Night Cyclist Visibility: Driver's Eye View

[ny biker]

When I'm driving, I notice reflective stuff in my headlights before I'm close enough to see lights on a bike.

The bigger the reflective surface, the better. And moving reflective things are also better.

[PscyclePath]

The Massachusetts Bike Coalition has a couple of video clips on-line to show an example of what catches the eye at night... often used in safety classes.

From the front:
http://www.massbike.org/police/mpg/nightfront.mpg

... and from the back:
http://www.massbike.org/police/mpg/nightrear.mpg

(Warning: these are some whomping big files if you click on the link...)

But do note how the pedal motion shows up, as well as the reflective vest and human form...

[Miranda]

I have done a lot of geeking out lights and such within the last year on here. If it would help, you could try searching my user name and lights maybe to weed out some more recent discussion on this.

OK, as already said... things that light up, flash, and *move*. I don't know how this cyclist got his gear like this, but in the end I made my own to match...

I saw a man with reflective bands on his ankles, with red lights, and they blinked. Very noticable when he pedaled particularly.

One company I love is Road ID (stuff on here also about them). They make the IDs lots of folks wear, but also mini lights called FireFlys. Batteries to match sold dirt cheap from their site.

I already owned a FireFly, and a Road ID wrist after coming so close to being road kill one evening at dusk with just reflective stuff on. Then, I made my Firefly blinkie ankle bands out of two products...

I took two refletive ankle bands. Like what can hold the Road ID on your ankle if you prefer. But, I tore the band apart and sewed on a couple FireFlys in the IDs place.

This made the band the appropriate product (soft, long enough, etc.) for the ankle. But, by permanently sewing the blinkies on (without inserting the clip that comes with it) I do not worry about them unclipping and getting lost, or stuck in the gears, etc.

For added side visibility, I have thought about adding white Fireflys on my reflective wrist bands. White near front of bike. Red in back of course. I think if you were to arm signal, it would catch the drivers attention by your lite up arm motion.

BTW... Road ID's customer service IMHO is awesome. One of my purchases, the FireFly clip broke when I went to snap it into the base light. I called the lady at Road ID, and she said their returns department is literally a shoe box on the corner of someone's desk. No problem. She would send a whole new product, plus a pre-paid return shipping envelop, that day to me. Just whenever I had a chance, mail the broken item back at their expense. Now, that is what I call standing behind your products after the sale!