Unlighted cycles

Press, 11 July 1980, Page 12

Unlighted cycles

Sir, — No matter how short a life lights for cycles may have, they can be replaced; human life cannot. Tim Kerr, as spokesman for the Canterbury Cyclists’ Association, should direct his efforts into improving standards and not to making stupid statements. — Yours, etc. H. D. MARKS. July 10, 1980. Sir, — B. H. Pyle has obviously never tried to equip himself or a bicycle for night-time riding. Reflectorised bands may show up brightly when light strikes them at the right angle, but are hardly reliable. Leg lights are sometimes effective but the light is small,

not visible from all angles and use a set of batteries on a ten mile trip. As for dynamo lights, I have spent hours repairing them on my own and my children’s bikes. Their unreliability and inefficiency are well documented in the latest “Consumer” magazine. B. H. Pyle speaks of cyclists’ irresponsibility; but at a time that our oil import bill is over $3OO million, or a quarter of our total export earnings, who is being responsible — the cyclists who, faced with a choice of no lights or inefficient lights, are still using their own energy, or the motorist burning up imported oil? — Yours, etc., ALISON ZABIDIN. July 10, 1980. Sir, — Surely Tim Kerr must be joking. Simply because there are no New Zealand standards on cycle lights there is no reason whatsoever for not having a light fitted to one’s bicycle. To say that parents do not buy lights for their children’s cycles because they only last a short while, invites the question: the light or child? I used my bicycle for five years to travel 14 miles a day and the light never looked like giving up. I would suggest that, if people don’t want to fit lights, they should stay off our roads so that we can concentrate on law-abiding road users instead of worrying about . dark shadows riding in the middle of the road. — Yours, etc., W. W. JEFFREYS. July 9, 1980.