What would you do if you were stuck out without lights?

[Ham]

Both lights? Hmmm unlikely, as I have a back up on my helmet and two on the bike, and small LED permanently fixed to each one. Still, let's imagine. I think I would try to assess each stretch on its merits. I wouldn't be particularly worried about the legality, after all round this way it is a regular sight and I've never seen anyone stopped, so it all comes down to perceived safety. In a well lit area with hi-viz on, I'd cycle carefully on the road. If it was a dark and/or high speed stretch like the North circ, I'd probably take to the pavement. If the pavement had people on, I'd walk it.

[tom_e]

Ride where I felt I could do it safely, and walk elsewhere.  2.6 miles is not a long way to walk - I'll be home in less than an hour either way.

I've had to do further on a quiet country road before, but that's a lot easier because you can see and hear cars coming a mile off.

[Pingu]

Scoot the bike along the pavement, dismount & walk for pedestrian interaction. I've done this when the chain broke on my Pomp.

[clarion]

Probably that.  I've been wondering about this.  My instinct is to say I'd walk, and, often, I would.  But last night, when my crank broke, I rode back to work one-legged on the pavement (mainly), most of which doesn't have a cycle path.  I dismounted well in advance of meeting any pedestrians.

[Jaded]

Round here cycling in the dark could be quite risky, unless you know where the potholes are.

[Si_Co]

I have one active light and one backup if there's any chance I'll be out in poor light conditions, in addition I always carry at least one of these :

http://www.glow.co.uk/indicator-strip.html

Mrs S has made an elastic garter type thing witha bit of velcro on it, attaches to leg, arm, saddle bag etc.
This thing is super tiny, lightweight and has a variety of modes, they were on offer in my former LBS for £4, wouldn,t be without one now.

So that'd be ride on the roads.

[Biggsy]

Please don't vote if you aways have lights.  This poll is for when/if you ever don't have any lights at night.

[Si_Co]

Sorry Biggsy, where is the remove vote option? I know ther used to be one

[Biggsy]

I don't think there is one.  Nevermind.

[RJ]

Given (applying the amended scenario to my own situation - living 2½ miles from the hospital, via a reasonably busy main route into town): we're well-street-lit; and as my bike is well-reflectored; and as there are a couple of slightly scuzzy bits I wouldn't particualrly care to hang around (or walk slowly through): - I imagine I would ride some of the way on the road, and walk (and/or ride slowly) on some sections of pavement, depending on precise road and traffic conditions.

[Biggsy]

Perhaps I shoud fit non-easily-removable lights to my hack bike, because I still would be inclined to leave lights behind, no matter how small they are, when I'm expecting to be home long before dark.

Yesterday afternoon around 3.30pm I went to visit my Dad in hospital, fully expecting to stay only half an hour, but he wasn't on the ward on my arrival as he had been taken down to the operating theatre for an emergency operation.  (A second unplanned op after complications from the first).  So I waited some hours until I could see him.

Afterwards I rode home partly on the pavements and partly on the roads.  I didn't feel good about it.  But even a mile's walk is a chore for me, so to be honest I wouldn't walk 2.6 miles unless there was no choice.

When there's wasn't loads of space to pass pedestrians, I slowed to walking pace until there was.  A police officer in a parked van said nothing as I passed him on the pavement.

This bike isn't very valuable, but would cause a lot of inconvenience if I lost it, or had bits nicked off it.  I have "security" wheel skewers and seatpost bolt, but they only provide a low level of security.  Lock is a Kryptonite Evolution Mini D - not bad.

Having a distressing day doesn't excuse law-breaking - so I'm not using that as an excuse.

[RJ]

Sounds like a reasonable course of action in the circumstances.

[Oaky]

Alone, without lights, in London?

I thought that post was going to end with the line:-

"With my reputation?" 

[hatler]

I'd walk the bike back along the pavement, 'scooting' where I considered it was safe and there was no chance of getting nicked.

[The Seldom Killer]

I've been in a similar situation, minus the hospital bit. I rode some pavement, some road and walked a couple of busy major junctions. On the road, if a car came I'd either mount the pavement or tuck between parked cars. On the pavement I'd interact with peds on foot (mostly).

I didn't feel bad about it, not for a moment. While I wasn't riding legally, I was riding fairly responsibly, and I think that's a far more important criteria. I was also passing through an area of limited social respect and walking slowly with a bike could easily have led to walking slowly without a bike and/or wallet/other valuables.

If a copper had stopped me, I would have pointed out the light fittings on the bike to indicate that I was usually equiped to ride illuminated and hope to indulge their good graces through a little obsequieous diplomacy (this has worked well for me in the past when commiting cycling acts I prefer to describe as unlegal). Even the cops appreciate that people make mistakes from time to time and, as long as they're not currently tasked with busting people for doing what you're doing, talking your way out of a bit of bother is pretty easy in most circumstances.

[teethgrinder]

Not a bad idea to always carry them.  I own a pair of Knogs, but tend to forget about them.  The light-output of these things is pathetic, but they would make me feel less guilty about riding on the road.  I feel safe enough on lit streets without any lights, but don't feel comfortable in blatantly breaking the law.  That's not to say I don't ever do it.

What I'm curious about, is why it has to be lights. I'll wager that your pedals don't have amber reflectors on them, but you are happy to flout this law, just as I am, but will not flout the law concerning lights, just like me. The police have the occasional clampdowns on unlit cyclists, but not pedal reflectors, or even red rear reflectors which are also required at night.

I certainly believe that rear lights aren't essential, but I always have them. I do think they are a big adavntage to me. If I do get hit from behind, it'd work in my favour in court. Bright rear lights do seem to make a difference, but that's just what I think, so no hard evidence. A good front light makes a huge difference. But I'm not entirely sure if they are the only reasons I obey this law. I know I could still get about at night without any lights, it'd just be more stressfull, not that I find it at all stressfull with good lights.

[Biggsy]

You're right, I don't have pedal reflectors.  I use SPD or Look pedals without reflectors, though I do have reflective yellow stickers on my shoe heels (which don't legally qualify).

Lack of pedal reflectors isn't so obvious, and I suspect this law isn't so well known.  I not just about breaking the law, it's about obviously and blatantly breaking the law.

You and I are breaking the law anyway if using nothng but non BS lights with a steady mode at night on road, even if you only use the flashing mode.  But few people know that, so it hardly bothers me.

Regarding rear versus front: I feel safer with no front light than no rear light.  I look where I'm going 99% of the time, so I simply don't procede if I think there's not a high chance that I have been seen.  I look behind me less than 1% of the time, so I have to TRUST drivers more not to drive into me from behind.

[andygates]

Ride on the roads and feel guilty about it. 

I am be-reflectored such that sometimes the retroreflection looks like more lamps than I actually have, so it's not a case of turning ninja... honest.

[teethgrinder]

Lack of pedal reflectors isn't so obvious, and I suspect this law isn't so well known.  I not just about breaking the law, it's about obviously and blatantly breaking the law.

Pedal reflectors show up very well. They're often the first thing that I notice when I see someone on a BSO at night without lights. They're probably not obvious because hardly anyone has them and all the attention is drawn to whether cyclists have lights or not.

I agree with Andy, that if you shine a powerfull light onto a reflector, I doubt you'd know whether it was a light or reflector especially if it was amongst a vast paraphenalia of reflectors and caught up in the madness. Cars have powerfull lights that easily pick out cycle reflectors.

You and I are breaking the law anyway if using nothng but non BS lights with a steady mode at night on road, even if you only use the flashing mode.  But few people know that, so it hardly bothers me.

I think that equivolent European standards are also legal. The German standards, I think, are even higher than BS. They certainly do make some good lights in Germany, such as the Cyo. I think that flashing lights are only legal if there is no other option. Flashing isn't really needed now that lights are much brighter. LEDs used to dim compared to filament bulbs. Now they are much brighter. I'd only use flashing lights in daytime fog now, or if I was worried about my last set of batteries dying before I could get some fresh ones.
But yes, all that anyone (police or moaners) seems to worry about is whether you have lights or not and I use whichever lights are best and don't even think about legality.

Regarding rear versus front: I feel safer with no front light than no rear light.  I look where I'm going 99% of the time, so I simply don't procede if I think there's not a high chance that I have been seen.  I look behind me less than 1% of the time, so I have to TRUST drivers more not to drive into me from behind.

I agree. If I could only have one light, it'd be a rear. But I think a front light makes the biggest difference. A car headlight can easily pick out an unlit cyclist with no reflectors. But as you say, I'd rather have a light rearwards because I can see where I'm going and it'd be much easier to predict the best way of avoiding a crash. A good front light greatly enhances the ride and avoids a huge chunk of need for evasive action, so that's why I say it makes the biggest difference.

[gonzo]

Mtb or road cleats?

I'd probably scoot along the pavement, dismounting as soon as I saw anyone (this was my approach in the past when in this situation).

Also, could you make your phone screen red and then tape that onto the back of your bike?

[teethgrinder]

Also, could you make your phone screen red and then tape that onto the back of your bike?

Maybe Apple could do an app for a red or white screen. They could call it "i-forgot my bike lights again."

[Biggsy]

Mtb or road cleats?

I'd probably scoot along the pavement, dismounting as soon as I saw anyone (this was my approach in the past when in this situation).

Also, could you make your phone screen red and then tape that onto the back of your bike?

I have MTB cleats for this bike.

The phone idea is very novel!  A nurse offered to lend me his pen torch for a front light. 

[gonzo]

The phone idea is very novel!  A nurse offered to lend me his pen torch for a front light. 

I thought about this in the past and decided I'd go with phone with red on the back and my computer with the backlight cranked up on the front.

[Oaky]

The one time I rode home at night with less than the required lighting was when I got to the station to find that the front halogen (dynamo) light on my bike had packed up through bulb failure.

The rear was still functioning, so I rode home along the road mostly as normal, but used a stretch of off-road cycle path which I wouldn't usually bother with on the middle section.

That was when I finally decided to take the plunge and replace the lumotec halogen light with a cyo.

[drossall]

Or carry a spare bulb...