Riding at (or past) the edges of daylight

[DeniseGoldberg]

There have been some recent discussions about which lights to buy for biking after dark, providing a lot of great information and comments on personal experience with taillights. Here's a link to one of those discussions for anyone who is looking for lights: Bright Rear Lights. Rather than skew that discussion of what lights to buy, I thought a separate entry was warranted.

First, let me admit that I only commute to work during the part of the year when I can ride in daylight in both directions, and that my recreational riding is only done during daylight. What prompted me to write are several cyclists I saw on the road this week as I was driving home from work (both at dusk and in full dark conditions). And yes, I am writing this from the point of view of a driver of a motor vehicle.

One cyclist had no lights at all, and no reflective clothing. He absolutely faded into the night. Bad.

The second had a very bright (and blinking) tail light, with no other lights on the bicycle or on the cyclist. This lack of lights was made even worse by the fact that the cyclist was wearing dark clothing. As I drove up behind him, I was very much aware that there was a cyclist on the road ahead of me. At first glance I thought that was fine, but I was wrong. The cyclist pulled to the left into a left turn lane to make a turn. I could see him from behind, but as I passed him (OK, OK, I know it could have been a woman...) I glanced to the left. I couldn't see him at all from the side, and he didn't have a headlight or any blinking lights on him. Yes, oncoming traffic should have picked him up in their headlights, but I could argue that he was still putting himself in a very dangerous situation.

The third cyclist was very visible. There were excellent lights on the bike, both back and front. And the cyclist also had a lights on his helmet and was wearing reflective bands. This individual could be seen from the front and back as well as from the side.

Another thing that I think we should all be aware of is the angle of the light late in the day (and probably early in the day too). Last Saturday I was riding in the afternoon and was out at about 3:30. It was a bright day, and there was still plenty of daylight. But at one point I was riding directly into the sun and had difficulty seeing a runner coming towards me on my side of the road. We were both in the right place - I was riding with traffic, and she was running against traffic. I did see her, but later than I should have (and no, we didn't crash). My difficulty in seeing her means that a driver coming up behind me could also have had trouble seeing me. From that point on I kept an ear tuned to the back so that I could pull off of the road quickly if I heard a car coming up behind me. I think that I may start wearing bright blinking red lights at that time of the day, just in case...

For those of you who are braver than I am and who are riding at night - please make sure that you can be seen from all directions. Safety first...

--- Denise

[Veronica]

Great post Denise!

The only thing I'd add - don't forget those lights if you are riding in the rain or fog.

V.

[lph]

Thanks Denise! Similar experiences prompted me to add a bit more than the standard lights fore-and-aft: reflective bands on both ankles so I can be seen from the side and one on my left wrist so I can signal a visible left turn.

[Tri Girl]

Great reminder Denise. Thanks!

[Deborajen]

Excellent points - good to bring them up. This time of year is my favorite for riding to work as far as weather, but I get nervous about being visible with the sun being so low and blinding me out. Also good to remember about making yourself visible from all sides - not just so drivers will see you with their headlights. I think a lot of cyclists don't realize just how invisible they are.

Deb

[Bikingmomof3]

Great tips Denise. I run at night and wear a lot of lights, but it sounds like I could use more.

[massbikebabe]

Denise;

GREAT POST!!!! You are, (to quote my children), AWESOME
This post makes me realize us NE girls need to get a dinner together again.




karen
who is forwarding this info to college student daughter who is riding the streets of Boston well after dark

[DeniseGoldberg]

Great tips Denise. I run at night and wear a lot of lights, but it sounds like I could use more.

I walk at night and I also wear a lot of lights. Funny - last night I was walking through the college campus next to my home and two of the college policemen called out to me and asked if cars stopped for me. I guess I was visible!

The lights I like are the Firefly Supernova lights from RoadID. I use 2 blinking red lights facing to the back on a reflective belt, 1 blinking blue light facing forward on the same reflective belt, and 2 blinking blue lights strapped to my right arm facing forward (since I am walking facing traffic). It seems to work - since that's the second time I've been told I looked like a police car.

Denise;
GREAT POST!!!! You are, (to quote my children), AWESOME... This post makes me realize us NE girls need to get a dinner together again.

karen
who is forwarding this info to college student daughter who is riding the streets of Boston well after dark

Thanks Karen! You're right, we should all get together again...

--- Denise

[alforfun]

Yes yes I agree totally with Denise. There are no street lights here; but there are curving, winding, hilly country roads where people are driving at least 55 mph...and as a cyclist you need all the lights you can get. As a driver, by the time you realize what the heck those blinky lights are...you are ontop of the cyclist, with not much manuevering room. I almost think that dusk is the worst time, as the blinky lights are not as effective as when it is totally dark. This has made me very cautious about riding when the light dims...don't want to be road kill.

[light_sabe_r]

Regina. I've got a set of those!!!

The one's I have are MAXISS (hybrid wheels)

whenever light hits it, It BEAMS up reflective. BF reckons he can see me side on from miles away

I have a BBB front headlight (BF bought it for me last week) and it ROCKS. It's so bright that not only does it announce I'm coming round a corner, it also allows me to see things on the road such as cane toads and avoid them (although I would be doing the endangered frog population a favour if I ran over them)

It has a RING as well as the front light, so you can see LIGHT from almost any direction

I've got a cateye blinker light on my saddle pack... it's a shame my mudguard keeps switching it on though.

[Trekhawk]

Regina. I've got a set of those!!!

The one's I have are MAXISS (hybrid wheels)

whenever light hits it, It BEAMS up reflective. BF reckons he can see me side on from miles away

I have a BBB front headlight (BF bought it for me last week) and it ROCKS. It's so bright that not only does it announce I'm coming round a corner, it also allows me to see things on the road such as cane toads and avoid them (although I would be doing the endangered frog population a favour if I ran over them)

It has a RING as well as the front light, so you can see LIGHT from almost any direction

I've got a cateye blinker light on my saddle pack... it's a shame my mudguard keeps switching it on though.

Hey LS - have you got a link for this headlight?? Im trying to sort through all the options at the moment as my little light just doesnt cut it.

[paigette]

Just want to plug Planet Bike's Blinky 3 rear light, I have it on my road bike & at last night's group ride, every one was commenting on how bright it was!

I know I need more side lighting and have been looking into products, but most are available on-line & I kind of want to see the stuff in person (yeah, yeah, immediate gratification & all that)

[spokewench]

I agree with all of these great posts that you can't have enough lights at night. We all have to realize though that people in cars do not see you in the daylight because they are not looking for you! You are the odd "girl" out. So, you have to realize that at night YOU ARE INVISIBLE! If there is any doubt in your mind and it means stopping your bike so someone does not pull out in front of you - STOP! When I ride at night I always believe I am invisible and must take care of myself!

This attitude was reinforced and became my night riding attitude years ago when I was riding home from a tennis lesson in Castro Valley coming back to my house in San Leandro. It was dark and I had a very nice night rider front light that I used for riding mountain bikes at night so it was quite bright, I had on a reflective jacket, reflective shoes, and a rear blinking light. I was thinking oh, these people have to be idiots if they don't see me; but really people may see a blinking light or a smaller headlight and they just don't register that someone might be out riding a bike at night. You have to realize these car drivers are usually not bikers and have no idea that someone would ride at night so that don't make the connection between light and a bike coming their way.

I was the only bike/car coming down the road I was on and someone pulled directly out with me pretty much right in front of the driver side hood. My reaction was to jump my bike sideways and as I was doing this the driver must have seen me and slammed on the brakes just missing me by inches! It was a very close call and I know that this person JUST DID NOT SEE ME (or if he did, he never registered that there was actually someone riding their bike at night.

So, my warning is always believe you are invisible at night! It can save your life!

[light_sabe_r]

Hey LS - have you got a link for this headlight?? Im trying to sort through all the options at the moment as my little light just doesnt cut it.

http://www.bbbparts.com/

Click LIGHT SETS under ACCESSORIES then click on the NIGHTBEAM (BLS-17)

http://www.cecilwalker.com.au/category68_1.htm
(down bottom of the page)

[Trekhawk]

http://www.bbbparts.com/

Click LIGHT SETS under ACCESSORIES then click on the NIGHTBEAM (BLS-17)

http://www.cecilwalker.com.au/category68_1.htm
(down bottom of the page)

Thanks light.