Comments on: Lighting up the night, one bicyclist at a time

By: Mickey

Mickey — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 03:52:55 +0000

Cycling more dangerous at night with lights? Are you trying to troll?
It’s very simple, if someone can’t see you, they can’t avoid you. It’s not just someone swerving into a shoulder and running you over from behind, you will get hit by someone making a turn in front of you without lights.

By: Teresa Nystrom

Teresa Nystrom — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 03:00:18 +0000

I drive along Grant Road a lot at night. There are a lot of cyclists who have neither lights, nor reflectors. I hope there is a repeat of this event with a location at one of the parking lots at Grant/Alvernon. Would also be good if these bike riders learned some safety rules as they often ride against traffic and cross erratically. I would be willing to help.

By: AZTT

AZTT — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:31:41 +0000

Wow, such a stupid idea for bikes to have lights at night! Maybe we can get the cars to give theirs up also.

By: Scott

Scott — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:36:29 +0000

Yeah, those little LED blinkies sure do contribute to light pollution.

Target fixation is a real problem, especially in the US, land of the oblivious unskilled driver. Unfortunately, most bicyclists are equally oblivious, and tend to ride as though they assume that everyone else can see and avoid them even when they are completely invisible. “Stealth mode” is one thing if you are consciously riding to stay out of the way of all those other road users who can’t see you, but that is certainly *not* the case with all the bike ninjas I find myself constantly dodging on my way home every night.

By: Leo Mellon

Leo Mellon — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:29:48 +0000

Free bike lights —— cool.

Should all bikes have lights? I’m not so sure. Among other things, there is research that indicates that lights can sub-consciously attract drivers toward the light. (I hear that in Germany, the flashing red ones are particularly discouraged, as they are known to sort of mesmerize people to go towards them.)

But, in general, “Light the Night?” Terrible idea. As biological organisms, “…we need the darkness as surely as we need the light.”