Why no lights?
I ride quite a bit at night, mainly on the south side (Pilsen, Bridgeport, McKinley Park, Brighton Park). Riding and driving, I note that the vast majority of bikers I see (sometimes just barely) at night have no front headlight. Many don't even have a rear reflector, much less a light or blinkie. For example, look at the video for the Monday Night Ride on this website. Many if not most of the riders, who I am sure are great people, have no form of illumination whatsoever. I have a few questions for you ninjas:
1. Why? Is it so hard to purchase some small light, per the Chicago ordinance, so that people can see and avoid you? There are plenty of inexpensive lights that will do the job. Is this some kind of aesthetic issue, an attempt at rebelliousness, or just plain laziness?;
2. Do you understand the danger that you place yourselves and others in?;
3. Do you understand that bikers like you make people resent bikers in general, thus hurting the cause of us all? Or is it your actual purpose to antagonize?;
4. Is this more of a south side problem, or is it relatively uniform throughout the city? I do know from experience that Wicker Park isn't any better than where I live.;
5. Do you drive cars without headlights? Do you think that would be OK?
When I see photos of an accident scene involving a biker who was hit at night, I always try to discern if they had lights. From what I can tell, almost always did not.
I know I sound crotchety here, but I just don't understand the point of risking death or serious injury because of refusal to do something as simple as make yourself visible to other people on the roadway.
And yes, my own bike is almost as illuminated as Snoopy's doghouse in the Charlie Brown Christmas special.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Chitown_Mike on
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I rarely see this on the far NW side, most of the people riding at night around here have extremely bright lights and taillights. When I do see people without them they are usually really young kids, really old people (more than likely immigrants from eastern Europe), or the homeless folks that own a bike.
But I gave up taking issue with it, I will ride defensively around those people so my life isn't in jeopardy, but it seems that many times the other rider doesn't care. Or when I did say something I was told off or blown off with some swears.
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Permalink Reply by Simon Phearson on
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I suspect it's not something done with any specific intention in mind. I'd wager that a lot of the people you see are just not regular night riders, and they don't realize what it is they're missing until they're out on the road and already kind of committed. In season, I see a lot of early morning riders on the LFP without any headlights at all - seasonal riders, from the look of them, who likely just don't find themselves forced to deal with true darkness much of the time.
It hasn't happened to me often, but I know there have been some situations in which I've found myself riding light-less (front or back) because a battery has failed sooner than expected or because I've forgotten the light at a place I have to bike back to.
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Permalink Reply by Tricolor on
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A light that can be seen by cars is expensive. When you ride in the dark without lights you can still see pretty well, so it's easy to assume everyone else sees, too. In my experience rear reflectors are fine since a car will light them up, but someone riding behind a car needs a very strong light to be noticed in a dimming mirror. Add in the usual bad habits with passing on the right and the dark is very dangerous.
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Permalink Reply by Andrew Bedno on
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Plus it's ONE OF THE ONLY FRICKIN REQUIREMENTS BY LAWS WE HAVE. No helmet nor license no prob, but you MUST have front and back something visible at 100+ feet. I personally love the $20 front/rear sets at Target, and there's options even at dollar stores, so it's trivially easy. Yet plenty of ninjas on northside LFT, and a well lit friend lost several teeth in a crash with one. I'd like to assume they're unaware newbies, but the reality is probably a mix of asshole, lazy and stupid.
Just this weekend a guy pulled up next to me at night with no lights AND a kid in a carrier. I mentioned nicely that he should get some lights, and he started a whole "What'd you say to me?!?!?" chest puffing thing. I actually keep spares on my bike for just such occasions, but he seemed so eager for Darwin's hand that I didn't offer.
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Permalink Reply by Jim Reho on
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More unpredictably how?
h' 1.0 said:I find drivers behave much more unpredictably when they see a cyclist's light behind them at night.
Tricolor said:A light that can be seen by cars is expensive. When you ride in the dark without lights you can still see pretty well, so it's easy to assume everyone else sees, too. In my experience rear reflectors are fine since a car will light them up, but someone riding behind a car needs a very strong light to be noticed in a dimming mirror. Add in the usual bad habits with passing on the right and the dark is very dangerous.
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When cars are stopped waiting for a light or a stop sign and you're coming up on them is when you need a strong front light. Otherwise no one will know you're there and it makes getting hooked or doored much more likely.
Like I said, from behind a car's headlights should light up a bike and it's movement better than any red blinker could, even with no reflectors or lights.
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I have forgotten my little kit o' lights on a couple occasions. Once CVS was open as it was early and I was able to at least buy a flashlight and some zip ties for the front. There was nothing red for the back though.
The other time it was midnight. I wasn't near pub trans, and so I could ride home quick as possible with no lights or I could walk to pub trans in the dark. I feel much safer as a relatively small woman while riding fast on my bike, even without lights. So that's what I chose. Made me nervous as heck though.
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I feel better knowing that any car approaching in the other direction and thinking about making a left turn in front of me will see my headlamp. I think that good reflectors or blinkies always increase the visibility of bikes to cars, which is a good thing. I also substitute small motion-activated LEDs for my valve stem covers to create more side visibility.
Tricolor said:When cars are stopped waiting for a light or a stop sign and you're coming up on them is when you need a strong front light. Otherwise no one will know you're there and it makes getting hooked or doored much more likely.
Like I said, from behind a car's headlights should light up a bike and it's movement better than any red blinker could, even with no reflectors or lights.
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Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on
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That hasn't been my experience.
h' 1.0 said:I find drivers behave much more unpredictably when they see a cyclist's light behind them at night.
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Approaching a 4-way stop on a residential street is another place where a good headlight can be really helpful. I've learned that one from experience.
As far as your "car approaching from behind" scenario, sorry, but that doesn't wash. There have been plenty of times when I've been driving on a major street (Clark and Ashland come to mind) and encountered a cyclist on a dark section of the street - someone with no lights, no reflectors and dark clothing. Even with car headlights in good working order and turned on, driving the speed limit, it was difficult to see those guys until I was very close. Too often in those situations, it's almost impossible to see the cyclist unless they are backlit by some other light source ahead. Reflectors absolutely DO make a difference.
Also, there have been times when I've been riding my bike (with a headlight) and nearly collided with bike ninjas riding the wrong way on dark side streets. (Glenwood between Bryn Mawr and Ridge is a good example.)
Tricolor said:When cars are stopped waiting for a light or a stop sign and you're coming up on them is when you need a strong front light. Otherwise no one will know you're there and it makes getting hooked or doored much more likely.
Like I said, from behind a car's headlights should light up a bike and it's movement better than any red blinker could, even with no reflectors or lights.
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I think these are the same people I see riding the wrong way on a 2-way street - late teens or just out of their teens, this is the only bike they own (cheap mountain bike, got it when they were kids, so it's too small for them), they're only riding a short distance (mile or less), and they don't give a shit what you think. You really have to be aware and avoid them at all costs.
Almost as annoying are the 'bike geeks' (expensive road bike, helmet, spandex, pannier) riding in the sunny daylight with the blinking lights on.
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You should clean and adjust your headlights. If you can't see something fifty feet ahead that's moving like someone pedaling a bike moves there's something wrong with them. If you have fog lights turn them off since they only blind your foreground vision. I'm not saying reflectors/lights are a bad idea at all, but someone in front of you with nothing is more visible than anything behind you in a dimmed mirror.
Anne Alt said:Approaching a 4-way stop on a residential street is another place where a good headlight can be really helpful. I've learned that one from experience.
As far as your "car approaching from behind" scenario, sorry, but that doesn't wash. There have been plenty of times when I've been driving on a major street (Clark and Ashland come to mind) and encountered a cyclist on a dark section of the street - someone with no lights, no reflectors and dark clothing. Even with car headlights in good working order and turned on, driving the speed limit, it was difficult to see those guys until I was very close. Too often in those situations, it's almost impossible to see the cyclist unless they are backlit by some other light source ahead. Reflectors absolutely DO make a difference.
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