In the space of just three hours, Thames Valley Police
caught 102 cyclists on the roads without bike lights around Oxford.
The Witney Gazette revealed that officers have
been out in force since the clocks went back to make sure people are staying
safe on the roads.
Any cyclist stopped by an officer is given the option of an
on-the-spot £50 fine, completing an online cycle safety diversion course at a
cost of £30, or challenging the matter at the magistrate’s court.
Not surprisingly, most opted to complete the safety course,
which will highlight the importance of being visible on the roads.
Road safety PC Mark Pilling told the newspaper that all
cyclists need a red light at the back and a white light at the front of their
bike as a minimum, with high visibility clothing also strongly advisable.
“While cyclists may be able to see where they are going on a
well-lit street, this does not mean they are fully visible to motorists
approaching with their headlights on,” he stated.
It isn’t only in Oxford where police are cracking down on
cyclists without proper lights and high-vis accessories.
The City of London Police took a slightly different approach
to tackling the issue of cycling safety now the winter nights are closing in.
On the Monday and Tuesday (31 October and 1 November) after
the clocks went back, police officers who spotted any cyclists who had be
caught out by darkness setting in much earlier were handing out free bike
lights.
Officers were located on the Cycle Superhighway near
Blackfriars Bridge and at the junction of Moorgate and Ropemaker Street to
remind cyclists of the importance of making themselves visible and to give out
lights to those who were unprepared.
Cycling Weekly pointed out that many cyclists
in London use lights on their bikes during the day as well as after dark, to
help make them more visible in heavy rain, mist or low cloud, but commended the
scheme for being proactive in tackling road safety.
Bike safety has been in the spotlight - or should that be
headlights? - outside the City of London too this week, with thousands of Boris
bikes receiving an upgrade.
The Evening Standard reported that Blaze
laserlights will be fitted to all 11,500 of the for-hire bicycles over the
coming months, with the first bikes now on the roads sporting their new
illumination.
Laserlights project a bike symbol on the ground six metres
in front of the cyclist, with the aim to make them more visible to cars and
other traffic as they cycle around the city.
Jessica Ennis-Hill has been helping promote the upgrade of
the Santander Cycles, and took part in a evening ride along the East-West Cycle
Superhighway to mark the launch of the first laserlight-equipped bikes.
TfL’s general manager of Santander Cycles Paul Cowperthwaite
explained the change is all about making people feel safer and more confident
while on two wheels.
Having the correct bike lights is just one of many safety
measures cyclists should be investing in, particularly at this time of year.
With so many high-vis products on the market - from high visibility shorts to high visibility vests - there’s no excuse not
to add a bit of fluorescence to your cycling wardrobe.