Cyclists

[Roxetten]

Helmets And High-Vis Clothing To Be Mandatory For E-Bike And E-Scooter Users

Following advice from the Road Safety Authority, the government announced that it intends to make wearing high-visibilty clothing and helmets mandatory for those using e-bikes and e-scooters. Environmental commentator John Gibbons speaks to Ian Guider on The Last Word. Hit the ‘Play’ button on...

www.goloudplayer.com

 

[Debanks]

As a cyclist Helmets and appropriate cycling gear i.e. HI-Vis vests are essential to reduce accidents / serious head injury ( I can attest to this) however it does not reduce the animus towards cyclists and the at times the vitriolic abuse given to cyclists.

 

[The High King]

Because it's a significant disincentive to casual cycling and basically kills shared bike schemes.

Arguably the high vis is more of an issue than the helmet, at least you can chain a helmet to a bike, if it gets wet, meh. But if you've got a high viz jacket, it gets wet that's kinda horrible. And if I have to lug it around, that's a pain in the hole, e.g I don't want to be trying to stuff a stinky high viz jacket into my laptop bag all day or dragging it around for a dinner out.

Why not just get a high viz belt?

Dependable Hi-Vis Belt Yellow

Fully adjustable for a snug fit EN1150 reflective wear safety standards 5cm width

www.safetydirect.ie

Also those high viz vests are lightweight and portable.

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

Why not just get a high viz belt?

Dependable Hi-Vis Belt Yellow

Fully adjustable for a snug fit EN1150 reflective wear safety standards 5cm width

www.safetydirect.ie

Also those high viz are lightweight and portable.

Because it might stop him cycling.

Obviously wearing a helmet and a hi vis is a crippling deterrent to anyone who might otherwise have used a bicycle to get from point A to B.
.

 

[The High King]

My high viz certainly doesn't fit in my jeans pockets.

The evidence is that it's disastrous for cycling rates. You can tell people how easy it actually is, but the evidence is that fewer people cycle as a reuslt, and that ends up with major negative health outcomes.


I wear one because I just don't trust drivers. Don't wear a high viz.



I don't know if it's illegal to cycle after dark in Ireland without lights. If it isn't then it should be, and crack down on cyclists cycling in the dark without sufficient lighting. I think that's inarguable and broadly makes high viz fairly irrelevant.

It is.

https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/travel-and-recreation/cycling/lighting-of-bicycles-in-ireland/

 

[The High King]

Because it might stop him cycling.

Obviously wearing a helmet and a hi vis is a crippling deterrent to anyone who might otherwise have used a bicycle to get from point A to B.
.

I always had a hi viz belt and lights on my bike when I used to cycle all over the city 15 years ago.
It was for my own safety.

 

[The High King]

As HBB establishes, the international evidence does not support the measure. The biggest source of road and footpath casualties is excessive speed and driver distraction. Enforcing existing legislation through proper policing is what is most needed. The hi-viz proposal and making all urban roads 30km/h won't help or is excessive. It would be better to fine cyclists for not have lights working on their lights after dusk and to ban for six months those who use mobile phones while driving or cycling. A few years ago as a knee-jerk reaction to a fatal car crash outside Clonmel, the government doubled speeding fines to reduce "carnage on the roads". Last year saw the highest death toll in 11 years.

A mechanism to enhance bicycle conspicuity and visibility and increase detection distances: New insights into bicycle safety

Poor sensory conspicuity and poor visibility of bicycles are key factors that correlate strongly with bicycle-vehicle accidents. Although researchers …

www.sciencedirect.com

 

[Debanks]

Whist it may not be definitive, stats show that the majority of cycling related fatalities occured during daylight hours, there are undoubted benefits to wearing HI-Vis during the day, however the HI-Vis vest is not the panacea for all cycling related accidents, tolerance and respect for and by all road users could be far more effective in making the roads safer.

• Ireland: Data from 2020–2024 shows a different trend, where only a small minority of fatalities occurred in darkness. For instance, in 2017, only 2 out of 15 cycling deaths happened during darkness hours, with the vast majority occurring in broad daylight.
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• United Kingdom: Specific reports indicate that roughly 15% of accidents involving cyclists occur between 6:00 PM and 6:00 AM.