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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:State and federal standards address equipment on cars such as lights. There are DOT standards for minimum visibility for headlights, taillights, turn signals, etc.

The CPSC-required reflectors for bikes sold by retailers don’t provide enough safety for bikes at night. And many riders remove those reflectors anyway. And some riders don’t install lights at all, or use them in haphazard, non-standard ways.

There needs to be a rigid, vigorously enforced law for cyclists to have a minimum illumination, in a standard configuration, that can be recognizable from a safe distance and provide an immediate visual reference to the direction of travel of the bike - just like there is with cars.

Cyclists who don’t use lights should be warned/ticketed and then heavily fined for repeat offenses, just as the driver of a car would be for driving around in a car without working lights.

Bicycles should also be registered and tagged, with annual safety inspections for bicycles to make sure they have lights and are in working order, exactly how cars are administered now.

Yeah, let's have our police issue tickets for this kind of bs.

I'd rather have them go after the motorcyles who speed and the cars that have no mufflers/that backfire.

Yes, they should be ticketing motorcycles and cars that speed or have loud mufflers, or nonworking lights or other safety issues. No one is arguing against that. I fully support that.

But they should also ticket riders who don’t have lights at night or don’t use them.


This isn’t an either-or scenario. We can do both.

[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.

This is nonsense. Why is it that massive cars are obligated to use multiple types of lights so that they are visible, but pedestrians have no obligation to do anything to make themselves visible?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:State and federal standards address equipment on cars such as lights. There are DOT standards for minimum visibility for headlights, taillights, turn signals, etc.

The CPSC-required reflectors for bikes sold by retailers don’t provide enough safety for bikes at night. And many riders remove those reflectors anyway. And some riders don’t install lights at all, or use them in haphazard, non-standard ways.

There needs to be a rigid, vigorously enforced law for cyclists to have a minimum illumination, in a standard configuration, that can be recognizable from a safe distance and provide an immediate visual reference to the direction of travel of the bike - just like there is with cars.

Cyclists who don’t use lights should be warned/ticketed and then heavily fined for repeat offenses, just as the driver of a car would be for driving around in a car without working lights.

Bicycles should also be registered and tagged, with annual safety inspections for bicycles to make sure they have lights and are in working order, exactly how cars are administered now.

As if any cars owners are tickets for not having working lights.

And you are going to have a 5 year old get their bike registered?

Come on.

I got a repair-order from MSP last spring for a burned out taillight. I fixed in 5 minutes, but had to go to MVA to have the repair order verification done by a trooper.

So yes, you CAN be ticketed for nonworking lights. I know this firsthand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:State and federal standards address equipment on cars such as lights. There are DOT standards for minimum visibility for headlights, taillights, turn signals, etc.

The CPSC-required reflectors for bikes sold by retailers don’t provide enough safety for bikes at night. And many riders remove those reflectors anyway. And some riders don’t install lights at all, or use them in haphazard, non-standard ways.

There needs to be a rigid, vigorously enforced law for cyclists to have a minimum illumination, in a standard configuration, that can be recognizable from a safe distance and provide an immediate visual reference to the direction of travel of the bike - just like there is with cars.

Cyclists who don’t use lights should be warned/ticketed and then heavily fined for repeat offenses, just as the driver of a car would be for driving around in a car without working lights.

Bicycles should also be registered and tagged, with annual safety inspections for bicycles to make sure they have lights and are in working order, exactly how cars are administered now.

And you are going to have a 5 year old get their bike registered?

Come on.

I would expect the child’s parent to handle that. Do you really think I expect a child to register their bike and get tags/inspection for it? That’s the responsibility of the parent/guardian.

[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.

This is nonsense. Why is it that massive cars are obligated to use multiple types of lights so that they are visible, but pedestrians have no obligation to do anything to make themselves visible?

Because there’s no law requiring so right now.

So make it a law. Easy peasy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:State and federal standards address equipment on cars such as lights. There are DOT standards for minimum visibility for headlights, taillights, turn signals, etc.

The CPSC-required reflectors for bikes sold by retailers don’t provide enough safety for bikes at night. And many riders remove those reflectors anyway. And some riders don’t install lights at all, or use them in haphazard, non-standard ways.

There needs to be a rigid, vigorously enforced law for cyclists to have a minimum illumination, in a standard configuration, that can be recognizable from a safe distance and provide an immediate visual reference to the direction of travel of the bike - just like there is with cars.

Cyclists who don’t use lights should be warned/ticketed and then heavily fined for repeat offenses, just as the driver of a car would be for driving around in a car without working lights.

Bicycles should also be registered and tagged, with annual safety inspections for bicycles to make sure they have lights and are in working order, exactly how cars are administered now.

You'd think this would already be the law. There are basically no rules in D.C. on bicyclists though. They don't even have to wear helmets, which seems pretty incredible. Cyclists fight any sort of government regulations. They'd rather just blame drivers for everything.

Yes, it’s beyond time for a comprehensive package of safety laws to make cycling safer.

[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.

This is nonsense. Why is it that massive cars are obligated to use multiple types of lights so that they are visible, but pedestrians have no obligation to do anything to make themselves visible?

Because of a pedestrian bumps into me while I'm crossing the street, I don't die instantly.

[Anonymous]

Wear a reflective vest, like people working on the streets do. Those dinky little lights on your bike ain't cutting it.

[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.

If you wear all black it has nothing to do with my eyesight. You cannot be seen.

[Anonymous]

Hey - if you are a cyclist or pedestrian who wants to increase your visibility, I highly recommend these jackets: https://www.bikelaneuprising.com/product-page/reflective-windbreaker

[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.

If you wear all black it has nothing to do with my eyesight. You cannot be seen.

Does your car have functioning headlights?

[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.

If you wear all black it has nothing to do with my eyesight. You cannot be seen.

If your car has headlights, and yet you cannot see a pedestrian who is legally in the crosswalk, you should not be driving at night. I am perfectly capable of seeing pedestrians no matter what they are wearing when they are in the crosswalk and my headlights are shining at them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hey - if you are a cyclist or pedestrian who wants to increase your visibility, I highly recommend these jackets: https://www.bikelaneuprising.com/product-page/reflective-windbreaker

I drive and cycle, and cyclists who bike at night w/o lights are a real hazard to themselves and others. LED lighting is very cheap now. For riding at dusk and beyond, I have a front headlight, a back red flashing light, and a flashing string of LED lights wrapped around my bike frame. The Brightz brand makes all manner of bike lighting.

[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.

Wrong thread. This is about pedestrians and cyclists making sure they are visible at night. It’s very simple and has absolutely nothing to do with driver’s eyesight. It is difficult for a person with 20/20 vision to see a dark object against a dark background.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

And you are the person with the $50 ticket and lifelong guilt.

The key word in your sentence is lifelong. In other words the PP is still alive and the ped or cyclist is right. Dead right.