I nearly took a cyclist out tonight...

...and I don't mean for a drink. I was pulling out of a junction, pitch dark, looking both ways, concentrating, no phone (I didn't even have the radio on) and just missed collecting a cyclist coming down the street.

If you've got one of those cheap poxy flashing amber front lights and you think you're visible..think again. Spend a few more quid and get a bright white light.

To the cyclist I I frightened...I'm really sorry.

Close one dude.. Good last minute spot..

It's so easily done.

When I'm out at night I wear a hi-vis jacket, have bright white light(s) on the front, flashing red on back, also have red LEDs on the wheels that create red circles as the wheels rotate and *still* people don't see me. I'm lit up like a &^%$ing christmas tree and wander what it'd take to be seen!

So the guy you just missed isn't doing himsefl any favours with just some dull amber light...

I bl**dy hate most cyclists on the road in the dark. Just feel sorry for the poor sod who'll end up flattening them - how guilty they'll feel despite the cyclist having no lights etc. I nearly killed one the other day - was all over the road, riding one handed & holding a flashing red light in his hand (vaguely pointing backwards) - could so easily have dented my car on him.

I run a solid red ultrabright red on the rear and a flashing green ultrabright on the front, but I guess I'd better sort out a bright white front light... I do only cycle on brightly lit main roads on the way home from work though.

My ride from the Station to home is down pitch black country lanes, I have a static red led on the back of the bike and one on my back pack, front is a solid beem white cateye. Doesn't emit that much (can't see where I'm going very well) but does get me seen as it's soooo dark..

It's in mid light built up areas that I think you're less likely to be spotted in my opinion.

We get a lot of idiot cyclists in york, mainly oriental students from the uni or college, they ride kiddies bikes and the kinda stuff you pull out of a beck, then ride like they've got a 24 pack of tinnies on one handlebar, side by side with a mate, in dark clothing, ignoring lights and without lights ... if you shout 'get some lights you idiot' they just smile, nod and carry on as they were.

the other type are just chavs or socially excluded persons on someone else's bike and wouldn't bat an eyelid passing a copper

Fools.

Flashing front lights should be illegal.

Isn't there a British Standard they don't meet?

I think so... dunno.

They may be illegal on their own actually. I know that there was talk of allowing them on the rear as the only light but I'm not sure about the front.