From The Professor, Jacob VanDyke:
Many folks have told me over the years about the necessity of being lit from behind to avoid being hit by a car. While I don’t dispute the practicality and safety of a rear light, some of these same people will happily cycle after dark with naught but a blinking rear, safe in their assurance that they are protected from all other traffic. For the sake of being seen at night by other road users, the most important light on a bicycle is a forward-facing light. This is true regardless of whether one is riding with or against traffic, to which I will return later.
Though it is true that a rear light will help one avoid getting hit from behind, such collisions comprise a small statistical part of all bicycle-automobile collisions. The vast majority of cars that hit bikes hit them during a change of direction (either a right or left turn, for example), before they have a chance to properly see the cyclist’s position on the road. In spite of everything else about them worthy of forgiveness, motorists do fairly well identifying objects directly in front of them, even at night. Periheral objects, including cyclists, benefit far more from enhanced visibility as motorists wield their machines on the road.
Still, this engrained preference for rear lights belies a general cultural fear of getting rear-ended by an automobile while riding a bicycle. This fear is of such a magnitude and power that entire communities of cyclists have been motivated to cycle in the opposite direction of automobile traffic in the mistaken belief that they will encounter fewer wayward cars. This behavior, which informal surveys have led me to believe me is motivated by this fear, is a unique example of a population voluntarily exposing itself to increased risk in an attempt to reduce risk. Put in this context, perhaps excessive faith in the protective abilities of rear lighting may not be the most dangerous manifestation of this preoccupation with getting rear-ended.
When I was in Detroit this weekend I almost hit two cyclists who were salmoning at night, on an unlit stretch of Brush, with no lighting. Not smart!
It is easier to get away with in Detroit, with its big roads and lack of traffic, but I suspect it will linger for a long time even as cycling commuties grow in the city. I still see it here, but mostly among people who are not experienced cyclists.
david
I too had a near-collision with an unlit cyclist riding in opposition to vehicular traffic! But my guess is that this segment of riders are not reading progressive blogs from non-profit cycling organizations!? How does one convey the fact that riding with traffic is indeed safer? Street team it? I don’t know?! But the last thing you want to run into is another cyclist! Is it full of irons?
A great question, Jess! Jack and I had a funny conversation recently regarding the phenomenon of the “British Cyclist” and what modes of education were (or weren’t) available both institutionally (via early/drivers ed) and on the street at, or hopefully before, the point of impact.
I personally would love to see Sonic the Hedgehog style arrows taking up the entire lane of traffic. Street teaming it is one thing I’m interested in educating kids and adults alike in; I bet Augusto Boal (rest his soul) would have a field day with the subject.
Lights can be distracting and disorienting and usually serve to make things more difficult to see. Some inner city politician here in LA recently was promising a streetlight on every corner or something and to me, that’s a nightmare. Yes, it was an area with street-crime problems, but still, fake lighting sucks for the most part.. And I have more to say – besides being a visual nuisance/hindrance they make noise. The buzzing alone ought to be illegal and is enough to make people feel low-down and mean. Why is that ok? I think probably lights or at least reflectors on a bike are a good idea – I really don’t know. However, I do for sure know that streetlights are a wretched blight on our society, for the most part. Mercury and sodium vapor lights are ultra-foul – is that what they use? Anyway, those are my thoughts. More bikes – fewer cars.
I am looking for a partner to invent the first ever gelonic sonar self illuminating awareness system. Basically it works as a three coat paint system on the bike, one coat is the energy source, another the conduit triggerd by sonar waves (approaching car) and the last illuminates a bright glow. Think Glow Bug, neon green everesscence.
I had a schoolbus driver stop her bus to shout at me at Warren and Trumbull that I should be riding against traffic.
I shouted back, “That’s incorrect!”
I don’t know if she believed me or not.
How does one convey the fact that riding with traffic is indeed safer?
I encountered a salmoning cyclist a couple days ago and told him, “You should really ride on the other side.” He angrily responded, “I’m riding on THIS SIDE!”
You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him cross the road.