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Rear light etiquitte advice wanted.
Dear Bicycling Abbys:
When riding at night I am often passed (almost never is it the other way around) by other cyclists whose rear LED lights are dim, sometimes to the point of barely being visible. What is the preferred method of alerting them to the need for a battery change? Signed: "In the Dark in San Diego" (Robert Leone ). |
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#2
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Rear light etiquitte advice wanted.
Riders in your town use lights at night !? How odd. Never seen
anything like that around here. But then we don't know that there are riders out there till we pull over to see what the scraping noise under the truck is............ Seriously, just tell them as they pass by. That's what I'd like to happen if I were the one with the dim tail. ================== Leon McAtee from the land that time - and sanity - passed by |
#4
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Rear light etiquitte advice wanted.
wrote in message ups.com... Riders in your town use lights at night !? How odd. Never seen anything like that around here. Maybe not among POB. But every December I do a little hard-core commuter census. I count the number of bikes I see on the I-90 trail, from Factoria to Rainier, coming the other direction. For data consistency, I try to do the census at about the same time (7:00 - 8:00 AM on a December morning), and under the same conditions (under 40 degrees but above freezing, in the rain, and of course for those hours, in the dark). I figure anyone riding in December, during the darkest time of year, in the rain, when it's under 40 degrees, are all year-round, consistent commuters. I typically count about 20 bikes for the 8 or so mile stretch. Only once have I ever seen anyone without lights. Seriously, just tell them as they pass by. That's what I'd like to happen if I were the one with the dim tail. Since I'm as slow as a slug on a lettuce leaf, by the time I'd notice their dim tail light, they'd be long-gone before I'd have a chance to call out, and I would have difficulty catching up to let them know. -- Warm Regards, Claire Petersky Personal page: http://www.geocities.com/cpetersky/ See the books I've set free at: http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky |
#5
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Rear light etiquitte advice wanted.
wrote:
Dear Bicycling Abbys: When riding at night I am often passed (almost never is it the other way around) by other cyclists whose rear LED lights are dim, sometimes to the point of barely being visible. What is the preferred method of alerting them to the need for a battery change? Signed: "In the Dark in San Diego" (Robert Leone ). Paintball |
#6
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Rear light etiquitte advice wanted.
wrote:
Dear Bicycling Abbys: When riding at night I am often passed (almost never is it the other way around) by other cyclists whose rear LED lights are dim, sometimes to the point of barely being visible. What is the preferred method of alerting them to the need for a battery change? Signed: "In the Dark in San Diego" (Robert Leone ). Don't bother. Everyone must notice how bright their lights are when they turn them on. Nagging doesn't make the world a better place. |
#7
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Rear light etiquitte advice wanted.
"Peter Cole" wrote in message
... wrote: When riding at night I am often passed (almost never is it the other way around) by other cyclists whose rear LED lights are dim, sometimes to the point of barely being visible. What is the preferred method of alerting them to the need for a battery change? Don't bother. Everyone must notice how bright their lights are when they turn them on. Not necessarily. Someone might turn them on in the brightness of their well-lit garage, or even in a well-lit parking lot, where it's hard to tell. Or they turn them on when they leave the office when it's still light. The difference between OK lights and fading lights is hard to discern under these conditions. I'll turn on my headlights during the day in the rain, and sometimes the only way I can tell they're on is by passing my hand in front of the bulb. -- Warm Regards, Claire Petersky Personal page: http://www.geocities.com/cpetersky/ See the books I've set free at: http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky |
#8
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Rear light etiquitte advice wanted.
On Mon, 17 Oct 2005 13:57:35 GMT, "Claire Petersky"
wrote: "Peter Cole" wrote in message Don't bother. Everyone must notice how bright their lights are when they turn them on. Not necessarily. Someone might turn them on in the brightness of their well-lit garage, or even in a well-lit parking lot, where it's hard to tell. Or they turn them on when they leave the office when it's still light. The difference between OK lights and fading lights is hard to discern under these conditions. I'll turn on my headlights during the day in the rain, and sometimes the only way I can tell they're on is by passing my hand in front of the bulb. Or the light is bright at turn on, but goes dim, due to a weak battery. If I reach back and turn on my blinky, while on the bike, all I can tell is if it is on. Don't tell them twice, that might be nagging. Like most topics, it is how you say it, as well as what you say. Tell them in a friendly, caring way, and only a jerk will react badly. Life is Good! Jeff |
#9
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Rear light etiquitte advice wanted.
wrote: (clip) What is the preferred method of alerting them to the need for a battery change? ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ The question was posed about someone passing YOU. Usually, when I get passed, there is not really enough time to make observations about the rider's lights or any possible mechanical problems, and then decide it would be appropriate to tell them about it. By the time you formulate the idea and the message, it would probably require shouting. OTOH, on those few occasions when I pass someone else, there is ample opportunity to observe,, and the passing speed can be adjusted so that it is easy to talk. I would start by saying, "Excuse me, but I couldn't help noticing..." The age, gender, appearance and demeanor of the rider will have a lot to do with the rest of it. |
#10
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Rear light etiquitte advice wanted.
"Claire Petersky" wrote in message
ink.net... wrote in message ups.com... Riders in your town use lights at night !? How odd. Never seen anything like that around here. ... Only once have I ever seen anyone without lights. Maybe that's Seattle, but not Chicago. On my winter commute, I amuse myself by counting cyclists with/without front lights. It's almost always well under 50% with lighting. The brilliant street lighting on the main arteries means you don't need lights to see, but you still need lights to be seen. I've had people tell me my rear blinky is getting dim, and appreciated their concern. In the dark shed in the morning, things seem brighter than they do on the street. |
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