As to giving away front lights, you have to remember that the cost at which one acquires these in bulk is nowhere near what you and I would pay in the store. So a group giving away a light with a retail price of $30-40 might have bought them for $10-15 from the manufacturer. They might have also gotten a donation from a manufacturer or bike shop.
As far as I'm concerned, I wouldn't mind if a group gave away flashlights and rubber bands to attach them to the handlebar, if the bicyclists would use them! The point here is that many bicyclists do not have any lights. They obviously think they can see at night, but they do not realize that they might not be seen. I have actually observed this from my own experience. On the exact same street, I can see perfectly well if I have no light (there have been times when my light wire came loose or the light died, and I didn't realize it for several blocks.) Yet when I am driving that same stretch, I have a hard time seeing the bicyclists in front of me. I have mentioned this to various people over the years, and gotten various explanations from people with professional experience in the way the human eye perceives things. I won't go into it, but it is a real phenomenon that bicyclists truly can see better on the street than motorists. And by the way, I have actually used a small flashlight and rubber band - or a piece of bike tube with a couple of holes cut into it - to replace a bike light if I find myself without. I keep these items in my travel kit in case I borrow a bike when I'm out of town. Works pretty well. Robbie
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