Commuting - The importance of being seen

This isn't really bicycle related but important enough IMO to relay.

Tonight I was driving to pick up some dinner (pregnant wife, craving...)

I was driving in a fairly lit area, it was a 4 lane road with lights and streetlights, and that large turn lane in the middle (yellow lines as wide as a lane).

I was in the righmost lane in one section that wasn't quite as well lit. There was a black family (their being black only is important for illustration) in the turn lane waiting to finish crossing the road. They were all wearing dark clothing. So you can imagine, dark clothing, black skin, nothing reflective. I literally did not notice them until I was almost passing them. They weren't trying to walk, but if someone had wanted to go into that center turn lane I could imagine easily not seeing them until too late.

Totally freaked me out that I never even saw them until it would have been too late.

Even pedestrians should carry a little blinky light or something. I already have 3 but I am going to buy another just for good measure.

-D

I'm sometimes amazed when I see a pedestrian with some kind of reflective stuff on their shoes or jacket. It *really* makes them stand out!

In the winter I drive 30 miles to the park-n-ride and ride my bike the remaining 15 miles to work. Earlier this winter I started noticing a guy commuting to work near my neighborhood as i was driving, riding the sidewalk, no lights, no reflectors. Around Christmas I almost hit him one day as he was crossing an intersection where I was turning. I stopped and got out of the truck and he thought I was gonna hassle him...but then he noticed the bike hanging on my rack and we got to talking about riding and commuting. I gave him one of my spare Vista lights and told him 'Merry Christmas - please use it, I don't want to be the guy who doesn't see you and can't stop in time someday'. Now I see him every morning because it's easy to spot my old blinkie bobbing down the sidewalk. ;)

In the winter I drive 30 miles to the park-n-ride and ride my bike the remaining 15 miles to work. Earlier this winter I started noticing a guy commuting to work near my neighborhood as i was driving, riding the sidewalk, no lights, no reflectors. Around Christmas I almost hit him one day as he was crossing an intersection where I was turning. I stopped and got out of the truck and he thought I was gonna hassle him...but then he noticed the bike hanging on my rack and we got to talking about riding and commuting. I gave him one of my spare Vista lights and told him 'Merry Christmas - please use it, I don't want to be the guy who doesn't see you and can't stop in time someday'. Now I see him every morning because it's easy to spot my old blinkie bobbing down the sidewalk. ;)

Bud Light Commercial Singer Guy:

Real American Heeeroooes...
Mr. Gave his spare blinky to the invisible commuter guy!!

Narrator:

When some guy is riding down the road at dawn and you can't seem him because he doesn't have a blinky, you give him yours.
Because you are a badass good hearted cyclist.
So here's to you Mr. Gave his spare blinky to the invisible commuter guy.
Have a Bud Light and oil your chain, because tomorrow is another day on the bike for you and for him, thanks to you.

Bud Light Commercial Singer Guy:
Mr. Gave his spare blinky to the invisible commuter guy!!

Bud Light Commercial Singer Guy:

Real American Heeeroooes...
Mr. Gave his spare blinky to the invisible commuter guy!!


I guess that's better than being a 'real man of genius' - Mr. Snot Rocket Catcher Guy!

Totally agree... I mean if you go out walking your dog at night you even bring a flashing lite that you flash to oncoming traffic so that they knowyou're there, so why not bring it when you walk your kids? lol

Flashing red lights/reflectors at night really do work very well.

what is just as bad, is seeing numerous Cyclist out there dressed in Dark Clothes, and NO LIGHTS! Course these are the ones you see in Bluejeans and stocking caps, army coats, never see a helmet on them... no no!

Funny, I have Blinded a few with my Headlights on my MTB. LOL

I've seen a lot of "invisible cyclists" in my town at night lately. no lights, dark clothing, etc. I kind of want to start carrying around some cheap blinkies to give out

Bud Light Commercial Singer Guy:

Real American Heeeroooes...
Mr. Gave his spare blinky to the invisible commuter guy!!

Narrator:

When some guy is riding down the road at dawn and you can't seem him because he doesn't have a blinky, you give him yours.
Because you are a badass good hearted cyclist.
So here's to you Mr. Gave his spare blinky to the invisible commuter guy.
Have a Bud Light and oil your chain, because tomorrow is another day on the bike for you and for him, thanks to you.

Bud Light Commercial Singer Guy:
Mr. Gave his spare blinky to the invisible commuter guy!!
:beer:


I've seen a lot of "invisible cyclists" in my town at night lately. no lights, dark clothing, etc. I kind of want to start carrying around some cheap blinkies to give out.
Choose your recipient well.

I used to believe, quite firmly, that my best bet at night was to be as stealthy as possible. I figured my biggest threats were from violent crime and from angry, cyclist-hating motorists. So I was Mr. Ninja Rolling Pedestrian, invisibly prowling the sidewalks at about 6 mph (that's legal here, and pedestrians are practically an endangered species). Of course I took all the reflectors off my black MTB, and I never bought clothes with reflective patches. I actually removed relective stuff from clothes/shoes when possible.

If someone had offered me a blinky, I'd either have refused or else stuck it on a shelf.

That attitude seems to be very common around here. I'm sure some others don't use lights because they not fashionable, and others probably just don't want another detail to worry about.

However -- since I started using lights a couple of years ago, I've gotten a surpising number of favorable comments and "where can I get some" questions -- from pre-teen kids and over-25 sidewalk commuters. I keep expecting some grief from "ninja cyclists" but so far, they just keep their heads down as they slink away, invisible and silent....

GRRRRRGH!!! This subject has been hashed pretty well on another thread but deserves to be re-hashed often. It's almost a Crusade to me. I drive a tractor/trailer rig on second shift in Redmond, WA. which is arguably the Bike Capital of The NW. Lots of rich guys from Microsoft on veeery expensive machines. I get to see the morons (if they're lucky) who seem to believe that speed and adroitness on a 22 lb vehicle can be expected to defeat chance everytime.

Yes, I consider them morons - no different than people on cell phones or watching TV while driving. Maybe this comment will be pulled, but they deserve to be flamed. If struck by me or a driver in a car, They will sue for sure. Having the right to do so, they will destroy someone's life because "they should have been watching". Should the cyclist be killed, their family will do the same.

It is a proven fact that beacons, bright colors or neon attracts the human eye almost automatically. It saves lives.