Riding In Heavy Traffic At Night
 

I ride in at 5:15 am and leave for home at 3:00 to 4:00 pm most days, so I don't usually ride in much traffic even though my route takes me through the densest part of downtown, a busy bridge, and then up a major commute street. I avoid rush hour. Most days.

Tonight I left at 5:30 pm and rode home in the heart of rush hour. It was already dark. There were cars everywhere, headlights and brake lights thick and blinking, like being a ranch dog in a big herd of steel cattle. Traffic was so thick that for some of the ride, I was moving faster than traffic, passing them in my bike lane, even up a modest grade.

This made me nervous. Most drivers figure if they haven't recently passed a cyclist then they can turn right no problem. So I was worried about being right hooked. To my surprise the drivers did in fact seem to be checking the bike lane before turning, on several occasions a car clearly waited until I passed to make its right turn. Then again, there was the lady who pulled without looking into the bike lane to get to a parking space, but I saw that coming and it only slowed me down. I hate losing momentum on an uphill but there's not always a choice.

I had switched on all my lights, the NiteRider on the bars and the generic Cree XML T6 spot on the helmet. This really helped. When I'm coming up behind a car that is slowing or edging over, whose driver might just be thinking about pulling into that driveway or side street, I put the spot right into his rear window, the whole cabin lights up and his rear view mirror is suddenly blinding bright. I'm fairly sure it helps me get noticed. Same if I'm approaching an intersection and a car is creeping out into my path, the driver's face gets lit up and the car lurches to a stop.

My lights seem to make me unpopular with other riders, as I come up behind them, they see their shadows in the growing pool of bright light, then they swerve and look around for the bright menacing thing, when they see it is another cyclist and I can sort of feel their irritation. Or maybe I'm imagining it. We commuters seem like a surly lot, there's never any chit chat or even hellos or waves as pleasure riders often exchange. It feels like we are grimly, intently forging through the minefields and dangers, and have no thought to spare for each other beyond "I hope it's him and not me".

On the rear I had double red blinkies, which felt just a little inadequate in that sea of red lights. I think I will investigate amber blinkies and more reflective tape. Some riders with panniers put big patches of reflective tape on the back side of the bags, and they stand out like glowing warning squares. Seems like a good thing.

And then there are the (deleted) bike ninjas. The riders with no lights at all, invisible ghosts who appear from nowhere in their fashionably dark clothing. I hate them, almost ran into, or was run into by, two of those prick heads tonight. I wish the police would ticket them just like they'd ticket a car driving at night with no lights.

I guess it wasn't really a relaxing ride home. But in a sort of aggressive, pumping, teeth-gritted way, I enjoyed it. Glad I don't get to have this particular kind of fun too often.

Yeah, there is a certain thrill to riding like your life depends on it.

Sound like fun :) , in all starts to become normal after a while .

I like the times you are riding along and you are trying to keep track of 8+ cars , drive ways, ninjas , your self. glass and the traffic lights :p .

As for you light, I can't speak for others but as long as it isn't aimed up at my eyes i have no problem with it. I am/should be shoulder checking and/or have a mirror and normally don't get caught out to badly.

You should do the same commute on a Friday night 5 30pm .... that can get scary

I'm relatively in the Boonies.. Down river by the Sea

I'll agree with the OP that driving in the above conditions takes the fun out of commuting, -but- my least favorite situation is early morning heavy traffic (if it's dark, so much the worse), where drivers are half asleep, anxious to get to work and usually texting their family/friends/colleagues. The fear of being rear ended, even with carnival intensity lighting, is always present and I've had quite a few near-hits, especially now with less ambient light due to shorter days.

Same here! I absolutely love pinning drivers down with my beam! Before entering any intersection (even in low trafficked neighborhoods) I always do the following. Blue is me, red is my line of site AND a wall of super intense flashing light from a Cygolite mounted on the helmet.See pic.

Good idea with the reflective tape on the bags! It works very well and I feel safer having it in addition to rear lights.

There is NO excuse not to have a light.

I'm sick of those bike ninjas. There are so many in Portland. F**** losers.

>>Tonight I left at 5:30 pm and rode home in the heart of rush hour. It was already dark. There were cars everywhere, headlights and brake lights thick and blinking, like being a ranch dog in a big herd of steel cattle. Traffic was so thick that for some of the ride, I was moving faster than traffic, passing them in my bike lane, even up a modest grade.<<

I moved 3,000 miles to be in Portland on the strength of its standing as bike capital of the U.S. When I got here I took one look at all the bikes flowing over the Burnside Bridge and said... that's way too many bikes... cool, but, herds of cars, herds of bikes... I could have stayed back east. Then I found Hillsboro. I have the bike lanes mostly to myself. There's room for a couple more cyclists. But only a couple, don't tell ALL your commute buddies.. Just slip away in the dead of night and live free...

>>This made me nervous. Most drivers figure if they haven't recently passed a cyclist then they can turn right no problem. So I was worried about being right hooked. To my surprise the drivers did in fact seem to be checking the bike lane before turning, on several occasions a car clearly waited until I passed to make its right turn. <<

Even way out here in the Western burb's the bike awareness of the cagers is above average. Why are you surprised? How long have you been a Portland Cyclist? Actually, I wish they would just turn and get on with life. I'm not going to get to the intersection for at least 8 seconds, even at 16 mph. PLENTY of time to make your turn and be on your way. But all the hand wringing from Cycling Advocates have put the fear of God in the cagers and so they wait and wait... THAT'S what makes ME nervous, in NYC a driver held that long might just lose it and bolt when he realizes that waiting another 3 seconds is going to make him get in deep tofu with his old lady.

>>My lights seem to make me unpopular with other riders, as I come up behind them, they see their shadows in the growing pool of bright light, then they swerve and look around for the bright menacing thing, when they see it is another cyclist and I can sort of feel their irritation. Or maybe I'm imagining it.<<

You are. Cyclists aren't bothered by headlights, even flame throwers, that come up from behind. Its when they have to face one oncoming on a narrow path that some annoyance might enter into it.

>> We commuters seem like a surly lot, there's never any chit chat or even hellos or waves as pleasure riders often exchange. It feels like we are grimly, intently forging through the minefields and dangers, and have no thought to spare for each other beyond "I hope it's him and not me".<<

There is some truth to this. I don't see many other commuters. When I do, its usually on. I only need one more kill for my next ace. Grrrrrr.

>>On the rear I had double red blinkies, which felt just a little inadequate in that sea of red lights. I think I will investigate amber blinkies<<

I hope you fight this. Two blinkies and the now standard neon-yellow cycling jacket are plenty. You are riding in Portland, OR, not New Delhi. Amber blinkies? Why amber? That would only confuse cagers. Amber lights are running lights i.e. side marker lights or turn signals.

>>and more reflective tape. Some riders with panniers put big patches of reflective tape on the back side of the bags, and they stand out like glowing warning squares. Seems like a good thing.<<

My panniers came with big patches of reflective tape already on it. Hmmmm... so did the rack trunk from Nashbar... so did the Yak Sak for my Bob trailer. So does my rain jacket... you don't have to go out of your way to be visible. Everything you buy these days has reflective material applied to it. That's where it belongs. If you get out a rolll of reflective tape I have to wonder what you are planning to apply it to? Your bike? Bad idea. Drivers aren't looking down there, they are looking up at you. If you buy half-way decent commuter tires they will have reflective sidewalls. I hope I am never in the position of having to rely on them to save me because that would mean I am just seconds away from the Mother of All T-Bone collisions. Ouch!

H

Ditto on the lights.

After I had an accident (not my fault) after which the driver told me he hadn't seen me, I now carry a very bright helmet mounted LED which does not get unnoticed even during daytime. It's accompanied by a nice and small but also very bright flash light attached to my bike. Incoming threats usually only need a quick glance in their direction. I can tilt the helmet light to make sure that I do not to blind oncoming traffic.

Yesterday evening though, I made a police car stop in its tracks.:lol: I wasn't in their way and they didn't have to wait, but they did anyway just to watch me pass by. Ofcourse I took a quick glance at them and saw their surprise. On the back of my seatbag I have blinky, which is also very visible from a long way out. I have reflective side walls on my tyres. and my clothes, shoecovers and seatbag all come with reflective material. My colleagues tell me that I am lit up like a x-mas tree when they see me riding at night, which is very reassuring to me.

Still, I am lucky to have a very low traffic commuting route. The downside is that on some stretches there is no lighting at all, which is the other reason for me to carry sufficient lighting.

i have more trouble with other riders than with motorists.

flashing front/rear lights are illegal over here.

OP: Enjoyed the essay! Like tergal says, it's something a person gets used to after a while. However, I'm like you where my morning commute is pre-sunrise and my ride home is mid-afternoon, before rush hour, so I don't have to face the 5:00 thing very often. Enjoyed reading your post.

Some people think it sucks to ride in the dark and in traffic and dark with traffic but if you are lit up and have done everything you can to be seen, you can focus on the ride. Does it require paying more attention? Heck yes. But I look at it like it requires a different sent of skills to ride in the dark, with traffic at rush hour. Is it fun? He11 yes.

Try all that and rain on top of Korean drivers who don't stop for anything.. especially bikes. Makes my Monday commute a real life game of frogger.

[QUOTE=Leisesturm;14950215]

>>I found Hillsboro.<<
Riding in Hillsboro itself seems pretty idyllic. But it seems hard to get from Hillsboro to downtown? Generally I think the West Hills and points west is a tough commute? My kids used to go to school in Forest Heights and I'd ride there from downtown for meetings, the 3 inch wide bike lane on Cornell (or whatever you call the sliver of pavement between the fog line and the broken pavement edge), the 50 mph vehicle speed, and the hills always made that no fun. Fun when you're out on a Sunday ride with the light bike, not fun in evening rush-hour with work clothes and 20 lb of stuff in your bags.

>>How long have you been a Portland Cyclist? Actually, I wish they would just turn and get on with life. I'm not going to get to the intersection for at least 8 seconds, even at 16 mph.<<

About 6 years. Definitely Portland drivers are more bike savvy than anywhere else I've lived, even when I first came here. I've noticed more awareness of right-hooking in the last couple of years. There are green "bike boxes" and special "yield to bikes" signs popping up everywhere, plus ghost bikes and the well publicized truck-crushing deaths of some photogenic young women that got a lot of press. There is still this awkward part, as you said, when the driver waits a long time as you're huffing slowly along and you wonder if his patience is going to crack just as you get there. But sometimes you're whistling along at 20+ mph and you worry that the driver may not realize some bikes are moving faster than others.

>>Why amber? That would only confuse cagers.<<

They would be, in effect, running lights.

>>Everything you buy these days has reflective material applied to it<<

My stuff is pretty old - 7 y/o Burley jacket, 20 y/o Timbuktu messenger bag, not a lot of reflective stuff on it. On the tires, at least one brand I've seen (Rubena) used retro-reflective sidewalls which reflect from any angle - you don't have to be square-on to the bike, even approaching at three-quarters, the sidewalls shine brightly. The downside is they seem rather heavy. I don't have reflective tires currently, maybe when the current ones wear out.

I usually feel more comfortable on my morning commute if it is before daylight - less likely to have headlights-off ninjacars sneak up on me when I need to turn or dodge a bit into the lane to cross the angled RR tracks. And in the morning, it seems that the traffic is a bit more stretched out - not as dense, and not so big a hurry as evening.

I live an hour south of Portland, so our area doesn't have the amount of traffic, percentage of cyclists, or infrastructure. But, I have the ability to get off the main roads and ride through less traveled residential or industrial areas. But at night, I do everything I can do to be off the heavier-trafficked roads, as I believe my red flashies on the back can get lost in the sea of tail and brake lights.

I have started wearing reflective bands on my ankles. The up and down motion of the reflectors does key a driver in to the fact that there is a cyclist up there, I think more than blinking or solid red lights do. But I still run one solid and two or three blinkers on the back. My front setup is two MagicShines, one on flash unless it is pitch dark - once I can see, I use the strobe to make me seen.

I feel so much safer riding at night. Of course I'm lit up like a Christmas UFO...In fact I feel kind of uncomfortable riding in traffic during the daytime.

Man I am glad you said that! I always seem to get attitude when I pass another cyclist, especially those commuting. I always go for some chit chat and am denied. But when I see another ride out for a recreational spin there is either a wave or some conversation. Interesting. Maybe it is the funk coming off of my tights :commute:

Thanks for the post OP, I enjoyed it. I too get a little stressed when cyclists with very bright lights come up behind me. My first thought is 'FFS I hope a car is not using the bike lane as a shortcut'. It's not the other guy's fault, though.

"Or i hope that's not a motorcycle" :roflmao2:Srsly, i once saw a motorcycle on the MUP!
If people in Portland are worried about commuting, good gravy!! What hope is there for the rest of us?

Your lights are the reason you are getting respect from the cars. If you don't believe me, try that run with a weak front light and no helmet light. I ride in the same kind of arena.. 5:30 am, rush hour traffic, and no shoulder on some of my route. I am pushing double 1600 lums up front, 1300 lums on my helmet. Take 3 or 4 hundred lums off each light, and I am still pushing heavy lums. Cars respect me, and give me the right away.

Sure, I have run across some ninjas out there, do I care if they are mad, no way..They are out there with no lights, and got a nerve to get attitude over my lights. Wihich by the way, are aimed downward too.

Good post!! :beer:

:thumb: :thumb:

I had a close call last night with one of those drivers. I was on the "main" road and he was pulling out of a side road. He starts to pull out in front of me in spite of the fact that I had 5 headlights on. I braked, and sounded my AirZounds, his response was basically, "Sorry, dude I didn't see you."

Before upgrading lights, I would consider getting an reflective vest. I saw someone wearing one recently and it he was incredibly easy to see. It is hard to imagine getting tail lights bright enough to mix it up in serious traffic and really be noticed. This one looks pretty sweet, no batteries required: [h=1]Amphipod Full-Visibility Reflective Vest[/h]

I wish the cycling jackets had as much reflective stuff as a reflective vest. I added reflective tape to my jackets, so that if I wear them I skip the vest.

The OP's description of his ride sounds like a nightmare to me, but it would be if I were driving my motorcycle or pickup, too. I get really stressed out in traffic. I'm fine out on my lonely, dark, rainy rural roads.

My commute home yesterday was very similar to yours. About 2/3's or so of the 10-mile ride, there is no bike lane, and there are parked cars on the side, so I take the lane. This usually isn't a problem on 2-lane (in each direction) roads...I had no one honking or yelling. There were at least a couple times where I thought I was going to get a right-hook, but the drivers waited for me to pass before proceeding. I run my NiteRider MiNewt 500 on strobe mode, so it's certain to get people's attention.

I've actually found that it's been more pleasant riding in the dark on my commutes. I think the blinking lights in the dark are much more eye-catching than a cyclist simply lit up by the sun. I've had fewer right-hooks, fewer people yelling, and more people allowing me to merge.

Yeah, I think of it as herding cars. I haven't done that in quite a while though. Hulen Street here in Fort Worth used to be part of one of my commute routes home. It is a busy retail area, 2-3 lanes each way with medians but no shoulder or bike lane, so taking the lane is essential.

Tru dat.