some ample lights to be seen, IMO, chances are he would have been NOTICED/SEEN more, therefore would not have been hit by a car riding his bicycle. Also, he should have been wearing a helmet too. Although not smart, maybe even dumb, he has the right not to wear a helmet.

https://www.usatoday.com/life/people/...ent/52552248/1

He was lucky. First reports, which may well be true, said he had head damage. That was stated as incorrect. Now, they say he only has minor scraps and bruises. ???

IMO, it would have been a complete waste for him to lose it like that. No helmet, and no lights to be seen.

Just sayin...

More about his history than the accident I see.

Also:I don't live on your side of the "pond", but have read enough on here to ask the cynical question:

"Charges against Hackman or the driver?"

I am also cynical enough to believe that if charges are brought against the driver, it will only be because he run down a film star.


Cynical? Moi?

I trust you have proof!



[edit]

And reading that story, you jump to the conclusion that because lights are not mentioned, he did not have or was not using them just because he was not wearing a helmet. This is probably true, but from the information in that story, is unverifiable.

You are correct, I did come to that conclusion. Being hit from behind, usually comes from not seeing what is in front, not paying attention (whereas, IMO, blinking lights would have drawn attention). So, there is at a least a 50% chance the car driver didn't see. Most of the times that is the case, and that is what I based my assumption. Or if they saw, didn't pay it much mind. That is just as worse..

You say it is unverifiable, I beg to differ. He did get hit a 3pm in the afternoon on the bicycle, that is verifiable and a fact. Why did he get hit?? Can't be but a couple answers to that, and not being seen is one of the biggies. I am a newbie at this bicycle thing, but I think I am learning fast. From what I have learned in the last couple months, I have outfitted ALL my bikes with lights, and in the process of adapting all my helmets to have a front and rear blinking lights.

I for one, do not one to leave this wonderful world or get badly injured on a humble!! A humble is a simple word, meaning "something that happened but didn't need to happen"...

Just to clarify, I didn't say it was unverifiable, I said from the information provided it was unverifiable.

That is because it is not mentioned in the story.

Now, at 3pm there is a very good chance that he was not using any lights. However that doesn't mean he didn't have any fitted. We still don't know that.

Now here is the rub, if you cannot see a cyclist in daylight, the cyclist having lights is not going to help IMO. Lights only allow those who are looking to see you sooner. Those who aren't looking will never see you.

Also, during daylight hours a standard 2$ rear blinky is not always very effective.

Move into the night and we have another story entirely, where even someone who is not looking may still have there attention taken by a flashing light in the corner of their eye.

Now let us also be clear, I run my lights 24/7 (static at crown/rack level and blinkies at axle and on pedals) - but this is because they are either powered by a dynamo (1 in the front hub, and 1 in each pedal) or by electromagnetic induction. I could turn the hub powered dyno lights off, but as I don't notice the difference I don't bother.

If I were to go back to battery only lights again it would be dusk til dawn only. As that is when they are most needed.

Aha! We think alike, but differ a lot mainly on what I have in bold. First of all you specify $2 lights. Who said anything about $2 lights oppose to high-end lights, or that the rider had either? Here is the big difference in our opinions. In the daytime, blinking lights can draw attention, even if one is not looking in that direction. Also, in this case the rider (Gene Hackman) is a millionare, so how do you attach him to $2 lights!

I run my lights 24/7.. And/or anytime I ride. Now, I do have the front and helmet on blinking, and the rears are always blinking. I have moved from a single rear light to a minium of two rear lights at all times. I see the more experience riders are running in excess of 5 or more rear lights.. The point is, riders are not trying to save battery power, so running blinking lights in the daytime is not going to put anybody in the poorhouse. On the other hand, blinking lights goes a long, long way in HELPING people see you when you are on the bicycle. I recall when people use to blink their car lights at you for having your lights on in the daytime. Not it is almost law to keep your car lights on all the time. I run my car lights all the time, it helps being seen. On the bicycle being seen should be 95% of the riders safety net..

Point taken.

But you make another assumption (just like I did I suppose) that because he is a millionaire he will be running high end lights. Personally, I would expect him to run high end lights if he is a big cycle enthusiast (is he? I don't know). If not, he will most likely have slightly better than the $2 lights I alluded to, but not necessarily the $100+ systems that enthusiasts utilise.

Some cyclists (in the UK at least) still try to save batteries, maybe were skinflints over here , anyhoo I do agree to a certain point with daytime running lights, and have my car lights on 24/7 as well.

My reason for this is because it makes you easier to see when the sun is behind you, but car lights on the whole are a lot more powerful than most bike lights.

but I think we can agree to differ

Like I said Capt, we on the same page, just a slightly different view.

One thing for sure, Gene Hackmen if he does run lights, they will not be in the $2 or near by area, that's for sure.. I mean, the man is a millionare!!

If you are a "skinflints" over there, well, I am the master of BEING THE CHEAPEST over here. To give you idea, I am running aaa rechargeable batteries from China, that are running something like $3.41 for 8!! Can't get any cheaper than that!!

In summary, we have more points that we agree on than we disagree..

Plus, yours and others different opinions on this subject has helped me a lot on knowing what to do and what not to do...

Whats to stop a guy from mounting 2 and leave one flashing?

I was running a Knog Skunk for a while until I saw the PDW Radbot's 1K LED light. I have been riding with that for a few days on the zZz Pop setting the whole time. Much much brighter than anything I have used or seen before so I am very pleased with it.

Rather get a ticket for my light setup then being hit. Then again, here in NYC, sometimes the lights don't even matter.

And you can add some picky drivers discomfort to the above too.!!

A lot of people cannot understand the importance of our safety on the bicycle on the street and in traffic. Not saying to hell with drivers, we going to blast the highest beams ever, not saying or promoting that. However, we can be aware of others, but our SAFETY SHOULD COME FIRST AND FOREMOST. Our safety depends 99% on us BEING SEEN. If we are not seen, we are in a world of trouble out there. That is just plain common sense.

Not only that, when we ride the bicycle in traffic, we are not riding by ourselves, we have our loves ones/family with us. Because if we get taken out behind not being seen, our family suffers a lost too.

Again, kudos for that post.. Hope a lot of others can understand your point...