I have been riding to work a lot lately and I would like to make riding to work something I do every day except for extreme weather. as the days have gotten shorter, especially after the daylight savings change, I have to ride home completely in the dark. it's only 3 miles total each way along busy city streets but i don't feel safe on these roads, even when I have my body and my bike lit up like a Christmas tree. anything else I should consider to make my ride home safer? I cannot seem to find an alternative route that does not involve tripling my commute distance.
I have a Planet Bike Superflash blinky on the back of my helmet, a red Frog on my seatpost, a Solarforce flashlight on my helmet, a Niterider Minewt 750 on my handlebar, a white Frog wrapped around my front hub and a hi-vis vest on, but my backpack covers a lot of my vest from behind. i HATE riding with a rear rack. I have a bright blue frame.
If at all possible try to time your commute to lulls in traffic patterns. When I go in at night (@19:30) I leave at that time since it's after "rush hour" (such that it is down here), and when I head home if I'm on time it's @ 06:00. If I'm late getting out, I'll wait and have breakfast or read a book for a little while so I'm not riding during peak morning traffic. It stinks having to cool my heels, but it takes a lot of the tension out of commute home.
The ridiculousness of cycling clothes increase exponentially in relation to the distance from your bicycle.
I have to ride home completely in the dark. it's only 3 miles total each way along busy city streets but i don't feel safe on these roads, even when I have my body and my bike lit up like a Christmas tree.
Well I am in the same situation...dark in and dark to home....
I ride about 8 km (short route is 5 km)...
So you could be safer if you rode 9 miles that is 15 km.
Since it takes me about 4 km just to warm up....I would definately consider the longer ride at least some of the time.
Well I am in the same situation...dark in and dark to home....
I ride about 8 km (short route is 5 km)...
So you could be safer if you rode 9 miles that is 15 km.
Since it takes me about 4 km just to warm up....I would definately consider the longer ride at least some of the time.
Especially if the route is much safer.
I have several routes home.
16 miles is the shortest route. It takes dangerous surface streets. I only take this route if it's after midnight, and I do full speed the entire way home (~20-25 mph).
19 miles is the next shortest. It takes less dangerous options, but is still dangerous. I broke a wheel avoiding a car and ramming a curb at high speed because it is that dangerous. To be safe, I have to descend a 30 mph zoned hill with manhole covers in the middle of the road at over 45 mph or face the prospect of getting rear ended.
The longest route that I use is also the safest. It's 30 miles each way, but it's 27 miles of closed trail. Most of the time I take the 30 mile route home.
I've used a strobe like this for extra visibility in bad weather. It's meant for kayakers out in the ocean fog or needing rescue. Only blinks every few secs, but it is very bright.
consider a taillight that is daylight visible, or nearly so.
A Dinotte, or a Magicshine, or something like that. Pack the lumens. I have found that the Magicshine taillight I added seems to be the single most important component of getting cars to give me space at night.
Also, as much reflective tape as possible. I have a very large area of red on the backs of both of my fenders, and bits around my chainstays. I have bits of white on my fork legs and the fronts of my brake levers. I also have both red and white reflective tape all over my helmet, front, back, and sides. My pack, an Osprey Talon, has reflective bits on it, too, but I like that reflective triangle. Right now, I toss a blackburn blinkie on my pack, but I'm not a fan of how it hangs from the pack.
In addition to what you are doing, how about describing the route you ride? You say busy city streets but that can be a lot of things. how many lanes? speed limits? are there shoulders or wide lanes? My route is about the same distance and the way I drive is down busy streets more than 3/4 of the way there. however I take a different route when I ride. speed limits are lower (about 2 miles are neighborhood streets where I pass a school and a hospital with 20mph zones), so traffic is lighter, and incidentally, the lanes are much wider even though there's no paint on the roads there. The better route adds about half a mile, but it turns out to be faster because there are fewer lights and stop signs.
Originally Posted by shawnt2012
...the other two morons are bellowing like wookies in a bush waiting for a response back
Sounds like you are already very visible. I'd also like to hear more about these roads. If they are too busy/narrow/dangerous to ride then I'd just take the longer route.
A lot of good suggestions- hope you`re able to make use of some
One that didn`t get mentioned above (pretty sure it came up in the thread that BrianMc linked, though) is reflective stuff on moving parts: tape on crank arms, tape on rims if they`re deep or reflectors on the spokes, reflective leg bands and jacket cuffs.
kind of OT for your case, but I think I`m actually more visible lit up at night than I am in the daytime whith so many other distractions. That`s for mostly rural riding, probably different with more lit up stuff around (cars, streetlights, signs, and what-ever else).
Google map your route, choose bicycle as your form of transportation. Worst case, triple your ride. That would still be only 9 miles.
tried that. it tells me to take the route I am already taking.
the first half of the trip home is four lanes populated by strip clubs, Ethiopian restaurants full of cabbies, and gay bars. i don't trust the drivers pulling out of those establishments. fortunately, most of it is lit up and there are four lanes. then I have to make a right turn onto a two-lane street with zero shoulder and a wide sidewalk. shortly after that, I have to make a left turn onto a neighborhood street and I have home-free because that last third is easy. there is no traffic light at that last left turn so I have to sit there for several minutes and then sprint across on foot. it's that busy intersection and subsequent stretch of narrow, busy road and that left turn across traffic that freak me out.
James Doohan once did a documentary on Dad's farm when I was about 6. So maybe the warp lines of the Enterprise changing to light speed had a bad influence on me as I was a fan from the pilot, on. Or maybe Mel Brooks did it with Spaceball's going to plaid at ludicrous speed. Obviously cloaked Klingon Birds of Prey or Romulan Warbirds were not my models.
One thing that still amazes me. Is that reflective stuff does not show well in the absence of street lighting or a following vehicle to light them up. (I used a car to light the road at right angles to the bike with the bike dead ahead as it passes in and out of view to or from the left. The camera is aimed to the right like a driver looking in that direction, and at the height of a Ford Ranger driver (higher than sedans, lower than most SUVs). Of course they are only going to stare that way if nothing is coming from the right and they are mesmerized by the UFO. It does let you see what a quick look at amy point would look like.) Note that the cyclist is almost directly in front and only a second away and the speed is in the 16 mph range before the passive stuff does much. With low beam the yellow jacket is not seen.
I also ride under street lights so I have some reflective stuff as it weighs little, maybe as much as a pair of AAA's total.
Drivers share the road most generously. Be advised that very drunk drivers are attracted to flashing lights. So heading to the ditch or a lawn or bunny hopping to a sidewalk may be required. Two flashing lights of even the same make are never in sync for long and the disharmony is very attention getting. Provided they look up from test screens of course. ;(
The first half of the trip home is four lanes populated by strip clubs, Ethiopian restaurants full of cabbies, and gay bars. i don't trust the drivers pulling out of those establishments.
Understandable. Side collisions are the most likely, statistically. More so at night. But there is a data bias because of poor bike lighting, in most collisions. However, throw in alcohol and inattentiveness by drivers. Add in a lot of traffic to block driver's view of you and things can get dicey fast. Though rarer, rear run overs are more deadly. Most are of poorly lit cyclists or 'well lit' drivers. Right and left hooks into such places are also an issue.
Adjusting departure times to avoid traffic peaks, pulling off to let a clump of traffic by, and other tweaks can help but my be of little use to your exact situation.
Originally Posted by mack_turtle
Fortunately, most of it is lit up and there are four lanes. then I have to make a right turn onto a two-lane street with zero shoulder and a wide sidewalk.
While illegal most places, if the sidewalk is a good one and little used, it can be the safer if illegal option. However, every driveway and cross street is a very dangerous situation requiring a lot of attention to avoid right and left hooks.
Originally Posted by mack_turtle
Shortly after that, I have to make a left turn onto a neighborhood street and I have home-free because that last third is easy. there is no traffic light at that last left turn so I have to sit there for several minutes and then sprint across on foot. it's that busy intersection and subsequent stretch of narrow, busy road and that left turn across traffic that freak me out.
Sitting like a car for a left turn will allow a late responder to hide you from the tailgating driver behind them. Not good. Is there a light further up the road where you can U turn or get turned around another way so it is a right turn?
NateHawk, how well does reflective tape hold up long term? I live in hot & wet central FL and I find that most tape tends to peel back after being wetted and soaked with road debris, and this process continues over time. Eventually I have to remove all the tape and start over. Can you recommend a brand of tape that will avoid this?
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Originally Posted by ziax01
Originally Posted by shawnt2012
