Friday, September 26, 2008

To Light or not to Light

As the equinox approaches, we will find that sunrise will come at 7 or
later, and sunset at 7 pm, or earlier.  May I remind my fellow cyclists, and
motorists, for safety, to light up?
Lights are required, under the Motor Vehicle Act (section 183.6) from ½ hour
after sunset to ½ hour before sunrise. These must be a white light, pointing
in the direction the cycle is going, capable of being seen 150 metres away,
under normal conditions, and a red light and reflector to the rear.
Please, do not tell me these lights don't let me see better. That's my
problem, as far as the law is concerned. The real purpose is to make me
visible to others. To my certain knowledge, this law is substantially
unchanged over the last fifty years, and on hearsay evidence, more like the
last hundred.  It is your own skin. If drivers cannot see us, they cannot
avoid us. If they can't avoid us, they may just hurt us, and could claim it
was our own darn fault! Why, when we have enough hassles, should we hand
motorists another reason to be annoyed with us?  It just doesn't make sense.

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