The biker's advocate
Setting the pace on bicycling advocacy
Be seen, wear it bright
Cycling in low-lighting conditions can be hazardous and result in injuries and even death...
Bicycle lights are no Christmas ornaments.
It doesn't make you look silly and it would be a poor excuse to cycle at night if you use your smartphone's 'flashight feature'
to light up a path.
I am not joking because someone I knew actually did just that.
Now, jokes aside, there was an accident involving four teenagers who were cycling in Bau, Sarawak recently.
It resulted in the death of two boys and the other two were seriously injured when a car plough into them during a night
ride.
I spend a great deal of money on bicycle lights to illuminate my path and also to tell other road users that I am cycling along
their path.
For visibility, rear lights set on blinking mode is a must if you cycle in the dark.
The more powerful the lighting source, the further the throw and this means a motorist driving his or her can can see you
from a distance to avoid knocking you down.
In addition to that, I also had a light mounted on my helmet.
This acts as an indication that a cyclist is on the road.
And speaking of headlights, I never stinge on getting the best lights for the road.
The minimum standard is a 100-Lumen light.
My Australian Ay-Up lights yields 200 lumens on low setting and 400 lumens on high.
This allows me to spot potholes on the road and other hazards on the road.
So, to sum it up, never put your life on the line by riding in total darkness at night. It is sad that even though the teenagers
actually rode with flashlights mounted on their handlebar, they still got knocked down and killed by a reckless driver.
Our deepest sympathies and condolences to their families and may this grim reminder serve as a reminder to us on riding bright - especially at night.