This summer I commuted on a moderately busy, moderately fast (30 to 45mph speed limit) street that's moderately wide. This part of the trip is 9 miles. I have had 3 close calls with moving traffic and one fall, due to badly fitted concrete panels, that put me down between stationary cars.

The rest of my commute is very safe, including a lengthy bike path with no motorized traffic and 25 to 35 mph suburban streets that are wide and with very little traffic.

I don't mind the dark, with good lights it's really fun, IMO. Its the cars I don't trust.

Now that's its dark in the morning, I'm cutting my commute back to avoid the first section. I can drive the car to a legal parking spot and take it from there.

Am I being overly concerned?

Only ride when and where you feel like you can do it safely.

If that's what it takes to keep you riding, no.

I feel safer riding in the dark with good lights and reflectors.

These are incredibly bright

How far is your total commute including the 9 miles? I'd be tempted to do the same as you with a long commute. Are the alternative streets that are practical for you to ride? Within 1 or 2 blocks of my main route (that I don't take) I found a "bike route" where you rarely encounter any cars. Trade off: too many stops. Since my total commute is short (3.5 mi), that's OK.

My total one-way commute is 30 miles, but I always use a bus to cover 12 of those miles.

During the summer months my 36 mile RT commute was just right, long... but not too long. I lost 20 lbs since May and would like to lose another 20 lbs. That would put me near 200 lbs for the first time in 20 years.

I studied my route on the way home today; it’s just the 4 miles as I leave home that seem to have the most aggressive drivers and the tightest congestion. I may just eliminate that section. This will provide me with a 28 mile RT commute and keep a few more miles off the car.

Michael

My commute is very dark but I know my neighborhood. If your instincts tell you to watch out and play it safe, listen to them. Better to live to pedal another day.
Ernest

What do you mean by "good lights"? When I started doing the all weather, night or day, commuting in Seattle I had to seriously upgrade my lighting setup. I went from having a front and rear blinkie to having a Dinotte 200L up front, a blinkie on my handlebars, and another forward facing blinkie on my helmet, then four rear blinkies: one on my saddlebag, two on my mess bag (at different heights) and one on my helmet. I only go that all out when I'm riding by myself for a distance at night, or through inclement weather at night.

I'd still like to add some amber running lights and the lighted bar ends for my drop bars. I think of lighting as insurance for the day when I do get hit (assuming the driver doesn't perform a hit and run).

With urban riding one does seem to eat it from time to time, regardless of your lighting. Sometimes at night a crack looks like a groove, a pothole appears out of nowhere, and traction can just disappear when riding in the rain. No headlight is going to solve that.

The Trek lighted bar ends are worth a look. They use a AAA cell, so you can run rechargeables (the other brands I've seen use two LR44 button batteries on each side, which is expensive to maintain).


Yeah, Barrettsvc, are you having trouble seeing the road, or is it more of a worry that you aren't visible to the motorists, or is it that you're visible enough but they're all driving too aggressively for your comfort level? If you just need to see the road better, or aren't visible enough, then there might be some easy fixes for those problems, like a few economical high-powered 2AA flashlights mounted in TwoFish lockblocks, a neon-lime reflective vest and a killer taillight or two.

If you get the flashlights, (1) use NiMH rechargeable AA's, not alkaline. (2) if the batteries rattle inside the light, cut a piece of paper and roll it into a tube, slide that in there, then slide the batteries into the paper tube.

Personally I think that good lights in the dark = cars can see you better than in the low contrast daylight. Get a mirror and see the car headlights and even less paranoia.

I commute in the dark all year. I don't find that drivers behave differently in darkness. I do ride a little more to the left (but still in the outer lane) so that I'm more visible.

If I were you, I might be more worried about that fall than about the cars. Were you unable to see the uneven pavement just before the fall?

Admirably long commute. Cutting out the 9 mile or so stretch would save you time also, and that might be a plus. Good that you have a MUP for part of the way. No dishonor in being safe, especially with that distance and time factor.

What kind of lights are you running now? If you're having trouble seeing the pavement, you need brighter lights.

I'm using a CygoLite Nite Rover NiMH XTRA Headlight 16 Watt Halogen on the front, this is a dual light system, one bulb & reflector provides a wide beam, mostly to be seen, the second bulb & reflector provides a more focused projection. Visibility of the ground is good up to about 17 mph. I may add another light on the front to provide stronger projection further forward.

I'm also using a Planet Bike LED on the back. I've been riding bike paths at night and enjoy it.

Michael

Hey, man, congratulations on the 20 -- that's a lot of weight to drop!

Cycling will do that for you.

Sounds like you need to find another route -- good luck with that.

Thanks for the kind words. I'm not a purest. I'm trying to find a balance between the benefits of commuting by bike while managing risk.

Discretion is the better part of valor.

Michael

I'd add a blinkie up front too. I think the adage of "one blinking light to be seen, one solid light so they can gauge your distance and speed" is a good one.

Also you really need more than one rear blinkie. I run two Superflashes, a Mars (2.0? not sure), and the Spok thing on my helmet. There are a lot of reasons why a blinkie can just fail, it is good to have them at different levels, and on your person and your bike (so if you get hit and are lying unconscious both you and your bike should be visible).

Other than spendint $150 for a Dinotte, you realy can't beat the Planet Bike Super Flash ($29 retails, but generally on sale for $19 at Nashbar of other onlne vendors). Even in Daylight I've been told that people could clearly see me from at least a 1/2 mile out! I also am a big believer in using more than one tail light. I have a slightly cheaper 5 LED light set that I use on solid and then the PB Super Flash is in its highly bright flashing mode. Both can use rechargable batteries and they go for about a month in Winter between recharges.

Also a good ANSI Class 2 (or 3) rated shirt is VERY helpful. I bought mine from Alert Shirt, for under $14, but they have a descent one at Harbor Freight for around $5. Sure you look like a FRED, but better to look like FRED than to be run over and DEAD! My wife has followed me home before and told me that the large white reflective tape was super bright to the riders behind me. I also have 3M SOLAS tape (Coast Guard approved tape... pretty much the brightest tape you can buy) on my rear fender and on the back of my helmet. This also lights up VERY bright. I also added some of the tape on my chain stay (so my feet or legs are not blocking it), and on the bottom of each side of the fork. I have a handle bar bag that also has 3M tape on the front, but added the SOLAS tape to the sides. For active lighting up front I have a B&M DLumotec LED light - the IQ Fly was not out yet , this light is good, but I heard the IQ fly is even better. The light comes with a stand light so it continues to burn for up to 7 minutes when I pull up to straffic light or stop sign.

The only thing I'd like to add is a front blinky light that matches the PB Super Flash. I bought a Trek LED light for the front last year, but the light is absolutely pathetic and pretty much useless. I am thinking of getting either the 1/2 Watt or 1 Watt PB Blaze as that seems to use the same LED "bulb" technology as the Super Flash.

With all this stuff on the bike and my body I've found that most cars give me far MORE clearance when passing in the dark than during the day.

Happy riding,
André

I'm overcoming my concerns about riding before sunrise. However, I will eliminate the most dangerous part of my 18 mile one-way commute by driving the first 4 miles.

I've been riding more at dusk and dawn. It's clearly less safe, but reasonable with good lights. I'm going to add a high powered front light and put two more lights on the back. That will provide 3 up front, 3 in back and always wear a reflective vest.

I considered alternate routes, every east-west street is congested and all have higher speed limits. This 4 mile section crosses a canal, a river and two RR tracks. This limits the number of alternate routes and they all see high usage and congestion.

If drive the first 4 miles, I get beyond the bottlenecks and traffic is reduced. I also get better suburban streets.

I have 3 legal locations to park the car for 10 hours

Michael

What area are you riding in Michael? City to city.

I ride from the north side of Chicago to Schaumburg, IL. Its straight west in the morning, I travel on Devon Ave.

The section in Chicago is the only problem, once I get to Park Ridge the road widens and traffic volume is half. Also, no parked cars on the street in the suburbs.

Michael

I just picked up a 105 lumen coleman headlamp from wally world this weekend. Sucker is bright. I'm still saving for a blackburn x6 system, but the headlight will suffice for now since it get somewhat light on my ride in. But I'd like more light once I"m commuting in full dark the whole way.

I got buzzed yesterday for the first time in a couple of years. It happens occasionally and that's when we have to make our decision. Only seven more months and you will have the morning daylight again. Patience.

I understand the part about not trusting the drivers. However, if I didn't trust the drivers at night, I'd trust them even less during the day. A properly lit cyclist is actually easier to see at when it's dark out.