"Eric Babula" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Slider2699" <
[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:
>
> > 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
http://www.CycliStats.com CycliStats - Software for Cyclists