Tom at Seattle Bike Blog reports on an event tomorrow for bike lighting.
Bike lights are not optional. Aside from being required by law (technically, only front light and rear reflector are required), lights are vital if you are going to be visible to folks driving, biking and walking at night and sun-in-the-eyes situations.
Studies have shown that people on bikes naturally feel more visible to others than they actually are. Unfortunately, this leads people to a false sense of security about biking without lights (or with very poor lights).
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The city and Commute Seattle want to help you out. They are hosting an event Thursday from 4-6 p.m. at 5th and Stewart.
It’s a good chance to get the right gear. With the days getting shorter, and the commute in the dark — as well as this fog — it’ll be more and more important to be light up properly.
Also, too – as a driver who, til health intervened, biked everywhere – what is it with bicyclists who use poor lighting and wear dark clothes?
Reflective strips help a lot. But if you don’t have that and know you’re going to be going home in the dark later on, for god sakes don’t wear your black jacket and dark blue jeans. K?
I realize that this about bikes, but pedestrians can be invisible, too. I don’t know how many times I’ve driven near my home and had kids – mostly teenagers – run across the street in front of my car, wearing black hoodies, dark pants, etc. I don’t know why they (a) assume I will see them, and (b) assume I will hit the brakes to avoid hitting them.
I’ll be lucky if I don’t hit one someday.