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Old January 27th 18, 04:41 AM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
Frank Krygowski[_4_]
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On 1/26/2018 1:41 PM, jbeattie wrote:
On Friday, January 26, 2018 at 7:53:52 AM UTC-8, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 1/26/2018 10:29 AM, jbeattie wrote:
On Thursday, January 25, 2018 at 7:58:41 PM UTC-8, Frank Krygowski wrote:

Here, I have my usual problem. I can't remember having a near collision
of any type at night. Instead, I've noted motorists waiting far longer
than necessary to let me go past.

You are the super-luckiest rider I know. I just about got mowed down on Tuesday, riding home in a rainstorm at night when I went to jump across traffic. looked back -- street was clear back to a set of headlights fifty or more yards away, and then out of the gloom -- a black car with no lights on going full speed, not even incidental running lights. WTF? Pure luck that I saw it before taking the lane. Sometimes its the other guy's lights or lack of lights. Unlighted bikes and pedestrians in all black are a frequent hazard, particularly in the rain with wet glasses and glare from tail lights or headlights.


I am lucky... or something. Only two moving on-road falls since I
started adult cycling in 1972. (That doesn't count the time I toppled
over while standing at a red light, or the falls I cheerfully endured in
my mountain biking days.)

Part of it could be conservative riding. I avoid riding on the edge of
traction. I do tons of "what if" thinking as I ride along. I'm
compulsive about watching the road surface, and so on. And part of it
could be education. (I always wonder if anyone else here has taken a
cycling class. I've taken several, and read and written a library on
riding well.)

But I'm sure a lot of it is environment. Much of your riding is in a
major city and in all weather. I'm in a smaller metro area, and I took
care to choose my commuting routes to avoid the densest traffic when
possible. Still, I've ridden a fair amount in Portland, plus in a bunch
of other big cities both in the U.S. and abroad.

On part of my ride home last night, I just gave into the fact that I couldn't see a f****** thing with an 800 lumen light, pouring rain and a broken road surface with rushing water like riding through a stream bed. The good part was that I was on a low-traffic climb on a tiny residential street. I could use either better night vision and windshield wipers on my glasses or a 2000 lumen light. On dry nights, the dyno is fine in most places.


Yeah, I usually avoided night rides in pouring rain. But regarding the
800 lumen light, do keep in mind that a car's headlight beams aren't
visible in the conditions you describe. As mentioned, I recall shopping
on a rainy night, then getting into our car with my wife in a big plaza
parking lot. As I drove away, she said "Your headlights aren't on!" But
they were.

The light reflects forward off the horizontal film of water, instead of
backward off the texture of dry pavement. If the light doesn't reflect
back to your eye, it's not visible.

So I give you credit for riding in those conditions. Either that or I
advise you to think twice about riding in those conditions.


If I don't ride in those conditions, I don't commute half the year.

In heavy rain, the problem is not only the diffraction of light off the wet surface but, for me, the diffraction of bright lights off the droplets on my glasses. Looking over my glasses, I lose far vision. I could wear contacts, but I prefer not to, and if its raining hard, by eyeballs get slapped without glasses. My waning night vision is a problem as are the blinding, super-bright bike and car headlights.

Bright point light sources make MUPS and cycletracks particularly dangerous because you get blinded and can't see pedestrians (who all wear black at night for some reason) or poorly lighted bicyclists. It's really bad on two-way separated cycle tracks with on-coming MV traffic on the roadway immediately to your right and headlights in your face. Another planning mistake.


Glasses are a real irritation in rain, even in daylight. I'm lucky in
that my distance vision is perfect, so I just take them off. I use a cap
with a brim to get some shielding both against rain and oncoming glare.

But I hardly ever ride at night in the rain. You're certainly dedicated.


--
- Frank Krygowski
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