randya

Oh, please....



tell it to your dentist roadie friends, maybe they will care

Robert C

The statement, not made by me, that most bicycle are never ridden at night, is probably a safe one. Consider, there is a strong claim that most bicycles sold are seldom ridden at all. While I have not seen any studies supporting this claim, I have no trouble believing it. If it is true, then it would be safe to extend, from that, that most bicycles, the the US, are not ridden at night.

sd790

I do NOT want to get into a political discussion, but I firmly believe that government (laws, requirements) are not the answer. Each individual person must take responsibility for their own actions. IF you ride a bike at night, YOU are responsible for being safe by either having a light or finding an alternative form of transportation.



"Government is not the solution to our problems, government IS the problem."

noisebeam

But it is not a responsibility that only affects the individual.

vol

OK--

Because most bikes don't ride at night, therefore lights should not be required by law.

By the same token:

Because most bikes sold are not ridden (if the claim you mentioned is true), therefore reflectors, brakes,... should be not required by law. Since they won't be ridden anyway. The people who do ride their bikes are responsible for those parts/accessroies.

noisebeam

Are pedals required by law?

randya

would you buy a car without headlights that you had to put aftermarket lights in before you could use it at night?

would you rather there were no safety standards at all for trucks and automobiles?

jefferee

That's still a pretty healthy percentage of the cost to manufacture a typical bike-shaped object.

noisebeam

Huge, espeically if one addds the r&d, testing to ensure it meets code, etc. and then has to sell the bike w/light system for the same margin as it was before the lights were required.
Also do these theoretical cheap dyno systems store power so ones lights don't go off when stopped at intersections?

RacerOne

No, there shouldn't. The last thing I need is one more nameless bureaucrat telling me how to live. If you want a light, buy a light. I did, a couple of them in fact. People who think we need laws to control every aspect of our lives scare me.

noisebeam

I am for improving lighting requirements for operation of bicycles at night and having a national standard for the US.

noisebeam

Sure. If this was the norm then all auto dealers would have many options to choose from and if one wanted could drive off the lot with required lights installed.

Other auto manufacturers would have lights included on some or all models.

canopus 

Well don't I feel silly for spending 300 for a light/mount and a dyno hub I had to lace myself.....

RacerOne

Of course I wouldn't buy a car without headlights, I would choose a car manufacturer who made one with them, you know free market and all. Unless of course it was a racecar, or one intended not to be driven during the night. Much like my bike.

Incapable people are s.. oh nevermind.

CB HI

So, even though I only ride one of my bikes at a time, some of you guys want me to waste my money with lower quality lights for each bike that someone else chooses to sell with each bike.

Sounds screwed up to me.

Especially since the people that push for such laws, ride with far lower quality lights than I do.

BengeBoy 

I think there should be a law requiring all bikes to come with permanently attached fenders so people stop whining about riding in the rain.

Pedaleur

Not only are you required to have lights in Deutschland, but you are required to have a dynamo -- batteries aren't good enough. That's why you see so many dynamos.

Note, however, that they aren't required for racing bikes (defined as under such-and-such kg). Such bikes must be equipped with at least battery power lights.

Of course, Germans actually ride their bikes at night.

Other European countries are like the US: adequate lighting required at night. I don't know of any other countries that _require_ lights sold with the bike, but I've only been in bike shops in a handful of countries.

Such laws are silly.

CB HI

Again, randya hates those who do not ride the way he does.

sd790

+1

B. Carfree

Don't forget the mandatory air-bag jacket (now being marketed to motorcyclists) and matching inflating helmet.

I would prefer mandatory grenade launchers. They should be set to fire randomly so that the cars that are struck were not purposely targeted, but were merely hit "by accident". Okay, just kidding, I think.

vol

Please see my added "Edit" in original post--I have in mind integrated lights.

Chicago Al 

Interesting that Germany is cited as an example here.

You know who also required bicycles be sold with lights (or as they were called, 'velocipedenmitlichtenradscharfen')??

Hitler.

geo8rge

I personally doubt lights add much to bicycle safety. I even doubt reflectors help much. Most cycling is done near where people live or work during daylight hours, usually places with street lights.

Dchiefransom

Integrated means more work to repair or replace. Attached in a good position on the frame or fork would be better. Require a Dinotte be included for the rear headlight, and a bright dynamo powered front headlight for $300+, or would the requirement be just more inadequate junk?

Seattle Forrest

I think tubes should come with integrated pumps that always keep enough air in your tires to float, if you ever fell while riding near a body of water. If you don't like riding at 350 PSI because of a harsh ride, well, you should buy an old Schwinn. Also, perhaps we can build a GPS system into the hubs, so the wheels will stop turning under "salmon" cyclists going the wrong way. And we can get Randya a sniper job and permission to take out all the lycra roadies.

Personally, I'd rather choose my own lights. When I know I'll be home before sun down, I usually leave the lights at home and climb my hills without being weighed down with that massive 9 oz brick. If I know I'm going to be doing much riding after dark, I have a powerful light mounted on the bars, a light around the frame, one in each wheel, and one on the back, plus a final light set on my forehead. If I have plans that end near dusk, I don't go all out. I'd rather do what's appropriate for the situation than have more weight on the bike and a slightly higher price, for what's likely to be a mediocre quality light.