Blinking Lights good this time of the year!

Hi there.

On Tuesday a cyclist wearing dark clothing riding on a highway near
Palmerston, Ontario, Canada was struck and seriously injured by a
transport truck that was travelling in the same direction.

Please, PLEASE people, if you are riding in an area wher you *MIGHT*
be caught out after dark consider puttind at least a flashing/blinking
light on the rear and front of your bicycle in case you do get caught
be darkness.

I can not tell you how many bicyclists I have seen riding whilst they
were wearing dark coloured or black clothing in poorly lit areas
during the dark part of the night or morning who did not at least have
a reflector on their bicycle. Most of these bicyclist are nearly
totally invisible to overtaking drivers *ESPECIALLY* if there is a
vehickle approaching from the front of them. The oncoming vehicle
often blinds the overtaking driver enough that reflectors on the
bicycle are useless. This is why I urge you to have at least a
flashing/blinking light mounted front and rear.

Cheers and safe riding.

Peter

On Thu, 18 Oct 2007 15:02:19 -0700, Sir Ridesalot
wrote:

I can not tell you how many bicyclists I have seen riding whilst they
were wearing dark coloured or black clothing in poorly lit areas
during the dark part of the night or morning who did not at least have
a reflector on their bicycle. Most of these bicyclist are nearly
totally invisible to overtaking drivers *ESPECIALLY* if there is a
vehickle approaching from the front of them. The oncoming vehicle
often blinds the overtaking driver enough that reflectors on the
bicycle are useless. This is why I urge you to have at least a
flashing/blinking light mounted front and rear.

I've seen lots of stealth riders and I've never hit one of them.

Maybe that's because I undertake driving as a serious matter.
--
zk

On Oct 18, 8:22 pm, Zoot Katz wrote:
On Thu, 18 Oct 2007 15:02:19 -0700, Sir Ridesalot

wrote:
I can not tell you how many bicyclists I have seen riding whilst they
were wearing dark coloured or black clothing in poorly lit areas
during the dark part of the night or morning who did not at least have
a reflector on their bicycle. Most of these bicyclist are nearly
totally invisible to overtaking drivers *ESPECIALLY* if there is a
vehickle approaching from the front of them. The oncoming vehicle
often blinds the overtaking driver enough that reflectors on the
bicycle are useless. This is why I urge you to have at least a
flashing/blinking light mounted front and rear.

I've seen lots of stealth riders and I've never hit one of them.

Maybe that's because I undertake driving as a serious matter.
--
zk

I have been bicycling at night and had stealth cyclists appear out of
side-streets or off a sidewalk whom I barely missed hitting. Had I
been driving I do not think they would have been nearly so lucky. To
each there own. I suggested lights of a blinking or flashing nature
just to add a bit more safety to the roads. Some stealth cyclists do
not drive and do not seem to realize how hard it is for others to see
them at night.

Peter

"Sir Ridesalot" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi there.

On Tuesday a cyclist wearing dark clothing riding on a highway near
Palmerston, Ontario, Canada was struck and seriously injured by a
transport truck that was travelling in the same direction.

Please, PLEASE people, if you are riding in an area wher you *MIGHT*
be caught out after dark consider puttind at least a flashing/blinking
light on the rear and front of your bicycle in case you do get caught
be darkness.

I can not tell you how many bicyclists I have seen riding whilst they
were wearing dark coloured or black clothing in poorly lit areas
during the dark part of the night or morning who did not at least have
a reflector on their bicycle. Most of these bicyclist are nearly
totally invisible to overtaking drivers *ESPECIALLY* if there is a
vehickle approaching from the front of them. The oncoming vehicle
often blinds the overtaking driver enough that reflectors on the
bicycle are useless. This is why I urge you to have at least a
flashing/blinking light mounted front and rear.
Peter

A couple of weeks ago I was heading out early to my local place where I like
to start my country rides. As is typical, it is dark when I leave my house
and the sun is just coming up when I get there. Part of the drive along is
along this narrow & curvy road with lots of houses but also with few nice
hills. So there I am driving my in the dark with my bike racked up....i see
a couple of mailboxes that belong to some houses along the road....then all
of a sudden I see something a bit different...seems like movement..my
headlights don't hit it as the road is curved...before I knew it I realized
it was a dude on a bike....wearing some kind of kit...and it was black (I
saw this only as I was passing him)!
Worse yet, he had NO rear light...though there may have been a reflector. He
was nearly invisible and I might have hit him if I had not been paying
attention. Once I got him in my rear view, I could see he had a smallish,
weakish light on the front. I don't believe it could have provided him much
in the way of visability.

Why would anyone want to wear black cycling attire...and at night? With no
real lights...even a decent blinky on bike would have made him stand out.
Reflectors are worth ****, IMO. If they light doesn't strike them just
right...they are invisible.

I really wanted to stop and hassle the guy...but I thought better of it.

"Zoot Katz" wrote
On Thu, 18 Oct 2007 15:02:19 -0700, Sir Ridesalot
wrote:

I can not tell you how many bicyclists I have seen riding whilst they
were wearing dark coloured or black clothing in poorly lit areas
during the dark part of the night or morning who did not at least have
a reflector on their bicycle. Most of these bicyclist are nearly
totally invisible to overtaking drivers *ESPECIALLY* if there is a
vehickle approaching from the front of them. The oncoming vehicle
often blinds the overtaking driver enough that reflectors on the
bicycle are useless. This is why I urge you to have at least a
flashing/blinking light mounted front and rear.

I've seen lots of stealth riders and I've never hit one of them.

Maybe that's because I undertake driving as a serious matter.

So? You aren't the only one on the roads.

"Roger Zoul" wrote in message
...

"Sir Ridesalot" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi there.

On Tuesday a cyclist wearing dark clothing riding on a highway near
Palmerston, Ontario, Canada was struck and seriously injured by a
transport truck that was travelling in the same direction.

Please, PLEASE people, if you are riding in an area wher you *MIGHT*
be caught out after dark consider puttind at least a flashing/blinking
light on the rear and front of your bicycle in case you do get caught
be darkness.

I can not tell you how many bicyclists I have seen riding whilst they
were wearing dark coloured or black clothing in poorly lit areas
during the dark part of the night or morning who did not at least have
a reflector on their bicycle. Most of these bicyclist are nearly
totally invisible to overtaking drivers *ESPECIALLY* if there is a
vehickle approaching from the front of them. The oncoming vehicle
often blinds the overtaking driver enough that reflectors on the
bicycle are useless. This is why I urge you to have at least a
flashing/blinking light mounted front and rear.
Peter

A couple of weeks ago I was heading out early to my local place where I
like to start my country rides. As is typical, it is dark when I leave my
house and the sun is just coming up when I get there. Part of the drive
along is along this narrow & curvy road with lots of houses but also with
few nice hills. So there I am driving my in the dark with my bike racked
up....i see a couple of mailboxes that belong to some houses along the
road....then all of a sudden I see something a bit different...seems like
movement..my headlights don't hit it as the road is curved...before I knew
it I realized it was a dude on a bike....wearing some kind of kit...and it
was black (I saw this only as I was passing him)!
Worse yet, he had NO rear light...though there may have been a reflector.
He was nearly invisible and I might have hit him if I had not been paying
attention. Once I got him in my rear view, I could see he had a
smallish, weakish light on the front. I don't believe it could have
provided him much in the way of visability.

Why would anyone want to wear black cycling attire...and at night? With
no real lights...even a decent blinky on bike would have made him stand
out. Reflectors are worth ****, IMO. If they light doesn't strike them
just right...they are invisible.

I really wanted to stop and hassle the guy...but I thought better of it.


Sir Darwin will take care of him.

"Bellsouth Ijit 2.0 - Global Warming Edition ®" wrote

"Roger Zoul" wrote

A couple of weeks ago I was heading out early to my local place where I
like to start my country rides. As is typical, it is dark when I leave
my house and the sun is just coming up when I get there. Part of the
drive along is along this narrow & curvy road with lots of houses but
also with few nice hills. So there I am driving my in the dark with my
bike racked up....i see a couple of mailboxes that belong to some houses
along the road....then all of a sudden I see something a bit
different...seems like movement..my headlights don't hit it as the road
is curved...before I knew it I realized it was a dude on a
bike....wearing some kind of kit...and it was black (I saw this only as I
was passing him)!
Worse yet, he had NO rear light...though there may have been a reflector.
He was nearly invisible and I might have hit him if I had not been paying
attention. Once I got him in my rear view, I could see he had a
smallish, weakish light on the front. I don't believe it could have
provided him much in the way of visability.

Why would anyone want to wear black cycling attire...and at night? With
no real lights...even a decent blinky on bike would have made him stand
out. Reflectors are worth ****, IMO. If the light doesn't strike them
just right...they are invisible.

I really wanted to stop and hassle the guy...but I thought better of it.


Sir Darwin will take care of him.

Probably....but I want to make sure *I'm* not involved in the transaction,
frankly.

On Fri, 19 Oct 2007 05:46:45 -0400, "Roger Zoul"
wrote:
Why would anyone want to wear black cycling attire...and at night? With no
real lights...even a decent blinky on bike would have made him stand out.
Reflectors are worth ****, IMO. If they light doesn't strike them just
right...they are invisible.

Look in your cycling catalogs or web store sites, and almost all the
winter gear you see is black, gray, or some other dark or muted color.
You may find a few yellow jackets, and even fewer reflective vests or
arm/leg bands, but everything else is dark.

Agree about the lights. Even a blinky with tired batteries is quite
visible.

Pat

Email address works as is.

Patrick Lamb wrote:
On Fri, 19 Oct 2007 05:46:45 -0400, "Roger Zoul"
wrote:
Why would anyone want to wear black cycling attire...and at night? With no
real lights...even a decent blinky on bike would have made him stand out.
Reflectors are worth ****, IMO. If they light doesn't strike them just
right...they are invisible.

Look in your cycling catalogs or web store sites, and almost all the
winter gear you see is black, gray, or some other dark or muted color.
You may find a few yellow jackets, and even fewer reflective vests or
arm/leg bands, but everything else is dark.

Black is very forgiving of road grime, which leg warmers and booties are
likely to be covered with. Other than that, I can't think of any *good*
reason coloured winter stuff is less common.

Agree about the lights. Even a blinky with tired batteries is quite
visible.

I'm sporting two rear blinkies and a blinking leg band this winter. I
need to re-attach my front blinkie to supplement my main 'seeing' light.

--
Dane Buson -
Neurotics build castles in the sky,
Psychotics live in them,
And psychiatrists collect the rent.

Dane Buson writes:

Why would anyone want to wear black cycling attire... and at
night? With no real lights... even a decent blinky on bike would
have made him stand out. Reflectors are worth ****, IMO. If they
light doesn't strike them just right... they are invisible.

Look in your cycling catalogs or web store sites, and almost all
the winter gear you see is black, gray, or some other dark or muted
color. You may find a few yellow jackets, and even fewer
reflective vests or arm/leg bands, but everything else is dark.

Black is very forgiving of road grime, which leg warmers and booties
are likely to be covered with. Other than that, I can't think of
any *good* reason coloured winter stuff is less common.

Agree about the lights. Even a blinky with tired batteries is
quite visible.

I'm sporting two rear blinkies and a blinking leg band this winter.
I need to re-attach my front blinkie to supplement my main 'seeing'
light.

Visible is not the only criterion. Take that blinking red light in an
unlighted place and wave it slowly back and forth at arms length in
front of you. I think you'll notice that the light does not appear
where you know your hand to be. A moving flashing object registers
slowly enough in a dark environment that its position is deceptive.

For this reason, people who have studied the phenomenon advise using a
steady light or better yet one that moves like pedal reflectors. The
rising and falling light of pedal reflectors is unambiguous in
position and what it mean to any observer.

Jobst Brandt