Posted By Stupendous Man Does anyone include cyclists in their occupational road risk programmes? I am specifically thinking of references to ensuring lights are used when appropriate (and not just the flashing lights, which are illegal if used alone), using cycle paths where provided, complying with the highway code? Any comments appreciated.

Posted By Brett Day I'm inclined to disagree re flashing lights, they are effective in one sense as the eye picks up on movement, however, with some lights the period they are off can be several seconds, a car can cover a fair distance in several seconds, came across a cyclist on a country lane, no road lights, had just come around a blind corner into darkness, saw the cyclist thought why no lights (or rather a less polite version) and then his lamp flashes, I was looking out and travelling at a speed appropriate to the conditions. Personally I have two led lights on the bike - one constantly on and the other set to flash - best of both worlds and makes life very difficult for a driver explaining to the police why he didn't see you when he's knocked you over !!

Posted By Arran Linton - Smith Stupendous Man, The use alone of flashing lights for cycle use at night is legitimate. If you are not sure, the following statement is available via this CTC web-page http://www.ctc.org.uk/De...pDefault.aspx?TabID=3961 on their web-site. This was published on the 16th September 2005 Flashing legalised Following sustained campaigning by CTC, the UK’s national cyclists’ organisation, and just in time for when the clocks go back this year, it should at last become legal to use flashing lights on your bike. The Minister of State, Dr Stephen Ladyman, this week signed the order; and provided there are no parliamentary objections before then, it should become law in October. The details were decided in close consultation with CTC's technical officer, Chris Juden, who said: “This is a welcome liberalisation of cycle lighting law because provided they are bright enough, flashers front and rear will not only be legal, but will be all the lights you need.” In brief, to be legally approved a light may flash at least once and not more than four times per second with a brilliance of at least four candle-power. Most of the better quality flashing lights on sale today, meet that simple requirement. Unfortunately DfT felt unable to make any changes beyond the matter of flashing lights. This will have some strange and unintended consequences. Since lamps emitting a steady light must still conform with BS6102/3 and all that entails, it now becomes much simpler to be legal by flashing than not! DfT are aware of this paradox and intend to add a recommendation to the Highway Code (currently also under review) to use a steady headlamp on unlit roads. CTC continues to campaign for a similar, simple legal approval of lamps emitting steady light, and for a permitted alternative to pedal reflectors in cases where these cannot be used or seen. Until then: cyclists who sensibly light their way with one of those brilliant rechargeable headlamps, that emit thousands of candle-power but are non-the-less, non-BS, can most easily make themselves legal by also fitting a little 4-candela flasher.

Posted By Arran Linton - Smith Stupendous man, If you look at http://www.doeni.gov.uk/...hicles_lighting_regs.pdf you will see that the Statutory Instrument 2005 No. 2559 (The Road Vehicles Lighting (Amendment) Regulations 2005) went through a proper DFT consultation process before the law was changed.

Posted By J Knight Incidentally, I remember reading on this very forum (on a thread about a PCT banning a nurse from doing her rounds on a pushbike) tha there is a higher fatality rate on dedicated cycle paths than on the highway; the poster was doing some postgrad research on this, John