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.

[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.

[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

[Bikingmomof3]

Thanks Denise! I definitely do not have enough lights on.

[SadieKate]

Thanks, Denise. I started riding after dark last year and have really focused a lot of attention on being visible on night. This winter I think I'll be doing more daytime riding in the fog. I've always stayed off the roads because visibility is so poor, but this year I can't if I want to make some goals. Therefore, I've been working on visibility in the fog. Visibility in the dark is almost a piece o' cake in comparison to the fog. Reflective items just don't cut it in the fog so you almost need more lights in some ways.

[emily_in_nc]

Driving home from work this week, like Denise, I encountered a commuting cyclist from behind who had a bright blinking tail light, but no other forms of reflectivity and darkish cycling clothing (tho after a certain level of darkness, even screaming yellow wouldn't have helped much). I immediately thought "Illuminite" -- the fabric that's used in jerseys, vests, jackets, and such, and lights up in car headlights. Does anyone who rides after dark use it? From the photos in catalogs, it looks like it would dramatically increase a rider's visibility to a car with headlights on, but I've never actually seen it in use.

I worry about those bike commuters out there too -- and as a fellow cyclist (tho' I don't ride at night), I certainly feel for them. I think some of them just have no idea that they are not as visible to motorists as they think.

Emily

[SadieKate]

I live in a college town and there seems to be a distinct difference in one's perception of visibility between adults and students. The students will have whatever OEM reflectors came on their claptrap bikes and a very weak head lamp, though most don't even have this. You would think that a few days of the campus police getting a little persnickety would solve this. Earlier this week, 3 of them plowed into each other behind us at a roundy because none of them had lights and could see one another. The adult commuters have lights, reflective wear and aren't wearing headphones or talking on their cellphones. It just seems so easy for a college to do some education about visibility -- and then enforce it on campus.

[makbike]

Sadly, this morning a cyclist in Louisville was killed as he made a right turn off a busy road onto a side street just as a motorist was making a left turn onto the same side street. The accident occurred just before sunrise and according to various news sources in town the cyclist was not wearing any reflective clothing. He had the right of way but the motorist did not see him. Now a family grieves the loss of their loved one and the motorist's life has been changed forever, a sad start to the day for many.

Last night as I was traveling on one of Louisville's busiest roadways I came upon a cyclist who apparently had a deathwish. They had a blinking light on the bike but it was very evident the batteries were worn out for the light was quite dim. The cyclist had on a reflective vest but it too appeared to be tired for it was not bouncing light like it should. Finally, the cyclist was dressed in black making them even harder to see at 8:30 p.m. I'm guessing this person made it home safe and sound but all I can say is they were very fortunate to do so.

Please take Denise's note to heart if you ride before the sun rises or after it sets. We have a responsibility to make ourselves visible so all can see us from the front, from the back and from the side.

[DeniseGoldberg]

...I immediately thought "Illuminite" -- the fabric that's used in jerseys, vests, jackets, and such, and lights up in car headlights. Does anyone who rides after dark use it?
Emily

I have a jacket that has Illuminte in the sleeves and in a band around the bottom of the jacket. I bought it because I liked the jacket (as opposed to for the Illuminite). Illuminite does light up when it's hit by lights - but only with a direct hit straight at the material. So I'd say that it's OK as an extra, but not as a sole lighting source.

I still believe that lighter and brighter colors are better at night - they are more visible when hit by light than dark colors.

But I really believe that if we're going to be out on the road at night - whether it's on our bikes or on foot - that we need some type of active light (as in blinking lights, not just bright colored or reflective fabric).

--- Denise