WARNING TO CYCLISTS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 59, 5 April 1946, Page 5

WARNING TO CYCLISTS

CORRECT LIGHTING EQUIPMENT

RIDING AFTER DARK Noticeable, particularly at the pretime time with all street lights blacked out, are the number of cyclists who ride after dark either with very inefficient lamps, or with none whatsoever. They constitute a danger, not only to themselves, but to all road users.

It is a common fallacy among many cyclists that when the headlights of an approaching car are fastened upon them, the driver has them in full view. This is entirely incorrect, for very often when bicycles carry no lamps, they cannot be seen until the car is almost upon them.

As equally important are rear reflectors, for overtaking vehicles are on the same side of the road as the cyclist, and if the driver is unable to see the exact position of the rider —and without a reflector, he very often catches no more than a chance glint from some part of the bicycle —the cyclist may very well through no fault of the motorist, be knocked from his machine, flung off the roadway and perhaps be badly injured. In this manner, may a cyclist’s neglect to provide his machine with the necessary reflector and light for night riding be the cause of a serious accident in which not only could he well be seriously injured, but extensive damage might be caused to both his bicycle and the vehicle concerned!