The gloves are more for protection for when you go down the first reaction you will have is to put your hands out to stop your fall, without the gloves you can end up with some serious road rash on the palms of your hand not a good place for it. If you plan on commuting you might want to start looking at lights for the twilight hours, you will need them, not only for safety but it probably is the law. You will want a good red rea light and dpeending on how well lit your rout is you will want at least a fron strobe light and if it is not well lit a good halogen to see by. Welcome back to riding, and this is the best biek forum out there. here are a couple of links to the cycling laws in NY
http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/script...law=127&art=57
http://www.dot.state.ny.us/pubtrans/bphome.html