10 ms·

Riding at night, hands removed from the handlebars, no helmet, with no safety lights or reflective gear, wearing all black, on busy street, where the only indic

Riding at night, hands removed from the handlebars, no helmet, with no safety lights or reflective gear, wearing all black, on busy street, where the only indication of there being a person present is the faint glow of their cell phone screen and the ember of a lit cigarette. Often extremely reactionary and aggressive when they have a close call. Even more so when a fellow cyclist points out how dangerous it is. The above is a common occurrence in inner-SE Portland after hours. Especially on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. It's fascinating from a particular perspective.

quicklime 10y ago
But you were specifically talking about people who assert their legal right. Riding at night without lights is illegal in Oregon. Perhaps those cyclists can be blamed, but innocent pedestrians who have the right of way shouldn't be.
- im_down_w_otp 10y ago
  Okay. Pedestrians looking straight down at their phone, walking full stride at a street corner, making no attempt whatsoever to look for oncoming traffic and strutting out into said oncoming traffic without out so much as a stutter-step. The above is embarrassingly coming in downtown and NW Portland.
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
tomjen3 10y ago
As a driver, I can't see people at night if they don't have lights on, until I am so close that it might as well not matter. I don't like this, but people don't realize how difficult they are to see in the dark — this includes myself when I'm not in my car. That assumes we are talking about a city by the way, a city which has functional street lightning, outside a city I will be using the very powerful beam headlights setting I will actually be able to see you at the same time whether you have lighting on not and will adjust accordingly — assuming you're in front of me, because without lighting I will never see you if you're behind or to my side. Meaning, if you are bicycling straight ahead and I need to turn right, I will see you when I run you over. I don't ever want to be in a situation where I have killed somebody by accident. I will do what I can to avoid or minimize damage, but if you're not lit up there is basically nothing I can do. The best you can hope for, is that I'm quick enough on the brakes that you will only be maimed for life. Afterwards you can blame me or not, I don't really give a shit.
- Symbiote 10y ago
  In the centre of Copenhagen, around this time (1:30), almost all drivers will be driving at not much more than running pace. The tight intersections and narrow roads force the behaviour, and inebriated pedestrians and cyclists everywhere make it necessary. > I will do what I can to avoid or minimize damage, but if you're not lit up there is basically nothing I can do. You can always slow down, until you can stop within the distance you can see.

quicklime 10y ago

But you were specifically talking about people who assert their legal right. Riding at night without lights is illegal in Oregon. Perhaps those cyclists can be blamed, but innocent pedestrians who have the right of way shouldn't be.

im_down_w_otp 10y ago
Okay. Pedestrians looking straight down at their phone, walking full stride at a street corner, making no attempt whatsoever to look for oncoming traffic and strutting out into said oncoming traffic without out so much as a stutter-step. The above is embarrassingly coming in downtown and NW Portland.
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]

tomjen3 10y ago

As a driver, I can't see people at night if they don't have lights on, until I am so close that it might as well not matter. I don't like this, but people don't realize how difficult they are to see in the dark — this includes myself when I'm not in my car. That assumes we are talking about a city by the way, a city which has functional street lightning, outside a city I will be using the very powerful beam headlights setting I will actually be able to see you at the same time whether you have lighting on not and will adjust accordingly — assuming you're in front of me, because without lighting I will never see you if you're behind or to my side. Meaning, if you are bicycling straight ahead and I need to turn right, I will see you when I run you over. I don't ever want to be in a situation where I have killed somebody by accident. I will do what I can to avoid or minimize damage, but if you're not lit up there is basically nothing I can do. The best you can hope for, is that I'm quick enough on the brakes that you will only be maimed for life. Afterwards you can blame me or not, I don't really give a shit.

Symbiote 10y ago
In the centre of Copenhagen, around this time (1:30), almost all drivers will be driving at not much more than running pace. The tight intersections and narrow roads force the behaviour, and inebriated pedestrians and cyclists everywhere make it necessary. > I will do what I can to avoid or minimize damage, but if you're not lit up there is basically nothing I can do. You can always slow down, until you can stop within the distance you can see.