I would encourage anyone interested in seeing an increase in light usage by Madison-area bicyclists to approach Madison-area bicycle shops about aggressively promoting lights, for safety reasons, to their customers as many of the shops do here in DC. I'll be once again residing in Madison in a few weeks though I don't know if I'll be getting into a shop... There's also nothing like chatting up cyclists on the streets, on group rides, Critical Mass rides, etc.
I don't think laws, or a push to enforce laws, will have much, if any, effect - particularly if the statistics regarding age & gender groups as the correspond to accidents and light use are accurate. On a side note, the "You'd Look Hotter In A Helmet" campaign has been pretty successful here in DC in pushing the majority of non-helmet wearing commuters (those commuters who alway mean to get one but either never make it into a LBS or feel as though they "don't have the money") to buy and wear a lid. Perhaps something similar could be done with lighting. -Martin --- "Meiers, Steve" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Good discussion about lights at night with some good > ideas- thanks for > bringing up the topic. > > The bike monitor, bike cop) program has been long > gone. If Madison > and/or UW PD were interested in doing stepped up > enforcement I think > they would have to find extra money either in their > overtime budget or > with an outside grant. I have no idea if this is a > possibility nor do I > know if the increased staffing next year would > change any of this. > > For the statistical minded folks out there. > > About 1/5 bicycle crashes in Madison happen in times > of darkness > > It's estimated that 5% of all trips happen during > times of darkness. > > Fewer than 20% of cyclists use lights at night- This > count was done in > September when the casual cyclist was still out. > That percentage should > be higher this time of year when just the hardcore > rider is out there. > > The profile of the cyclist who gets hit at night in > Madison is pretty > similar to the profile of all bicycles who are > involved in crashes. > > 40% happen to cyclists in their 20's > 70% are male > The most common crash involves a motorist who turns > left into an > oncoming cyclist. If motorists can't see you at 10 > a.m. they certainly > can't see you at 10 p.m. > > > I don't have any hard data about crashes outside of > Madison. But I can > tell you that 4 of the 10 cyclists killed in > Wisconsin this year were > riding in the dark. All were in unlit areas- all > were hit from behind. > Getting hit from behind is pretty rare in urban > areas. > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > Behalf Of Eric Westhagen > Sent: Wednesday, November 21, 2007 11:24 AM > To: -john martin; BikiesSubmissions > Subject: Re: [Bikies] Re: Getting More Cyclists to > Use Lights at Night > > Dear John Martin, (stolen lights) > > The new Catye I described in my last post comes off > in a flash and can > be put in any shirt pocket. Why would someone have > to leave their > $30.00 "flashlight" on the bike. And being at > night, such a small > flashlight is handy anywhere. And the led red > light, --for all the > years I have had that, I have used the "back pocket > clip" rather than > fastening it to the seat post. > > EW > > -john martin wrote: > > > The problem casual bikers and bike lights, as I > see it, is that they > > often park outside and have their lights stolen. > Bike light makers > > seem to rely on theft to keep up revenue streams, > and in way of thanks > > > to thieves, they make the bike lights easier and > easier to steal (I'd > > reckon that most light thefts are not for the vast > used bike light > > market, but are by drunks and hooligans who like > bright blinky > > things). I'd love to see a simple LED light that > semi- permanently > > affixes to the handlebars, and requires at least a > screwdriver to take > > > off, and breaks if removed incorrectly. > > > > And, this may be controversial, and indeed I would > have argued against > > > it earlier in my life (pre-LED), but I'd like to > see citations issued > > for lightless bikes at dark. > > > > -john > > _______________________________________________ > > Bikies mailing list > > [email protected] > > http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies > > _______________________________________________ > Bikies mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies > _______________________________________________ > Bikies mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies > ____________________________________________________________________________________ Be a better sports nut! Let your teams follow you with Yahoo Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/sports;_ylt=At9_qDKvtAbMuh1G1SQtBI7ntAcJ _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected] http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies
