Please don't ride your bike on busy streets after dark

[Anonymous]

It's really hard for drivers to see you, even if you have a headlight on your bike and a little reflector on your helmet. That just isn't enough. You need something much brighter like a reflective vest. I hate driving this time of year when the sun goes down so early because bicyclists just seem to pop out of nowhere. It is an accident waiting to happen.

[Anonymous]

PLEASE light yourself up like a Christmas tree, and if you're walking, PLEASE also wear something reflective at night, perhaps on your bag or your coat!

Last night while turning at an intersection, I barely saw a pedestrian crossing the dark street and wearing all dark clothing with a dark backpack. A few years ago, I nearly drive up to a cyclist with no lights and all dark clothing. My husband cycles and has powerful lights on his bike as well as a reflective helmet cover - and it's still not enough for nighttime, but he tries not to bike in the dark.

[Anonymous]

I saw someone cycling at night on a e-bike without lights in dark clothes on the Whitehurst a few weeks ago. I am not sure what goes through peoples heads sometimes.

[Anonymous]

Seriously? Don't bike after dark?

Drive more carefully.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Seriously? Don't bike after dark?

Drive more carefully.

We'll put that on your gravestone. That will show 'em.

[Anonymous]

Sometimes bicyclists are moving so slowly it's easy to confuse a light on the front of their bike with something else because it doesn't appear to be moving.

[Anonymous]

Reflective gear is super important, but it gets dark at 5 PM now and some of us actually use bikes for transportation. "Stop doing your daily commute/errands" is not a reasonable ask any more than telling you not to drive after dark if you don't feel confident that you can see cyclists. We should wear brighter gear and more lights, and you should drive carefully and expect to share the road.

[Anonymous]

Please don't drive your car on busy , multi-use streets after dark if your vision has declined to where it is difficult to see bicyclists or pedestrians. It is an accident waiting to happen when you cannot see someone legally using a crosswalk at 5:30pm after work, or a bicyclist in the bike lane at 5:30pm after work. This is actually not meant to be snarky- many of us, as we age, suffer from reduced ability to see our surroundings in the dark and if this is you, you need to take some responsibility for yourself and not drive a 2 thousand pound vehicle at 30mph through intersections where you cannot see clearly. Use public transport, or walk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Reflective gear is super important, but it gets dark at 5 PM now and some of us actually use bikes for transportation. "Stop doing your daily commute/errands" is not a reasonable ask any more than telling you not to drive after dark if you don't feel confident that you can see cyclists. We should wear brighter gear and more lights, and you should drive carefully and expect to share the road.

You can blame other people all you want (and we know cyclists love to blame everyone else for everything). But you'll be the person who's dead if a driver doesn't see you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Reflective gear is super important, but it gets dark at 5 PM now and some of us actually use bikes for transportation. "Stop doing your daily commute/errands" is not a reasonable ask any more than telling you not to drive after dark if you don't feel confident that you can see cyclists. We should wear brighter gear and more lights, and you should drive carefully and expect to share the road.

You can blame other people all you want (and we know cyclists love to blame everyone else for everything). But you'll be the person who's dead if a driver doesn't see you.

This. If you plan to be on the road in traffic at night time, it is only logical to strive to be as visible as a car to reduce risk to yourself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please don't drive your car on busy , multi-use streets after dark if your vision has declined to where it is difficult to see bicyclists or pedestrians. It is an accident waiting to happen when you cannot see someone legally using a crosswalk at 5:30pm after work, or a bicyclist in the bike lane at 5:30pm after work. This is actually not meant to be snarky- many of us, as we age, suffer from reduced ability to see our surroundings in the dark and if this is you, you need to take some responsibility for yourself and not drive a 2 thousand pound vehicle at 30mph through intersections where you cannot see clearly. Use public transport, or walk.

+1. My nighttime vision is deteriorating in middle age. So, I drive quite a bit slower at night rather than expecting everyone else to accommodate my aging process. It’s a city. Not everyone can be in a car, or driving would be miserable. The people on bikes or foot are doing me a favor when I’m driving.

I light myself up like crazy when I bike, but not when I walk. OP needs to learn the responsibility to not hit things with their car, or get out of the city at night.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please don't drive your car on busy , multi-use streets after dark if your vision has declined to where it is difficult to see bicyclists or pedestrians. It is an accident waiting to happen when you cannot see someone legally using a crosswalk at 5:30pm after work, or a bicyclist in the bike lane at 5:30pm after work. This is actually not meant to be snarky- many of us, as we age, suffer from reduced ability to see our surroundings in the dark and if this is you, you need to take some responsibility for yourself and not drive a 2 thousand pound vehicle at 30mph through intersections where you cannot see clearly. Use public transport, or walk.

+1. My nighttime vision is deteriorating in middle age. So, I drive quite a bit slower at night rather than expecting everyone else to accommodate my aging process. It’s a city. Not everyone can be in a car, or driving would be miserable. The people on bikes or foot are doing me a favor when I’m driving.

I light myself up like crazy when I bike, but not when I walk. OP needs to learn the responsibility to not hit things with their car, or get out of the city at night.

+1

[Anonymous]

I suspect many bikers never drive, especially at night during rush hour, so they have no clue how hard it can be to see them.

I'd invite them though to try it themselves. Go rent a car and drive around at 6pm and see (or not see) for themselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sometimes bicyclists are moving so slowly it's easy to confuse a light on the front of their bike with something else because it doesn't appear to be moving.

This has happened to me when a cyclist is approaching me. It can look like the light on their bike is the left light of a car parked on the other side of the street.

[Anonymous]

I bike at dusk and dark - I wear both a reflective vest and light up.

I do this because I myself, as a driver, can't see very well anymore.