Do you guys commute in the winter?

"Slider2699" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I live in Florida, so winter weather isn't a problem, but it gets

dark at 6

Quoted message said:

PM or earlier during the winter. I work a 9 to 5 so it's dark when

I get

Quoted message said:

home. I have a 20 mile commute, and I'm wondering if anyone is

brave enough

Quoted message said:

to commute 20 miles in the pitch black. Am I being a wuss or am I

being

Quoted message said:

sensible by not riding in the dark? I have a dual beam Vistalite

and a bunch

Quoted message said:

of blinkies but I'm not sure that's enough.

Up here in Seattle, I get to see both sunrise and sunset during my commute this time of year but it
will be full dark both ways by the Solstice. I don't think it's that bad but it depends on what kind
of roads you have to ride on. Very little of my ride is on major roads. I don't do it every day, but
about half the time I ride to work.

I wish it would rain now because it would raise the temperature in the morning by 10 or 15
degrees...

"Slider2699" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I live in Florida, so winter weather isn't a problem, but it gets dark at

6

Quoted message said:

PM or earlier during the winter. I work a 9 to 5 so it's dark when I get home. I have a 20 mile
commute, and I'm wondering if anyone is brave

enough

Quoted message said:

to commute 20 miles in the pitch black. Am I being a wuss or am I being sensible by not riding in
the dark? I have a dual beam Vistalite and a

bunch

Quoted message said:

of blinkies but I'm not sure that's enough.

Lots of people commute in the dark routinely. Many of them actually feel safer, because their
lighting and reflectors make them visible to other traffic to a degree not really achievable in
daylight. I'm one of them.

My 13-mile route takes me from downtown through industrial areas to the suburbs, on secondary,
arterial, or residential roads, so there is street lighting (although sometimes rather ineffective)
most of the way. I use bright (15- or 24-watt) headlights, multiple blinkies, lots of reflective
tape, and a large reflective triangle.

I might feel less confident on unlit rural roads during commuting hours; it's been too long since
I've ridden in such circumstances to say how I'd feel now. I never had a problem with it when I
was younger.

RichC

Slider2699 said:

I live in Florida, so winter weather isn't a problem, but it gets dark at 6 PM or earlier during
the winter. I work a 9 to 5 so it's dark when I get home. I have a 20 mile commute, and I'm
wondering if anyone is brave enough to commute 20 miles in the pitch black. Am I being a wuss or
am I being sensible by not riding in the dark? I have a dual beam Vistalite and a bunch of
blinkies but I'm not sure that's enough.

I recently put a bunch of reflective tape on my bike - the 3m scotchlite stuff is amazing. Works
much better in most traffic situations than LED blinkies (which I also use, front and rear). Makes
me feel a bunch safer.

I do. 55 watt light. I go faster at night than in the day actually, cause its nice and cool.

Slider2699 said:

I live in Florida, so winter weather isn't a problem, but it gets dark at 6 PM or earlier during
the winter. I work a 9 to 5 so it's dark when I get home. I have a 20 mile commute, and I'm
wondering if anyone is brave enough to commute 20 miles in the pitch black. Am I being a wuss or am
I being sensible by not riding in the dark? I have a dual beam Vistalite and a bunch of blinkies
but I'm not sure that's enough.

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

I live in Florida, so winter weather isn't a problem, but it gets dark at 6 PM or earlier during
the winter. I work a 9 to 5 so it's dark when I get home. I have a 20 mile commute, and I'm
wondering if anyone is brave enough to commute 20 miles in the pitch black. Am I being a wuss or
am I being sensible by not riding in the dark? I have a dual beam Vistalite and a bunch of
blinkies but I'm not sure that's enough.

What are the roads and traffic like along your route? That *is* a long commute, especially in
the dark...

--
Dave Kerber Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.

Slider2699 said:

I live in Florida, so winter weather isn't a problem, but it gets dark at 6 PM or earlier during
the winter. I work a 9 to 5 so it's dark when I get home. I have a 20 mile commute, and I'm
wondering if anyone is brave enough to commute 20 miles in the pitch black. Am I being a wuss or am
I being sensible by not riding in the dark? I have a dual beam Vistalite and a bunch of blinkies
but I'm not sure that's enough.

Something to consider is that you probably show up better at night than during the day. I commuted
in Florida for years, much of it in the dark and enjoyed most of the night riding. A good light and
blinkies on the back make all the difference.

Mark Hickey Habanero Cycles habcycles.comhabcycles.comOpen ↗ Home of the $695 ti frame

"Slider2699" <[email hidden]> wrote in :"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

I live in Florida, so winter weather isn't a problem, but it gets dark at 6 PM or earlier during
the winter. I work a 9 to 5 so it's dark when I get home. I have a 20 mile commute, and I'm
wondering if anyone is brave enough to commute 20 miles in the pitch black. Am I being a wuss or
am I being sensible by not riding in the dark? I have a dual beam Vistalite and a bunch of
blinkies but I'm not sure that's enough.

I live in Wisconsin. I try to commute all year long - my commute is about 14 miles, each way. But, I
found that I don't like riding when there's snow on the roads. Just no fun having your front tire
twist and turn in the automobile tire tracks, feeling like you're gonna slip and fall at any given
time, right under a bus, semi or car! So, in winter, I only ride when I'm 'relatively' sure there
will be no snow on the roads.

I know, I'm a wimp! The snow stops me, but the cold or dark doesn't usually stop me. I am usually
riding at 4:30am, and going home at
4:00pm, so it's dark both ways. Not a big deal. I have the VistaLite 15 system (one 5-watt aimed at
oncoming traffic and one 10-watt aimed at the road) on the front, red blinkie on the bike rack,
and red blinkie on the back of my hellmet (sic). And, I bought a bunch of the 3M Scotchlite
reflective tape, and put it on my bike frame, my battery, my tire pump, and even my flag stick
(yes, I have a US Flag waving behind my bike - best accessory I ever put on the bike!). I feel
pretty safe, riding at night, but think I could use better lights to see with, on the front of my
bike. Some of my commute is in the suburbs, where I might go stretches of up to a mile with no
street lighting, and it would be nice to have a brighter light on the road, to see the upcoming
glass, or whatever.

I have been told, by one motorist (who is also a bicyclist, BTW), that, even though she thinks I
have ample light, it's really hard to judge my distance and speed, as I come toward her at night.
She actually passed me, going the opposite way, turned around, caught up to me, stopped me, and
chatted with me! Good thing to hear. I think I'm going to add a couple white/amber blinkies to the
front of my bike, too, just to be safer.

On another occasion, a guy pulled up next to me at a stop light, rolled down his window, and said,
"Thank you for having so much light on your bike." That was really cool! He basically told me that
he could see me from 1/2 mile away, and it's nice when you can see a bicyclist so well, because many
people have nothing at all on their bikes, and wear black, so a driver won't see them until it's too
late. So, apparently, the combination of blinkies and reflective tape is good enough from behind!
I'm still considering buying a reflective vest, with the SMV triangle on
it. Can never be too safe!

Well, that's my situation. YMMV.

--
Smile!!

__O _-\ <,_ Eric Babula (_) / (_) Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA

"Slider2699" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I live in Florida, so winter weather isn't a problem, but it gets dark at

6

Quoted message said:

PM or earlier during the winter. I work a 9 to 5 so it's dark when I get home. I have a 20 mile
commute, and I'm wondering if anyone is brave

enough

Quoted message said:

to commute 20 miles in the pitch black.

This is my first year riding home closer to commuter hours, as before I was working only half-time.
I'm enjoying watching the season turn. It's getting darker and darker for that PM ride home.

--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky Please replace earthlink for mouse-potato and .net for .com

Home of the meditative cyclist: home.earthlink.netWelcome.htmOpen ↗

Books just wanna be FREE! See what I mean at: bookcrossing.comCpeterskyOpen ↗

Slider2699 said:

I live in Florida, so winter weather isn't a problem, but it gets dark at 6 PM or earlier during
the winter. I work a 9 to 5 so it's dark when I get home. I have a 20 mile commute, and I'm
wondering if anyone is brave enough to commute 20 miles in the pitch black. Am I being a wuss or am
I being sensible by not riding in the dark? I have a dual beam Vistalite and a bunch of blinkies
but I'm not sure that's enough.

I'm taking bets on how long before this becomes another lighting war.
--
Rick Onanian

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

...

Quoted message said:

combination of blinkies and reflective tape is good enough from behind! I'm still considering
buying a reflective vest, with the SMV triangle on
it. Can never be too safe!

I've seen reflective vests all over the place, but never one with the SMV triangle; where do you
find that?

Last night I was running a couple of errands on the way home, and as I was turning into the parking
lot of the shopping center, there were two cyclists waiting at the light to exit the parking lot. It
was full dark and raining. They didn't have any lights or reflectors which I could see from the side
and their clothes were kind of a medium color: not black, but not high-vis either. The only reason I
got a good look at them was that there was a street light on that corner, and they were properly
positioned in the lane at the front of the line of cars waiting for the light. As I first approached
the intersection, I thought they were going to go on through the light, but they did not do so. As I
passed them, I did something I very rarely do: rolled down the window and called out to them. I said
"You guys need some lights." I hope I came across as encouraging them to keep riding, just to do it
a little more safely in the future...

Nice writeup, BTW!

--
Dave Kerber Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I live in Florida, so winter weather isn't a problem, but it gets dark at

6

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

PM or earlier during the winter. I work a 9 to 5 so it's dark when I get home. I have a 20 mile
commute, and I'm wondering if anyone is brave

enough

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

to commute 20 miles in the pitch black. Am I being a wuss or am I being sensible by not riding in
the dark? I have a dual beam Vistalite and a

bunch

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

of blinkies but I'm not sure that's enough.

Well, her in Norway where I'm living it's also getting dark now. This morning I did 35 miles most of
which was in pitch darkness. Using a dual beam NightSun XC I've no problems with the darkness and
traffic. It's still no snow on the roads so have not put on the studdied tires yet but wil as soon
as the conditions are there. Temperatur this morning at 5:30 AM was 32F which is not bad at this
time of year. Hjalmar

"Slider2699" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I live in Florida, so winter weather isn't a problem, but it gets dark at 6 PM or earlier during
the winter. I work a 9 to 5 so it's dark when I get home. I have a 20 mile commute, and I'm
wondering if anyone is brave enough to commute 20 miles in the pitch black. Am I being a wuss or
am I being sensible by not riding in the dark? I have a dual beam Vistalite and a bunch of
blinkies but I'm not sure that's enough.

If you're not sure it's enough, get some help from a friend and check it out. Have your friend ride
your bike while you pass by in a car, from different directions. Do this on the roads you plan to
ride, or their close equivalents.

I commute in the dark. I use a generator headlight and taillight, a blinkie front and rear and
various reflective bits. I've checked out my bike as described above, and had other people give me
their comments on its visibility. Everyone has been not only satisfied, but impressed. In fact,
several times motorists have given me spontaneous compliments on my visibility.

FWIW, I've got two higher-powered rechargeable headlights. I used to use them, but rarely do now.
They're just not needed, so I don't bother carrying them along.

You'll soon get posts from the light fanatics - those people who believe nobody should ever ride at
night without blinding strobe lights behind, aircraft landing lights in front, and (perhaps)
exploding flares overhead. Obviously, I disagree with that philosophy. But then, I've only been
doing this for 20 years or so. YMMV.

I think the best advice is to check out what your bike looks like in your actual riding conditions.

- Frank Krygowski

"Slider2699" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I live in Florida, so winter weather isn't a problem, but it gets dark at

6

Quoted message said:

PM or earlier during the winter. I work a 9 to 5 so it's dark when I get home. I have a 20 mile
commute, and I'm wondering if anyone is brave

enough

Quoted message said:

to commute 20 miles in the pitch black. Am I being a wuss or am I being sensible by not riding in
the dark? I have a dual beam Vistalite and a

bunch

Quoted message said:

of blinkies but I'm not sure that's enough.

A matter of preferences of course but I find the amount of urban/suburban
light pollution hereabouts to be adequate for me to see and front and back
blinkies along with some reflective strips acceptable for others to see me.

--
'Sell your sin Just cash in' -Jewell

"Slider2699" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I live in Florida, so winter weather isn't a problem, but it gets dark at 6 PM or earlier during
the winter. I work a 9 to 5 so it's dark when I get home. I have a 20 mile commute, and I'm
wondering if anyone is brave enough to commute 20 miles in the pitch black. Am I being a wuss or
am I being sensible by not riding in the dark? I have a dual beam Vistalite and a bunch of
blinkies but I'm not sure that's enough.

I ride 17.5 miles each way to work and lately it has been dark on my ride home. Most of this is over
very lightly travel rural roads with no lighting and no lines. I have a dual logic 25w hallogen
headlight and it works fine. I use it full blast when I'm out in the sticks and on the low setting
if I'm riding through a well-lit area. (battery life isn't quite long enough for high beam all the
way). I average about 16 miles per hour with this light and can descend a hill at 25mph comfortably.
I have a red blinky on my back. I haven't had any problems with cars so far. If you have a good
rechargeable water-bottle lighting system, you should be fine.

"Eric Babula" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Slider2699" <[email hidden]> wrote in :"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

I live in Florida, so winter weather isn't a problem, but it gets dark at 6 PM or earlier during
the winter. I work a 9 to 5 so it's dark when I get home. I have a 20 mile commute, and I'm
wondering if anyone is brave enough to commute 20 miles in the pitch black. Am I being a wuss or
am I being sensible by not riding in the dark? I have a dual beam Vistalite and a bunch of
blinkies but I'm not sure that's enough.

I live in Wisconsin. I try to commute all year long - my commute is about 14 miles, each way. But,
I found that I don't like riding when there's snow on the roads. Just no fun having your front
tire twist and turn in the automobile tire tracks, feeling like you're gonna slip and fall at any
given time, right under a bus, semi or car! So, in winter, I only ride when I'm 'relatively' sure
there will be no snow on the roads.

I know, I'm a wimp! The snow stops me, but the cold or dark doesn't usually stop me. I am usually
riding at 4:30am, and going home at
4:00pm, so it's dark both ways. Not a big deal. I have the VistaLite 15 system (one 5-watt aimed
at oncoming traffic and one 10-watt aimed at the road) on the front, red blinkie on the bike
rack, and red blinkie on the back of my hellmet (sic). And, I bought a bunch of the 3M
Scotchlite reflective tape, and put it on my bike frame, my battery, my tire pump, and even my
flag stick (yes, I have a US Flag waving behind my bike - best accessory I ever put on the
bike!). I feel pretty safe, riding at night, but think I could use better lights to see with, on
the front of my bike. Some of my commute is in the suburbs, where I might go stretches of up to
a mile with no street lighting, and it would be nice to have a brighter light on the road, to
see the upcoming glass, or whatever.

I have been told, by one motorist (who is also a bicyclist, BTW), that, even though she thinks I
have ample light, it's really hard to judge my distance and speed, as I come toward her at night.
She actually passed me, going the opposite way, turned around, caught up to me, stopped me, and
chatted with me! Good thing to hear. I think I'm going to add a couple white/amber blinkies to the
front of my bike, too, just to be safer.

On another occasion, a guy pulled up next to me at a stop light, rolled down his window, and said,
"Thank you for having so much light on your bike." That was really cool! He basically told me that
he could see me from 1/2 mile away, and it's nice when you can see a bicyclist so well, because
many people have nothing at all on their bikes, and wear black, so a driver won't see them until
it's too late. So, apparently, the combination of blinkies and reflective tape is good enough from
behind! I'm still considering buying a reflective vest, with the SMV triangle on
it. Can never be too safe!

Well, that's my situation. YMMV.

--
Smile!!

__O _-\ <,_ Eric Babula (_) / (_) Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA

Do you have the reflective tape on your crank arms and ankles or shoes?

Before I started working from home, I used to commute by bike, and found that adding the reflective
tape to the front and back of both crank arms was very effective for both oncoming and overtaking
traffic. It produces a very noticeable left-right flashing that makes it easier for the drivers to
identify as a cyclist. This, in turn, seems to help them judge the distance better.

I'd also recommend ankle or shoe reflectors of some sort, for the same reason...the up and down
motion helps drivers recognize you as a cyclist.

--
~_-* ...G/ \G cyclistats.comcyclistats.comOpen ↗ CycliStats - Software for Cyclists

"Rich Clark" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

"Slider2699" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I live in Florida, so winter weather isn't a problem, but it gets dark at

6

Quoted message said:

......... of blinkies but I'm not sure that's enough.

Lots of people commute in the dark routinely. Many of them actually feel safer, because their
lighting and reflectors make them visible to other traffic to a degree not really achievable in
daylight. I'm one of them.

My 13-mile route takes me from downtown through industrial areas to the suburbs, on secondary,
arterial, or residential roads, so there is street lighting (although sometimes rather
ineffective) most of the way. I use bright (15- or 24-watt) headlights, multiple blinkies, lots of
reflective tape, and a large reflective triangle.

I might feel less confident on unlit rural roads during commuting hours; it's been too long since
I've ridden in such circumstances to say how I'd feel now. I never had a problem with it when I
was younger.

RichC

I agree with Rich. I have a 30 mile commute across the city. I light myself up like a Christmas tree
and use reflective tape. I feel as safe or safer than during daylight.

Last year I started putting a blinker on each side of my bike, hanging on the front panniers. That
seemed to make a big difference for cars pulling out from sidestreets and cars coming from the other
direction that make a left turn across my lane.

Tom

Mark Hickey from Habanero Cycles said:

Slider2699 said:

I live in Florida, so winter weather isn't a problem, but it gets dark at 6 PM or earlier during
the winter. I work a 9 to 5 so it's dark when I get home. I have a 20 mile commute, and I'm
wondering if anyone is brave enough to commute 20 miles in the pitch black. Am I being a wuss or
am I being sensible by not riding in the dark? I have a dual beam Vistalite and a bunch of
blinkies but I'm not sure that's enough.

Something to consider is that you probably show up better at night than during the day. I commuted
in Florida for years, much of it in the dark and enjoyed most of the night riding. A good light and
blinkies on the back make all the difference.

Hey, we agree on something! Are there earthquakes in divers places, too? We may be in for some
turbulence ...

--
real e-mail addy: kevansmith23 at yahoo dot com a yellow wallpaper poem is a dirty clip,

"David Kerber" <ns_dkerber@ns_ids.net> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

I live in Florida, so winter weather isn't a problem, but it gets dark

at 6

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

PM or earlier during the winter. I work a 9 to 5 so it's dark when I get home. I have a 20 mile
commute, and I'm wondering if anyone is brave

enough

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

to commute 20 miles in the pitch black. Am I being a wuss or am I being sensible by not riding
in the dark? I have a dual beam Vistalite and a

bunch

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

of blinkies but I'm not sure that's enough.

What are the roads and traffic like along your route? That *is* a long commute, especially in
the dark...

Well, I live in a county heavily populated by retirees. The traffic on my route isn't very bad at
the times I ride it, but there are tons of elderly drivers. I have never been hit but I suppose
there's a first time. :-)

"Slider2699" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I live in Florida, so winter weather isn't a problem, but it gets dark at

6

Quoted message said:

PM or earlier during the winter. I work a 9 to 5 so it's dark when I get home. I have a 20 mile
commute, and I'm wondering if anyone is brave

enough

Quoted message said:

to commute 20 miles in the pitch black. Am I being a wuss or am I being sensible by not riding in
the dark? I have a dual beam Vistalite and a

bunch

Quoted message said:

of blinkies but I'm not sure that's enough.

Yep, I commute in the winter, although I've only done it two winters. I have a NiteRider Digital
Evolution headlight and red LED rear light (sometimes I blink, sometimes I leave it steady) and my
commute is only 8 miles roundtrip right now. But my office is moving in January and the move will
increase the commute by 10 miles round trip. That along with the fact that I like to spend some time
in the gym some days guarantees that I'll be riding at some time that I need a light.