Cyclists seek better lights

Press, 19 May 1981, Page 19

Cyclists seek better lights

Tim Kerr, the president of the Canterbury Cyclists’ Association, believes that cyclists are getting a raw deal from the’public, about the inadequate lighting of bicycles at night. He says that the wrong people are being blamed for cyclists’ not using lights. He said, “Until the Minister of Transport insists on strict standards for cycle lights people will use substandard lights or do without them.”,. He said that traffic officers were too lenient towards offenders. People were often let off with a warning because they were young or had a. sub-standard light fitted. < ' ■

i,... The lack of strict tests for • lights meant that the market • was full of “cheap, shoddy I models.” An ordinary -dy- : namo cost up to, $BO and • people tended not to replace them when they inevitably ! broke down. ; The Consumers’ Institute had been horrified at the ■ results it had got when it had i tested' bicycle, lights -this 1 year. Mr Kerr said, “We have ; tried to J arrange ( meetings with the manufacturers and ■ the Ministry of Trade, and Industry but so far nothing J has been done. Unless’Stan- ! . dards of manufacture and of ■ enforcement ’.are improved I /.there is no way the situation ■ will improve.” , ,