Reflectors Or Rear Lights On Cycles?

Chronicle (Levin), 18 July 1949, Page 3

Reflectors Or Rear Lights On Cycles?

WELLINGTON, July. 16. Every motor- vehiele must show a tail light. Should cyclists be compelled to look to their own safety in the same why? Tests were made by the Transport depatrment on the Eastbourne and Western Hutt Roads to" get down to real facts and figures, as against opinions for and against, and these will be presented to the Road Safety Council at.its.nextjneetj.ng. - The tests5 were inaae' with full lights And with dipped car lights; cycles car-i-ied reflectors in some cases^and a suitjable rear light in others. The on- ! coming motorist stopped as soon as he picked up the tail light or reflector and the distances'iwere/inehsureds t ..*» The catch about the tail light is that it is no better than a reflectpr (it embodies a reflector) if it is out of order; but the more serious catch in Ihe present. state of -affairs is that "the fiiajority of cycles have neitlier lights idor reflectqrs that. work. v TheVpyblijig isicdfd'is tragic,, Tfirth^ lastl slOI tyeiars- 242 cyclists were killed qnd' M4S injured. In the past two years 1633 cyclists were killed and injured— ilearly .three every 24 hours roUnd thp ^ars'-^-4hq[^ of . |jie-,night ', ae6i|pn|;s liy rar the majority*occWre4 when '"'cyclists were overtaken and were not seen in time by .motqrists. j, Though it is far from a simple matter to ensure that cyclists do protect themselves against danger from behind them, obviously some way must be found, say officials of the Road Safety Council and the Transport Department.