Originally Posted by cyccommute

The problem with your logic is that lights aren't something that most people are going to have a need for. Most bicyclists don't ride after dark or even in that many low light conditions. Road riders who have their bike equipped with Di2 shifter systems aren't going to be riding around in the dark. Downhill riders may ride after dark but they are probably going to use lights if they do so. As a die hard touring cyclist, I don't tour in the dark and can think of few situations where I would. As a long time poster and reader on the touring forums, I doubt there are many tourists that would ride after dark. We tend to like to spend our nights sleeping.

Seatbelts and airbags have a purpose but if motorists only ever drove at 20 mph, they wouldn't need those items either. The best way of dealing with lights is to leave the choice to the individual cyclist who can tailor the lights to his (or her) needs rather then have someone define what they need. For example, a cyclist that rides in a rural area needs less light output than a cyclist that has to deal with the multiple light sources of an urban environment. An off-road cyclist needs more light and a light that functions without the wheel spinning on a dark trail than a cyclist riding a audax.