Bicycle Commuting Mama: Cycling In the Dark

After I fixed a printer late this afternoon, a co-worker asked me “How late do you stay, anyway?”

“Oh, 4:30 or 5, depending on what time I get here,” I replied.

“Are you still riding your bike? Do you try to leave before it gets too dark?” she inquired, looking concerned.

Well, yes, I do ride my bike — and it does get dark. I do appreciate the concern, but it really is possible, and I really do feel safe.

What do you need to ride after dark? My bike has the standard front, rear and wheel reflectors. I had fancy-looking pedals that lit up while I was pedaling, but they wore out quickly, and I replaced them with sturdy, non-illuminating pedals. I also have a white LED light in front, and a red LED light in back. I usually set both to blink, so that drivers will notice them.

I don’t normally use my front headlight to illuminate the road. I’m riding well-lit city streets. It’s mainly there so that others can see me.

I don’t wear a fluorescent jacket or vest, although many people do. I just haven’t made this a priority for purchase. Something else always gets in the way, like food, clothing, shelter and school pictures. I’m also not sure we should expect all cyclists to wear fluorescent colors. After all, you don’t wrap your car in fluorescent yellow, do you? You count on your lights and the eyes of other drivers. And expecting people to buy and wear a safety vest creates one more barrier to cycling.

I do have reflective leg bands for my pants, but I don’t always use them because I have an effective chain guard that protects my pant legs.

And finally, I do carry warm clothing, including a hat, scarf and gloves, because it can get cold quickly after dark.

But is it really safe out there among the cars? I can’t guarantee anyone 100% safety. I can tell you that the more cyclists there are on the road, the safer the roads become.