Great article.
It is so important to be visible out there at night,we otherwise become a sitting duck.
Because we're all cyclists here, when WE are driving, we know what to look for on the road and consciously (or subconsciously) look out for other cyclists on the road.
But many motorists aren't like us.
This is why I think it's important for cyclists to be lit up like a Xmas tree. I wish we could make it cool to stand out at night, this would save lives.
But aren't they expensive? Well, not really. Even though most of us prefer to buy American made, there are many quality, affordable lights coming out of China these days, there's really no excuse not to have 2. (front & back) You could pick up a set for under $35.00
Further, with the Lithium ion battery technology, many bike likes are going down the path of being USB rechargeable. This means you can plug it into your PC or wall charger and charge it up that way. This is really handy if you bike to work as it can be charged during the day.
Ideally, you want at a bare minimum 500+ lumens for the front. Pointed slightly down so as not to blind other motorists. I have mine on a strobe mode as it stands out more. And pointing slightly down has the advantage of showing where you're going better.
On the rear, a 150+ strobe is adequate and if you're amongst heavier traffic or want to be extra cautious, then put lights on your helmet too.
We're now beginning to see some really cool tech where LEDs are incorporated into the clothing to show the intention of the cyclist, because lets face it, many cyclist don't use hand signals, although we should.
For those that don't wear a helmet :-/ there are clip on lights that can be attached to shirt collars, baseball caps and also headbands.
Feel free to hit me up if you have any questions and safe riding.
www.thebrightcyclist.com