This is one of those things that makes bikers look bad...

So I'm riding along the canal in the dark at about 5:20 this morning and see a cyclist with a red light on the FRONT of his bike coming towards me. Pretty sure I've seen him once before, red light up front, white light on the back. There's a jogger between us also heading towards me so I slow down in case he tries to go around her, I had the right of way but just being cautious...

Next thing I know she screams as if hit or frightened, not sure if he made contact or not or just scared her, it looks like he didn't see her as he came up behind her (red light does not illuminate the road very well for you) and either just barely hit her, or stopped just in time but scared her. He said something to her, I couldn't make it out but it didn't sound very nice, then rode around her. As he passed by me (I had stopped) I said to him, "You know you've got it backwards, the red light goes in the back..." He didn't say a thing, just rode away.

I said to her "That guy's an *******," she agreed and seemed ok.

Some people.

Lots of idiots around, not just on MUPs.

Bikes get to live in this wonderful grey area between pedestrians where pretty much anything goes and motor vehicles where there are innumerable regulations on manufacture, sale, equipment and operation. Because this guy is operating his bike on public property, I kinda feel that backwards running lights is a safety hazard and should be an actual ticketable offense same as it is on a car. I'm sure he has a terrific story about why he chooses to do this...

Dialog starts with questions, not lectures and calling people idiots.

Maybe, "Hey, can I speak with you?" might have been a better way to get his attention than, "You know you have it backwards." Introduce yourself, ask his name, tell him yours, ask why he has the red light on front and let the conversation proceed from there.

Conversation is an art which has been lost in the internet age. Now we shout, lecture, trade series of competing "I" statements and then complain to the internet that everyone around us are idiots.


-Tim-

What human does not understand that red is for taillights and white lights go up front to help you see. If you don't understand this intuitively (or by reading the packaging that came with your light), then riding in the dark with the reverse configuration should clue you in. Odd indeed - perhaps it's intentional.

Decided to delete by self.

Not only that, but Arizona Law requires bicyclists to have a white headlight visible from at least 500 feet and a red rear reflector visible from 50 to 300 feet...

Yeah this morning I approached a road crossing as a guy opposite was approaching. There's a pair of posts on each side. Only one bike can go through the posts at a time, they're too narrow. I was there first, so I went through and crossed the road. Then he attempted to take the road, placing himself between the posts on that side. Now he's blocked me. What an absolute idiot.

It's pretty obvious to anyone who isn't stupid or rude that you let someone off a road before attempting to proceed.

I was tempted to force through and inflict any resulting damage onto him, but chose to go around the outside of the post instead, as I had the tyres and suspension to cope with the kerb.

This guy, unfortunately for many on here, was the commonly clueless type - wearing all the gear, riding a road bike.

Store workers on 20yo Walmart bikes don't act like this.

People drive at night with no headlights on. They can't see the dash. What speed they're going, how much fuel they have, nothing. How can you drive and not realise?

This is the mentality of some people. Like the ones who pedal their bike with the arches of their feet. Wtf

Many cars over the last decade or so have a lit up dash when the lights are off, due to a high tech dash panel design. My stepdaughter's 2008 Honda Civic is like that, my 2013 Mazda 5 is like that, and my long gone 2006 Toyota Matrix was like that. In both cases, the dashes are only dark when the engine is off.

Most of the people I see take off down the road with their lights off have a lit up dash and the street lights give enough view of the road for them. So, they may drive for quite a while like that. Of course, if they come up behind a car with dark tinted windows and pass through their blind spot with no exterior lights on . . .

That would be my guess.

After a couple of decades in the bike biz, a few thousand miles of touring and several years of bike commuting I find myself most on foot these days when around bicyclists. Most seem like normal folk but about 10% qualify as a******s and probably only one in a thousand knows to use a bell when overtaking except on MUPs, and then bell usage is more common. Folks these days are much better with lights, too.

It's funny, later on my ride this morning I actually got complimented on my bell, nice!

It's funny, but I used to complain about folks driving without lights using the same argument as [MENTION=381754]MikeyMK[/MENTION]. Then one night, as I was happily driving down a well lit city street, an oncoming car flashed its lights at me. First reaction was to call the other driver something unkind because I knew I wasn't using my brights, but then realized that I, myself, had neglected to turn my lights on. My dash lights were all lit up and the streetlights provided plenty of visibility so I was an unintentional 4 wheel ninja. Needless to say I immediately turned my lights on and then called myself something unkind (but deserved)

My guess is that's an intentional lighting choice by a salmon. Reversing the red/white would make it less obvious he's riding against traffic, at least at a distance, reducing the chance that law enforcement takes an interest.

As to the rest, just sounds like people being people. Happens every day.

Cool story.
Needs more Muggles and Dahleks.

It happens so seldom to me that I make a point of thanking the cyclist for using a bell.

I had a Praktikum in Munich for summer and cycled all over. Bicycle lights are required and I had not gotten one yet and was caught out at dusk one evening and had a couple of law-and-order Germans make a point of yelling "Licht!" and point at me from the sidewalk. Got a genset the next day.

While I admire your optimism, you do realize what a pessimist truly is, don't you?

An experienced optimist.

Everyone here must be perfect.

None of you have ever forgotten to turn your lights on or drove down the road with your directional on?

I just find it hilarious how people care enough to post this stuff on the forum.

The biggest enigma is why in the world I even get involved.


-Tim-

Hey, while we're solving all the world's MUP problems, let's yell at this guy.

I mean, look at him, being all Eddy Merckx and everything. No helmet, classic bike, good low form, in the drops, blasting along at an admirable clip of around 20 mph or so on a narrow sidewalk, totally in control...

AND HE'S WEARING A FLAPPY T-SHIRT AND BAGGY SHORTS!!!

LET'S ALL YELL AT HIM!!!

Seriously, dude, I'm gonna throw some Lycra and Spandex at you, next time I see you having fun on your bike without following The Rules.



Stop having fun, kid. You're making the rest of us look bad.

What?! No... Red light goes on the port side.

...Yeah... I read a lot here... don't post as much as by the time I get through a thread someone's written a reasonable version of my thoughts already.

Harv


edit-meant to reply to Timothy

Looks like a bike throw..

I hate joggers on mups... I cant count the number of times I've seen them do u-turns out of nowhere all while wearing headphones.