Ninja cyclists, a term used to describe idiots who cycle in all black with no lights, often even with no reflectors on the bike. We all see them as responsible riders, we all deplore them. Don't be like them, give yourself the chance to be seen when riding at night.
Its a personal risk to take in most cases. The information is out there, we all know what the law is - you must ride at night with lights. Obviously any death or serious injury that results will affect the driver (or who ever else is involved), it will affect them emotionally, they may even have to answer a number of questions from the Police and insurers (usually due course in all collisions).
However a thought occurred to me this morning as I rode down the Itchen Bridge in Southampton. I got within 20 feet of another rider, and have to confess I didn't initially realise he was there. Thank christ for the power of Exposure Race lights on urban roads!!! The other rider was none other than a Ninja, had I been going faster or had inferior lights I could have ploughed into him.
The other thought that came to me was this: he was now blocking me from traffic waiting to cross the roundabout further down. Masking my light, and my bright top. Free wheeling at about 10mph behind him made it easier to stick out my arm and overtake, I then took a dominant position on the road through the roundabout so that at least I was seen.
For me, the risk of masking puts not just him at risk, but the rider behind behaving legally. To ride defensively in this scenario the legal rider has a couple of options: 1) overtake and get past (easy if you're able to ride faster) or 2) "unmask" yourself by riding further out to the right in a more dominant position. You may face the ire of a couple of motorists, but that just means you've been seen. That however, cannot always be said for the Ninja.
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I'll often use a combination of the 2 if I spot either a poorly lit or unlit rider ahead when possible. I'll move out to a primary-ish position as I gain on them in an attempt to stop motorists overtaking us both and give them a chance of being seen.
Does make it slightly easier being that I ride in town or on nicely lit residential roads as I can just about spot riders ahead when they block other lights. I'll also try and tell the rider if their rear lights are failing or dim.
Have also had a couple of close calls with some properly stupid ninja's, although I now anticipate it as it's invariably as a single point on one of my routes where a cycle route that crosses a common makes the riders cross the road - if the road appears "empty" they just dart across and leave it for me to avoid them!
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