don't! It's totally up to you. I'm just telling you that what bicyclists are doing now to make themselves seen in the dark, generally speaking, isn't working. You'll pay the price for that, not me.

Right! Everyone is telling you cyclist that you are not as visible as you believe you are or should be. Be safer for everyone! Instead of arguing with the truth they are telling you, light it up.

Not one cyclist has said we shouldn't wear reflective clothing or use lights. Not one. Thats totally rational. We have said we disagree with the idea that we shouldn't be on bikes after dark AT ALL. Dark is 5 PM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please don't drive your car on busy , multi-use streets after dark if your vision has declined to where it is difficult to see bicyclists or pedestrians. It is an accident waiting to happen when you cannot see someone legally using a crosswalk at 5:30pm after work, or a bicyclist in the bike lane at 5:30pm after work. This is actually not meant to be snarky- many of us, as we age, suffer from reduced ability to see our surroundings in the dark and if this is you, you need to take some responsibility for yourself and not drive a 2 thousand pound vehicle at 30mph through intersections where you cannot see clearly. Use public transport, or walk.

Wrong thread. This is about pedestrians and cyclists making sure they are visible at night. It’s very simple and has absolutely nothing to do with driver’s eyesight. It is difficult for a person with 20/20 vision to see a dark object against a dark background.

Not the wrong thread at all. If your car has working headlights, shining ahead as you drive, you can 10000% a person or a cyclist without reflective gear in your path. If you cannot- no shade- then you should not be driving at night or you need better glasses. Truly.

This is just silly. Go drive around at 6pm and tell us how easy it is to see people. It can be quite difficult no matter how careful you are.

It IS quite difficult which is why you need to slow down, drive a smaller car that can stop more quickly, or preferably both. This isn’t suburbia, you can’t drive your Suburban around at 45 or even 35MPH and expect everyone to wear a beacon for your convenience of tearing through their neighborhood.

This little hissy fit from cyclists is very tiresome. Do more to make yourself visible to drivers -- or don't! It's totally up to you. I'm just telling you that what bicyclists are doing now to make themselves seen in the dark, generally speaking, isn't working. You'll pay the price for that, not me.

Right! Everyone is telling you cyclist that you are not as visible as you believe you are or should be. Be safer for everyone! Instead of arguing with the truth they are telling you, light it up.

Not one cyclist has said we shouldn't wear reflective clothing or use lights. Not one. Thats totally rational. We have said we disagree with the idea that we shouldn't be on bikes after dark AT ALL. Dark is 5 PM.

DP. I take it you haven’t read the whole thread because a few pages back a commrade of yours was arguing that they’ll wear what they like and if cars cannot see them then they shouldn’t be on the road.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please don't drive your car on busy , multi-use streets after dark if your vision has declined to where it is difficult to see bicyclists or pedestrians. It is an accident waiting to happen when you cannot see someone legally using a crosswalk at 5:30pm after work, or a bicyclist in the bike lane at 5:30pm after work. This is actually not meant to be snarky- many of us, as we age, suffer from reduced ability to see our surroundings in the dark and if this is you, you need to take some responsibility for yourself and not drive a 2 thousand pound vehicle at 30mph through intersections where you cannot see clearly. Use public transport, or walk.

Wrong thread. This is about pedestrians and cyclists making sure they are visible at night. It’s very simple and has absolutely nothing to do with driver’s eyesight. It is difficult for a person with 20/20 vision to see a dark object against a dark background.

Not the wrong thread at all. If your car has working headlights, shining ahead as you drive, you can 10000% a person or a cyclist without reflective gear in your path. If you cannot- no shade- then you should not be driving at night or you need better glasses. Truly.

This is just silly. Go drive around at 6pm and tell us how easy it is to see people. It can be quite difficult no matter how careful you are.

It IS quite difficult which is why you need to slow down, drive a smaller car that can stop more quickly, or preferably both. This isn’t suburbia, you can’t drive your Suburban around at 45 or even 35MPH and expect everyone to wear a beacon for your convenience of tearing through their neighborhood.

This little hissy fit from cyclists is very tiresome. Do more to make yourself visible to drivers -- or don't! It's totally up to you. I'm just telling you that what bicyclists are doing now to make themselves seen in the dark, generally speaking, isn't working. You'll pay the price for that, not me.

Right! Everyone is telling you cyclist that you are not as visible as you believe you are or should be. Be safer for everyone! Instead of arguing with the truth they are telling you, light it up.

Not one cyclist has said we shouldn't wear reflective clothing or use lights. Not one. Thats totally rational. We have said we disagree with the idea that we shouldn't be on bikes after dark AT ALL. Dark is 5 PM.

DP. I take it you haven’t read the whole thread because a few pages back a commrade of yours was arguing that they’ll wear what they like and if cars cannot see them then they shouldn’t be on the road.

Dear cyclists-acting like spoiled toddlers won't attract new supporters to your cause. And what do you all lycra clad new born environmentalists have to to say about electric cars?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You should let the police know that the individual circumstances in any given accident don't matter because it's always the driver's fault so there's no need for them to investigate what happened.

The driver is legally responsible for the safe operation of his or her car. Just because police don't enforce it doesn't mean it's any less true.

[Anonymous]

Hey bike haters, get your story straight. The lycra-clad cyclists are well lit and reflective via pricey cycling gear that has it integrated into their clothes, shoes, helmet, etc.

The people completely unlit are poor and biking because that's how they can afford to get around. How about we use our copious taxes to fund a handful of people out this time of year giving out free lights and reflective stuff...