In early summer, the government came up with some serious regulations concerning cyclists and how they should equip their bikes. From June on, bikers must install front/rear lamps, reflectors fixed to the spokes, they must have ringing bell on the handlebar and a reflector jacket is required under specified circumstances (outside the town at night or due to bad weather conditions like fog).
Immediately, anyone could read both positive and negative comments on these regulations. The number of people having bad attitude toward the rules outweighed the opposite group. They all complained about the fact that those gadgets are just useless and you 'should not decorate your bike as it were a Christmas tree'.
Well, let's approach the situation from some respects. Motorists have always had bad regards on bikers saying they can be hardly seen on the road. They are right. Why not to sacrifice about 1000 Forints for some life-saving equipment? Cyclists are in serious danger even in daily traffic. At night, the danger gets more serious as bikes and bikers are nearly invisible. A tiny plastic Taiwanese lamp with the cheapest Chinese battery just makes it possible that motorists can overtake you without threatening your life. Also, you do not have to make too much effort to purchase a reflector jacket and a ringing bell. Furhtermore, these gadgets will not cost you somuch.
To sum, these 'seemingly useless things' are not that useless as they seem to be. Let's think it twice before you ride your bike. Bikes are becoming fully accepted vehicles in everyday traffic (we all are happy to know that:-)) and regulations must be accepted and obeyed in return. No one wants to be subject to police investigation in lack of any of those gadgets or due to causing accident either. Especially when the one is the victim....
I am with you on this one. And I wonder how a safety measure can cause an uproar among those whose safety the measure aims at.
VálaszTörlés