Lighten Up

Winter has come back around again and with winter comes darkness, complete cold and total darkness.  You leave for work under the cover of night and return home the same way.  We haven't even been through the worst of it it yet.   Five weeks until the solstice.  The further north you are, the darker it gets.  After a few weeks, you can't remember where you put your sunglasses and you don't even care.  You won't need them until May, perhaps April.  It's no wonder things like drinking, drug use, and suicide go up this time of year.  If you happen to live in places like Northeast Ohio or, errr.. Luxembourg winter is even more joyful- constant cloud cover.  Need I say more?

This time of year, more than any other, it's imperative that those of us out of two wheels  do everything possible to be visible.  While it's easy to blame drivers the rest of the time for "just not seeing the cyclist," nighttime is a whole nuther ball of wax.  Low light situations mean everything is harder to spot- bikes, pedestrians, animals, and even other cars.  It's one thing in urban areas with street lights, but out in the sticks if something isn't lit up of its own accord, the chance of a collision increase.  So, do yourself a favor and lighten up.  While you may be worried about looking ridiculous, personally I'd rather look like a fool than be dead.  Here are some of my favorite methods for staying visible during the winter months.

1). High-Vis clothing.  Even if the sun is up, visibility is still low this time of year especially in the overcast areas.  Investing in a high-vis jacket, vest, or pants will go a long way towards getting noticed on the road.  It may look goofy, but it's worth it.

2.) Lighting.  In Europe, many bicycles come with stock, dynamo powered headlights and taillights.  Most people rely on those and the reflectors on the wheels for visibility.  Let me tell ya something, unless you have a high end bike with a high-end lighting system, these lights are crap.  Seriously.  You know how a flashlight looks right before the batteries die?  That's about the power behind the stock headlights.  So, either upgrade your headlight or purchase some add-ons.  I have a special place in my heart for Nite Rider lights.  You can't miss em.  One of these bad boys on the handlebars, fork, or helmet will get you seen.  But, where ever you mount it, make sure it's aimed in a way so as not to blind other cyclists.  A bright light right in the eye is almost as dangerous as no light at all.  Pair the headlight with their equally powerful tail light and you're good to go.  Well, almost.

3.) Highlight movement.  Bicycles come with reflectors, yes, but it doesn't hurt to add a little more.  A roll of 3M reflective tape won't cost you much, but it can go a long way.  While you can stick it to the back of your helmet, backpack, or cargo rack, it's best to use it where it can be most effective- on things that move, like the back of your shoes.  Of course, don't forget being visible from the side in addition to the front and back.  Reflective tape works great on crank arms and a strip here and there on your rims will do wonders.  Of course, if you have some extra funds something like this may be up your alley.

http://www.monkeylectric.com/

4.) Ride visibly.  All the lights and reflective stuff in the world isn't going to help you if you're riding on the side walk, on the wrong side of the street, passing stopped cars on the right, or running red lights.  Ride correctly, take the lane, and communicate clearly with drivers.  Following the traffic laws is your best bet for staying in drivers' line of sight and out from under their bumpers.  While collisions can happen even when cyclists are doing everything right, the chances of a collision go way up when we choose to ignore the laws.

Most drivers, at least I (desperately) hope so, don't want to hit you any more than you want to be hit.  Granted, all the responsibility for getting home safe should not fall completely on the cyclist's shoulders.   But, don't make it harder on everyone by riding around like a ninja either.  This time of year, chances are you're riding in the dark.  So, spend a few bucks on visibility, cycle safely and enjoy the ride!