Papa Tom

As my wife and I left the movies after dark tonight, we noticed a couple (probably in their mid-50's) hopping on bikes to head home. As they pedaled into the darkness, I saw that they had some really minimal lights on their handlebars and nothing but tiny reflectors in back. I'll bet they really believed those thin, barely noticeable reflective strips on their vests would keep them safe

When we caught up to them a block or two away, they were virtually invisible. I wanted to pull beside them, open my window, and suggest that they gear up a little better for night riding, but I didn't want to startle them and take their focus off the pitch black road below their wheels. Instead, I just prayed for them -- and I'm not a religious guy!

Hey. If you're going to commute at night, do yourself a favor and take a good look at what drivers see when they're coming up behind you. Standard reflectors are pretty much useless in real-life situations, as are many of those reflective clothing items the big box stores will sell you. At minimum, get a decent red blinkie for the rear. And while, in my opinion, a glaringly bright front headlight does more to confuse oncoming traffic than anything else, those cheap 2 or 3-bulb LED lights from XMart are REALLY ineffective.

I'm just sayin'.

jaxgtr

see it all the time... I talked to people on occasion, get the nasty look and a finger, so I just shake my head and wish them nothing but luck on their journey. When someone does get hit at night and they have no lights what can you do but shake your head and pray for the family.

Mr. Hairy Legs

I've found that the people with the worst lights are often those on $5000 Cervelos. It's funny that they won't buy the $30 blinker - they figure the $8 one will do. Maybe because they already blew the budget on the bike and shiny shorts?

MNTC

Just don't get too bright a light, or the folks in the "Light intensity" thread will come after you

-=(8)=-

I dont think people who are not serious bicyclists understand their transgressions . . .
Ive always ridden a bike for transportation and never had light or flat repair kits for decades when I was younger and not serious. It really seemed like no big deal at all. I would ride anywhere completely oblivious to what a poor decision that was. But, never any problems. As soon as I became a 'dedicated' rider, and understood how incredibly stupid going ninja was, I lit up UFO styel and thanked a variety of deities for watching over me in my previously unenlightened state! Started getting flats, too

spare_wheel

spare_wheel

One of the pleasures of riding ninja is the safety nanny hunt.

Scowl: 1 point.
Hrrrrumph: 2 points.
Woaahhh you came out of no where: 5 points.
@#$% @#$%!: 10 points.
Shouts "get a @#$%ing light": 100 points.

TransitBiker

Lights on all road going vehicles is the law in most places ive been. Next time a worried sounding call to local police would be appropriate if you see such riders, especially if they are on a main thoroughfare. Better stopped by police & informed than police be called because you got hit.

- Andy

I-Like-To-Bike

Have you ever tried that; what was the reaction? Or maybe you never saw a bicyclist at night without lights or in violation of some other regulation requiring your well intentioned snitching.

TransitBiker

I've gone out when my batteries in lights were dead & stores with the batteries i needed were closed, and all but one time a cop stopped me, different places, different officers. Freedom = responsibility, it isn't "snitching", and that kinda attitude is why so many motorists and NIMBY's take issue with cyclists on roads or proposed trails. Everyone needs to go by the same common sense rules, because that's the only way we can stay safe.

- Andy

I-Like-To-Bike

Though I ride at night with lights now, in my younger days in the 70's I rode for almost six years every single night in all areas of Philadelphia and was never disturbed by the law or anyone else. Never stopped for traffic signals or stop signs either unless warranted by close in traffic for an even longer period in Philadelphia, and still do not. Never knew personally of any other cyclists who were all that wrapped up in such a strict compliance attitude as you and some of the other self proclaimed "responsible" posters of BF.


So do you call in every non lit cyclist you see as well as all cyclists who don't obey every traffic code? If not, why not?

TransitBiker

Shirking legal responsibility for safe operation of a vehicle at night? Really?

This isn't the 70's. There are far more people in any given town or city than there was back then, roads are wider, cars are nothing like they were back then. If it were not blatantly obvious, things have changed.

My grandparents & parents taught me to lead by example and always do the right thing. Blowing through 4 way stop intersections & traffic lights at night seems like a good way to end up in the hospital & add to motorist & community dislike of cyclists.

I have nothing more to say to you if you're going to act like a whiny curmudgeon touting unsafe riding practices.

- Andy

spare_wheel

I purposefully shirk my car-centric legal responsibilities every ride. It's mildly fun and even a smidge liberating to violate statutes made for and by motorists.


So do you use lights when you walk around as a pedestrian at night? Is so, then why not?


Surprisingly the few attempts to measure the risks of riding without lighting in well-lit urban areas found little evidence of increased risk.

spare_wheel

And the tone of this comment sounds very much like the rants of angry anti-bike curmudgeons in our dying local rag.

Sullalto

Because you walk around on sidewalks, not the road?

spare_wheel

lots of intersections where i live.

Sullalto

And crosswalks are coordinated with stoplights.

prathmann

True, things have changed - but for the better. Despite the increased population and traffic levels both traffic fatalities and injuries have been reduced. We also have much better street lighting with far less distracting glare than was common then.

prathmann

Not anywhere that I've lived. Lots of intersections with crosswalks but only a small percentage have stoplights.

Jim from Boston

I recently posted:

and

Jim from Boston

I once got a tongue lashing, and rightly so IMO, from a gentleman I would occasionally encounter on my commute. While not profane, he demanded I get better lights (I think my battery was this low at that time). Nonetheless I think it was worth between 10 and 100 and points. His comment was that while I might get injured (or worse), he would have to deal with the remorse of hitting me because I “came out of nowhere.”

So my question is how many points for instilling guilt in the cager?...priceless?

TransitBiker

Tone of flat text..... Let me fill you in..... The tone is of a concerned fellow human.

- Andy

tarwheel 

I see cyclists riding in the dark with no lights or barely visible ones all the time. I figure it's just Darwinism in action. It's sad to say but if someone doesn't have enough sense to make themselves visible when riding on the road in the dark, it makes you wonder how they have survived this long already.

In a related example, I passed a bike commuter this morning fixing a flat in the middle of a very narrow bridge on a "sidewalk" perhaps 2' wide at best. There is no way I would ever cycle on that particular road. It is a very busy road with narrow lanes, no shoulder and fast traffic, and there are many alternatives routes that a cyclist could take if he/she used an ounce of common sense. Why he was riding on that particular road is beyond me, let alone trying to fix a flat on a narrow sliver of sidewalk on a bridge with a low guardrail and 50' drop to another busy street.

jdswitters

How many points for getting hit?

spivonious

Here in PA, the minimum for riding at night is a white light in front and a red reflector in back. Totally ineffective. I've seen riders with lights so dim and reflectors so small I couldn't even see them until under 100 feet away.

With that said, on urban/suburban streets, reflectors are much more effective than lights. There are so many lights in the background that seeing a reflective vest or big rear reflectors stands out more than a simple blinking red light. In the more rural areas, rear lights are much more useful, even those dim $10 blinkies.

A bright-enough-to-see-by headlight is needed in all situations. Those dim white lights that sell for $10 at Target are worthless.