CTT lights rule a ‘box ticking exercise'

New regulations meet with mixed opinions, reports James Shrubsall

- James Shrubsall

A new rule compelling time triallists and hill-climbers to use front lights in events has been labelled a “box-ticking exercise that does little for rider safety”.

The new regulation was introduced this month immediately following the CTT (Cycling Time Trials) AGM, along with a second rule that also makes helmets compulsory in events.

“It feels to me like a simple box-ticking exercise,” said aero expert and time triallist Dr Xavier Disley of the front light rule. “I’m not very happy about it. Because it’s not about having lights, it’s the fact that it’s not a safety regulation. If it were a safety regulation, there would be information around what lights you can use, what size and shape and lumens and everything. And there’s nothing about that at all.”

His comments were underscored by national hill-climb champion Tom Bell, who cited the example of riders exploiting the grey areas in the existing rear-lights rules, by turning up at events with a single LED diode taped to a coin cell battery; while women’s champ Bithja Jones said many of her fellow hill-climbers were not even talking about the new front lights rule “because it just seems so ridiculous”.

CTT legal secretary Nick Sharpe argued that “all riders have respected [the rear light rule], and the vast majority, if not all, will use a light that is clearly visible”, and that there was no reason to suspect riders would treat front lights differently.