Gotta get me some lights

[dreamshark]

Misunderestimated the amount of daylight left and ended up pedaling home from work in the pitch dark last night. Holey moley, that SWLRT trail is dark!! Once it hits the Minneapolis border there gets to be more ambient light, and here and there the city has even erected a lamp post or two. But through the wilds of Hopkins and St. Louis Park - nothing! I just have a couple of little don't-hit-me LED lights, nothing you can really see by. The front light on the handlebar stem did create a little smudge of whiteness on the pavement just ahead of me, enough so I could get along (except when temporarily blinded by an oncoming serious night-biker with a 10,000 watt blue-white floodlight on their handlebars). Even scarier than those guys were the occasional biker with no lights at all. I couldn't even see them coming towards me, just heard them go by. That's just plain nuts.

Once I got to the city and left the trail I could see fine by ambient city light. However, I got the feeling that cars couldn't really see me, despite a couple of reflectors and lights fore and aft. More than once, cars starting up from stop signs nearly hit me. I need more reflectors, a couple more blinkers (maybe on the side) and a headlamp that can illuminate the bike trail.

Comments

[skylarker.livejournal.com]

That sounds really scary! I'm glad you made it home okay.

[dreamshark.livejournal.com]

I'd say "challenging" rather than "scary." It kind of added a little spice to the same old trail.

[skylarker.livejournal.com]

I'd be afraid of running into something I couldn't see in time - but I'm glad you took it as a challenge and succeeded at it.

[mle292.livejournal.com]

Ax-Man on Minnetonka Blvd still had a few nice BRIGHT bicycle lights left when I bought one on Wednesday of this week.

They are ten bucks and they're LED lights. They come with a head strap or bicycle clip.

[dreamshark.livejournal.com]

Oh, yeah. I bought some of those for Christmas presents. For people in this house, which means there are still some lying around. Thanks for reminding me!