The Chainlink

Uh oh! No bike lights!

So my mother and I were parked on Milwaukee between California and Washtenaw tonight and decided to count how many people had bike lights. We were sitting there for only about 10 or so minutes and we counted 7 people without bike lights and 4 with.

 

We were looking behind our car through the rear view mirror and the only thing that made us notice the people without lights was the movement of their legs.

 

I must say though if I was pulling out or something and checked to see if it was clear behind me I'm not sure I would have noticed a biker without lights!

 

Please consider getting lights! Back and front! 

 

:)

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Permalink Reply by Joe TV on January 8, 2011 at 6:07pm

Chicago's law (as found here):

 

9-52-080- Head lamps, reflectors and brakes

(a) Every bicycle when in use at nighttime shall be equipped with a head lamp which shall emit a white light visible from a minimum distance of 500 feet from the front and with a rear red reflector capable of reflecting the head lamp beams of an approaching motor vehicle back to the operator of such vehicle at distances up to 200 feet or a rear lamp emitting a red light visible from a distance of at least 200 feet from the rear.

H3N3 said:

Madison Wisconsin has a mandatory bicycle light law.

 

Here's why.

 

Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on January 8, 2011 at 6:10pm

Joe, you need to remember that the city is paid off daily (actually nightly) by Big Darkness.  I hear it has deep, dark pockets, so Chicago's law won't be going anywhere soon as long as the money keeps rolling into City Hall.

 

I've tried to find its headquarters for years, but it's tough because it seems to be everywhere when I go out looking for it at night.


Joe TV said:

Chicago's law (as found here):

 

9-52-080- Head lamps, reflectors and brakes

(a) Every bicycle when in use at nighttime shall be equipped with a head lamp which shall emit a white light visible from a minimum distance of 500 feet from the front and with a rear red reflector capable of reflecting the head lamp beams of an approaching motor vehicle back to the operator of such vehicle at distances up to 200 feet or a rear lamp emitting a red light visible from a distance of at least 200 feet from the rear.

H3N3 said:

Madison Wisconsin has a mandatory bicycle light law.

 

Here's why.

 

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on January 8, 2011 at 6:26pm

LOL T-R Ryan. 

 

Touche'

 

Yesterday, walking home in the pitch dark with my Giordano's pizza (mmm -good!) I saw a bicyclist ride past me with a strobing headlight.  it must have been home-made because it only strobed once every 1.5-2 seconds.   I've never seen a bike light strobe so SLOWLY.  I mean, as a driver, I RARELY spend a whole 2 seconds in a head-check andr mirror-check so if the time I looked was within the time of his infrequent strobes then he would have been effectively Invisible right before I right-hooked him.  It wasn't even a very bright strobe for all of that recharge time between flashes.  I've never seen such a crappy, ineffective, nearly-worthless headlight EVER.

 

Dumb...

Permalink Reply by judy s on January 9, 2011 at 9:38am
I had lights on my bike last week when i road to work early in the morning, but the car that almost hit me didn't scrape off their front window but a tiny small hole just so they could see in front of them.  That's happened twice this winter so far.  When i pulled up next to them at the stop sign i just couldn't believe they did this, it's like driving blind!!!
Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on January 9, 2011 at 9:47am

This is a VERY good point.  Some people are just not very responsible.  Before I drive ANYWHERE  in an automobile after it has snowed I completely remove ALL of the snow from the car.  And that includes ALL of the windows (of course) , the grille and lights front and back, the blinkers, the mirrors, and everything from the hood, trunk,  and roof of the car. 

 

Blowing and falling snow from a car that has not been completely removed is a visibility issue not only for the driver (especially from the hood) but for every other road user around you.   People who don't do this are irresponsible drivers in my opinion (just like people who don't use their blinkers 100% of the time or check their mirrors and blind spots before changing lanes 100% of the time).

 

I've actually had people who have been with me try and use peer pressure to "hurry" me up while I prepared a vehicle to be safely driven after a snowfall saying, "that's good enough! let's GO!!!!"  I don't cotton to that kind of peer pressure and tell them they can either walk or find another method of transportation if they do not like my driving or the time it takes to properly prepare my vehicle prior to operating it.  These are the same idiots who complain at the gas station when I check all the fluids, belts and hoses under the hood, check the tire condition and pressure, and write down the mileage and fuel used in my log book before continuing on.  Call me OCD if you want but I've not had an accident or been stranded in a vehicle in over 250,000 miles and 20 years of driving.

 

Yes there are bad/irresponsible/ignorant drivers out there -but not all of them.

 

 

judy s said:

I had lights on my bike last week when i road to work early in the morning, but the car that almost hit me didn't scrape off their front window but a tiny small hole just so they could see in front of them.  That's happened twice this winter so far.  When i pulled up next to them at the stop sign i just couldn't believe they did this, it's like driving blind!!!
Permalink Reply by Mike Zumwalt on January 9, 2011 at 10:58am

That's some song ryan.

 

When a car pulls out in front of you or is otherwise being a jackass driver you aim your cat eye strobe into the side/rear view mirror at the next stop.

See me now?

Permalink Reply by mike w. on January 9, 2011 at 11:33am
i've actually approached such "snowfort" cars at stops and cleaned their windows for them, usually whilst giving my opinion of the driver for all to hear...

judy s said:
I had lights on my bike last week when i road to work early in the morning, but the car that almost hit me didn't scrape off their front window but a tiny small hole just so they could see in front of them.  That's happened twice this winter so far.  When i pulled up next to them at the stop sign i just couldn't believe they did this, it's like driving blind!!!
Permalink Reply by Davo on January 10, 2011 at 3:54pm

How does the law apply if I don't have a head light on my bike but I do have a head light on my head?

Im courious on what is more noticable. I like the light on my head so I can see potholes and where Im looking.

However, I was doored about a month ago north bound on Damen just south of North on my left side nonetheless. If I had a light mounted on my handle bars, it might be possible that this passenger might have seen me.

I think that I would have been doored regardless.  

Permalink Reply by Jim Freeman on January 14, 2011 at 4:31pm

Thanks for posting the statute Joe. 

 

Stay away from those Knog Frogs...  I think they are only rated to be visible for 200 ft- which would mean if that's your only light you're not compliant with the law.  Apparently Austin has been ticketing some cyclists with knogs for just this violation.

 

Also...  If you have a light on your helmet I'd argue that the bicycle is equipped, as the helmet is an extension of bicycle equipment, much like cycling shoes. 

 

That's an academic question though since I've never actually heard of CPD giving out headlight violation tickets.  Believe me, I wish they would.  I'd love to see better compliance with Illinois headlight laws, and I have long felt that our best education tool is enforcement.

 

Does anyone know of a single instance where someone was issued a ticket for a headlight violation on a bicycle?

 

The key with all this stuff, reflectors, lights, clothing...  is that you want a driver to look like a blind oblivious idiot when they try to claim they didn't see you.  You want the cop to be like, "You missed this person dressed up like a reflective Christmas tree?  Really?"

 

I'm a big advocate of reflective tape.  It's cheap (you can buy it in duct tape rolls for a few bucks at building supply stores like Clark and Barlow), it doesn't weigh anything, it doesn't cause wind drag, and if you apply it with a little artistic flare it doesn't even look dorky.

 

Joe TV said:

Chicago's law (as found here):

 

9-52-080- Head lamps, reflectors and brakes

(a) Every bicycle when in use at nighttime shall be equipped with a head lamp which shall emit a white light visible from a minimum distance of 500 feet from the front and with a rear red reflector capable of reflecting the head lamp beams of an approaching motor vehicle back to the operator of such vehicle at distances up to 200 feet or a rear lamp emitting a red light visible from a distance of at least 200 feet from the rear.

H3N3 said:

Madison Wisconsin has a mandatory bicycle light law.

 

Here's why.

 

Permalink Reply by in it to win it 8.0 mi on January 28, 2011 at 2:06pm
City of Chicago Bike site now has a video on bike lights. Good viewing.
Permalink Reply by Duppie on January 28, 2011 at 2:29pm

While this sounds like a good reason to light up, it is the wrong reason. Just like lighting up just to be legal is the wrong reason.  Because proper lighting has nothing to do with being legal, or being vindicated in court.

 

The reason I have plenty of lights on my bike is because my wife wants me to get home safely, every single evening.


Jim said:

[...]

 

The key with all this stuff, reflectors, lights, clothing...  is that you want a driver to look like a blind oblivious idiot when they try to claim they didn't see you.  You want the cop to be like, "You missed this person dressed up like a reflective Christmas tree?  Really?"

[...]
Permalink Reply by jacob reigle on January 29, 2011 at 11:54pm
i ride wiht out light all the time but my wheels is like reflective orange and green

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