An Amusement & Diversion for The Genteel Cyclist. Daily.

Monday, November 26, 2007

Dept. of Stating the Obvious


An interesting article in the Seattle fishwrap this morning poses this question: Is it safe to ride your bike at night? Needless to say, the number of bike-car collisions goes up when traffic is highest and the light is lowest -- during rush hour through twilight.

Of course, this is also when a critical mass is reached in terms of bikes, cars, and drunkenness, since for many people the only way to make the car commute even moderately tolerable is to stop by happy hour on your way from cubicle to parking ramp. (Cocktails merely make the happy bike commuter that much more euphoric.)

Personally, I feel like night riding has one distinct safety advantage: Most cars have their lights on, and you can see them coming far in advance of the intersection you intend to blow through at full speed.

The unstated truism here: One should always ride a bike as if you were invisible, but literally lit up like a 400-watt Christmas tree. You can see them coming. Can they see you going?

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