My rant;

In my neighborhood there are very few sidewalks and not many street lights on residential roads. Of course people still want to go out at night, which is fine. However, there are just so many people who dress in black or other dark colors, nothing reflective on them, no flashlight, nothing. Even at slow speeds, they just jump out on one (not literally). The last two days I saw an older lady walking her dog across the street I ride (down a nice little hill) dressed entirely in black and to top it off her dog was black too. I couldn't see her until I was about 30-40 meters away. I see quite a few others, including people jugging dressed all in dark (I dislike these the most on bike or in a car). To contrast those going around liking they're trying to hide there are those who walk with reflective straps (free at the city hall) or even better a flashlight. Those one can see much much farther away. Why do people think it's okay good to blend into the night when they're out on their nightly stroll?

Same thing drivers and other cyclist think of guys on bikes without lights/reflectors I guess.

Ninja Parade Slips Through Town Unnoticed Once Again - The Onion - America's Finest News Source

Why is so much cool an wet weather gear dark, especially bike stuff?

Light colored clothing is so hard to keep clean looking.

Grease really shows up well on my yellow cycling jacket

I use one of those too bright lights on the local MUPS. I try to dim it for bikes and pedestrians (which is an indicator to them that they've been seen). But, I won't apologize for using a light that allows me to see pedestrians.

Also, never ride faster than what you can see.

I'm more worried about ninja dogs and their empty headed owners. A few nights ago I saw - just barely - a couple walking on the unpaved path next to a busy, poorly lit street. But I never saw the dog that apparently wasn't on a leash. Apparently as I passed the dog chased me. It sounded like a little critter. I could hear the couple yelling and cussing at the dog to get out of the street. I wasn't sure then which of 'em actually needed a leash and proper training.

Ninja Pedestrians

Good answer, [MENTION=392454]CliffordK[/MENTION]. Just five minutes ago I posted this to this A&S thread, ”A runner hopped right in front of me”:

Really though, [MENTION=398091]San Pedro[/MENTION], how many ninja pedestrians will change their ways reading Bike Forums? But thanks for sounding the warning to us cyclists and discouraging ninja behavior from us.

A possible solution to make ones life easier is a headlamp on the helmet in addition to a front line. Allows you to pivot where to look.

The problem is companies who make activewear keep making them in BLACK. I don't get this.

a) it absorbs the sunlight and makes you hotter - whether or not it's wicking or not
b) they never include more than a tiny reflective patch, or their logo is reflective, so its basically worthless in that regard

I refuse to buy a shirt/jersey in black, and only buy shorts in black if they have large reflective panels (also it's hard to find bike shorts in anything other than dark colors...)

One of my pet peeves, whether I am riding or driving.

To compound matters, here in L.A. the pedestrian has the right of way, so these darkly clad morons just step into traffic without hesitating or even loo0king at traffic.

I have mentioned it to more than one of them, and the amazing thing is they act as if it never occurred to them that they might be hard to see at night.

Maybe it's Darwinism at work and we should just not stop for them...

Uhmm ... because people keep buying it?

Right - here we go. Now if all of the rest of us quit buying Ninja suits then maybe they will stop making them.

Disclaimer : as I sit here and write this, I am, in fact, wearing Grey/Black cammo trousers. I am also wearing a high viz yellow hoodie. I feel so confused and conflicted.

So that no one can see them of course.

I frequently work late, leaving work past 9 pm, but even if I leave earlier I'm usually riding home 10 miles in the dark. Some of the places I ride through are not the best neighborhoods.

On my ride, if I have lights or reflective strips, they should spell out the word "V I C T I M", in those neighborhoods I prefer to not be seen from a distance, I can avoid cars since I can see them, you just have to make allowances for the fact they can't see you is all. Plus, without lights, you have to ride slower.

Other places less worrisome I'm running a flashing tail light and a headlight.

I believe that the element of surprise saved me on one occasion when I was pursued for a short distance by a miscreant on foot, he didn't have time to prepare in advance on account of he didn't see me coming.

And a funny story, sorta related to my point.

A friend of mine is an SAPD Cop, bicycle unit. Several of them are bike loonies. Being a young guy it is not uncommon for him and four or five of his friends to get off of their downtown shift in the early hours of the morning, get on their own bikes, and ride a long loop around the adjacent poorer parts of this city. They wear the usual civvie cycling gear, helmets, reflective gear and are well lit-up. Firearms discretely carried about their person.

One night a guy in a passing vehicle, not dreaming these guys were Cops, threw a large beer bottle, striking one of the riders and causing him to fall off. Loud shouts were exchanged.

Then the offending vehicle actually turns around, and the two guys in it actually get out to pick a fight with what they assumed were a bunch of pansy-a$$ed cyclists.....

...shortly thereafter of course they found themselves laying face-down upon the pavement, hands out to the side, while colleagues of the cyclists were summoned to the scene

Birdwatcher

I know the question might seem stupid, but can you move? Relocate to a better town?

Got bright lights? I like helmet and bar lights.

I don't think light-colored shorts are nearly as important as light/reflective on the upper body areas. Plus, light colored bike shorts would show much more umm... definition, if ya know what I'm sayin'.

I love my job, been at the same big, urban high school for 26 years I live right in the neighborhood, the ten mile loop going and coming is just a self-imposed thing.

When people ask is it safe I reply......
"Yes.... most of the time"


A complex issue.... at home on my street there are a number of drug dealers and the house next door got shot up a couple of years back, yet being an accepted part of the neighborhood we can and do leave our car doors unlocked, and you could lean on our front door and get in. No problems yet.

MOST people, even in "bad" areas, are decent, its just the criminal minority you need to mind, most often after dark.

I ride in a single layer of loose nylon; oversized shirt and pants tucked into socks. This photo was taken when I rode to New York State in 2014, pretty much I look like that except no straw hat or reflective vest while commuting. I usually wear a bandanna on my head.




Seen at the last minute at night, in car headlights or pedestrians, people who don't know me generally assume I am a homeless guy. Likewise my bicycles, tho' quietly tricked out with good-quality components, do not look flashy.

I realize my situation is unique and that my solutions wouldn't work for everyone.

The one scary situation in the three years I have been doing this regularly was on a quarter-mile stretch of dark access road running alongside a busy urban loop highway. I was riding against traffic as I must do on that stretch, no lights (I just bale off of the roadway when cars are approaching). I saw the guy some distance ahead going the same way as me, silhouetted by the lights at the next intersection. Shaved head as is common among gang members here, strongly built as ex-cons generally are, walking fast, obviously in a hurry to get somewhere.

I sped up and gave him a wide berth on the roadway, he didn't see me until I passed him. He didn't say anything, just ran after me after I passed, prob'ly wanting the bike to get to where he was going.

I'm just happy he weren't walking in the OTHER direction.....

Mike

Mike, I was going to suggest adding a small pistol to your riding gear since a carry permit is pretty easy to get in Texas, but you seem like a gentle soul and you work at a school so this is probably the best answer for you.

Please continue to be careful...

The only thing you can count on is yourself. Get the brightest bike headlight you afford. When people complain about it being too bright tell them " I could see you, you're welcome". Get a very bright tail light, that will help the drivers notice you.

Still - riding without lights, risking getting hit by a car... not sure what is worse...

This. And if people complain about your lights tell them you need the lights to see them before you run into them.

AAAK! You said the "g__" word! EGAD MAN! Do you want to send this thread to that OTHER place....


Um... as best I can put it and my views on that topic I also have a reg'lar gig volunteering at the Alamo



Anyhoo....

...as you have surmised, I work on a school campus, and "Plan B" would still be "Give 'em the bike and run" anyhow even if I didn't...

...bicycles are so much cheaper than lawyers.

"Plan A" of course is to avoid the whole situation by not being noticed in the first place.

Working where I do I'm just deprived of my "Plan C" option is all, which involves that permit thing you mentioned.

Mike

Its all about trade-offs with competing risks.

On the morning commute I'm lit up normally, blinking head- and tail-lights. In my experience most all the bad people are still asleep at that time, sleeping off whatever they were doing the night before (after all, it ain't like they have jobs).

But I worry far more about getting hit in the crazy morning rush than I ever do riding home.

Mike

If they complain it means they have seen me. Job done.

Yeah, I was tempting the BF gods there; hope I am forgiven!

Great picture, BTW; lots I could say about that but best not to push things too far...