LarrySellerz

Y'all do realize that people who ride at night for a living rarely use lights right? They don't make it safer.

Ghazmh

Yep, I ride in the dark but mostly in the morning and seldom at night. All four pics are from within the past month and the OP May recognize the location of the first two.

rumrunn6

fun memory. at night, in a storm, wrapped in limiting gear, reminds me of SCUBA diving at night

rumrunn6

blanking on #1, I'm guessing it's the Assabet or Concord rivers just can't place the railing
but #2 must be Fruitlands

rumrunn6

almost hit a kid w/ my car, head-on the other night. he was riding the wrong way, at night, in the rain wearing dark colors, no lights. it would have been safer riding w/ traffic, with reflective clothing, w/ lights. the theory of if they can't see, they can't hit me is a theory I don't subscribe to. I often remember the times I saw a kid get hit by a car because the driver didn't see him approaching because the drivers line of sight was blocked by other cars & the time I was hit by a car for the same reason. and when ppl hit bikers, including a recent story about a police officer, they almost always use the excuse "I didn't see them"

even riding a bike at night, with lights we open ourself up to hitting objects or roadway defects that would otherwise be visible in daylight

I have enjoyed off-roading in a truck/suv, w/o headlights on, at night, under a full moon, on the beach, but that's because the moon light was so bright

Ghazmh

Pic #1 is on Rte 225 in Bedford overlooking the Concord river, #2 is Monument st in Concord right next to Hutchins Farm.

BobbyG

Milton Keynes

In my state, Michael Knight would have gotten pulled over by the Highway Patrol for having an illegal red light on the front of his car. I've seen them pull cars over for having those light up valve stem lights on their wheels.

Milton Keynes

That is incredibly creepy. This picture needs the broken music box music with a child singing with that creepy echo effect.

MNBikeCommuter

With my pre-covid commute, I was needing lights in the morning starting out for nine months, and to finish up the commute in the afternoon for four. Now, it's just the half to hour tail end of an after-work-from-home ride Nov-early Feb.

SpeedyBlueBiker

Personally, I avoid road bike riding in the dark as much as possible. I can be lit up like a Christmas Tree but I still don't trust drivers to "see" me.

rumrunn6

interesting, but they are probably allowed on bikes?

Milton Keynes

I've ridden in front of county deputies with my wheel lights on on my bike and they didn't say or do anything. But it was a bicycle rather than a car, and it was a county deputy rather than the Highway Patrol, who tend to be a little more strict with the vehicle lighting statutes.

But yes, I was filling up at a convenience store once when I saw the Highway Patrol pull someone over into the parking lot, and he made them remove their valve caps. I think you're not supposed to have moving lights on non-emergency vehicles, unless it's just a rotating amber light.

LarrySellerz

And yet, the people that race in cities at night, and people who deliver on bikes at night rarely use lights. As far as "things you can do to avoid being hit by a car at night" making yourself visible isn't nearly as high on the list as some people think it is. Stuff like not being distracted is much more important

rumrunn6

you choose your role models; I'll choose mine. wishing you safe travels

rumrunn6

I believe I stored my external light batteries fully charged. so I don't think I should top them off before using them. they've been dormant since my last night ride in April

anyone ever discharge batteries, by running the lights for a cpl hrs, then re-charging them, before trusting them out on the road?

BlazingPedals

I was going to ask what his source was, but then I saw who posted it.

Lambkin55

This time of year, my 5:20 start is in the DARK!
I have a 2 lights for vision. One on the bike & one on my helmet.
I use 3 rear lights. My greatest concern is that cars see me as they approach.
I also have 10 small blinking lights on forks and panniers for additional attention.
(I look like a moving Christmas tree.)

Miele Man

I ride a LOT at night when it's fully dark. I use a Lyzene light for near light and a Magicshine knockoff for long distance aka high-beam. That way I can see critters (such as skunks) long before I might startle them.

Both of those lights have external battery packs so that I can keep them inside my jacket when riding in winter. That keeps them warm and gives me maximum run-time compared to a very cold battery.

Cheers

Edit. My Lezene light is the 1000 one.

t2p

use small / lightweight Lezyne lights on front and rear for rides that can end at dusk - and for long tunnels and for short MUP night rides add a Knog Plug

Knog Plug is also small and only 250 lumens - but still works remarkably well

rumrunn6

tunnels?! that looks fun!

SimicRecluse

Its the only way to ride in Arizona in the summer. 100+ degrees in the day.

The Chemist

Mostly in summer, to avoid the worst of the daytime heat / humidity / intense sunshine. In the other three seasons I do ride occasionally at night, but not super often.

OldTryGuy

Night rides have been a staple of mine for decades since moving to SW FL in '86 (Hurricanes Ian and Charlie made visits and now still evacuated since electric is out and water is just starting to flow, hoping to return soon) but we are under a 10PM to 6AM curfew and those are my hours I ride putting a halt to night riding until lifted. Even when curfew lifts I still have to heal from my second wild hog hit while on a night time ride. Latest on July 26th at 3:04AM resulted in fractured Tibia still not healed and first on April 27, 2020 resulted in 2 cracked ribs + punctured lung + cracked Scapula + left shoulder trauma that paved the way for a torn rotator cuff from a crash on July 4, 2021.

Started the year with my monthly night time 100 mile FULL MOON RIDES but Prostate Cancer (PCa) issue put a halt to those rides just 4 months into the year. At 72 it's harder to bounce back from health issue but I'm determined to continue as hard as possible until I die. Now another PCa issue just popped up with latest blood work so ????

rumrunn6

oh I get it now, sorry. the trails have a curfew! my bad