The winner for January is Jason Babcock!
Let there be light: Jason in motion.
Jason is a resident of rural Whatcom County and has a 39-mile round-trip daily commute. Jason is the first entrant to not rely on a setup that utilizes a Down Low Glow.
A motorist’s-eye view from the rear.
“I’ve got three of the Knog Frog bike lights down on the seatstays/rear rack that I can set to flash or steady depending on what I need. These are great because they can serve as a backup headlight by repositioning them to the front of the bike.”
A close-up of the lights on the rear of the bike.
“A Planet Bike Superflash is mounted on the seatpost just under the seat bag. This has an extremely bright irregular flash that has given me noticeably more respect from passing drivers. I assume motorists can better see me but it could be because I look like a emergency services vehicle.”
“I do use a Firestorm HID w/ LED back up on the headlight. Plenty of people use these and know what’s involved so I am trying to simply show what my set-up looks like from the back. Light manufacturers have made it easy for cyclists to see regardless of where we’re riding. Now the challenge is being seen regardless of where we’re riding.”
“My jackets have reflective piping, but my philosophy is that cyclists need to produce light, not reflect it. The only reflective additions are Reflective Marking Dots (part# 6042T9) that I order from McMaster-Carr and attached to 1/2 of each rim. They let me be seen in the event that someone is coming at me from an angle.”
Jason’s commute is quite a contrast to that of the urban commuter, but his experiences and perspective can inform city dwellers:
“Preparing for night riding in rural areas is actually easier than urban areas. There isn’t a lot of light pollution coming at drivers so you really stand out as something different when they see you. In town, the challenge is to stand out against a backdrop of fast food signs, stop lights, brake lights, headlights, etc.”
A close-up of the McMaster-Carr reflective marking dots.
“The only down side to rural night riding is the fact that drivers are typically driving fast and on roads that can be very serpentine. Rural cyclists need to make sure that motorists can see us from way out so that they have time to adjust their speed and course. We don’t have bike lanes or big shoulders so drivers have to see us and give us some room.”
Well, most Seattle-area cyclists don’t have bike lanes or big shoulders, either. I think the same rules apply, maybe even more so.
“If I was riding in the city, I’d buy three of the Superflashes (they’re $25 each) and set two to flash and one to steady so that I could make sure I’d be seen. A fellow commuter commented that he thought that they were too bright, but I disagree.”
“We’d like to think that drivers aren’t intentionally trying to hit us cyclists, and so we strap on a single flasher and ride on streets that have lights everywhere. On rainy evenings the reflections off the pavement cause drivers to see twice the number of lights they typically do.”
A side view of Jason’s bike.
“If you think that each and every of the hundreds of drivers that passes you will notice that little flasher as they sip coffee, change the radio, call their friends, light their cigarettes, take a hit from their flasks…chances are you’re wrong. One moment of inattentiveness is all it takes.”
“Be super bright (think ambulance) and be safe.”
Amen, brother Jason.
