I like the darkness and the, what did someone say ... stillness on the
SW path. Less enthusiastic when I can't tell where to find the edge
of the path, and even less enthusiastic about the ninjas (bike and
pedestrian both).
Occasional dim, downward pointing LED's would be nice, but I suspect
very expensive. Reflective stripes at the edge of the path would be
much less expensive and what I would prefer, all things considered.
The thing is, neither of those is a solution to the ninja problem.
Indeed I cannot think of (an ethical) solution to the ninja problem
that does not involve a lot of light at eye level. I'd rather carry
that light with me than have it produced by elevated lights that are
permanently on.
Regardless of the long term solution, a good bike light is the only
short-term solution (though I did like the theremin suggestion). The
Fenix setup that W Madison mentioned above (or in the other thread) is
nice. We use it as a backup. My favorites are LED lights with German
style reflectors that have a cutoff like automobile headlamps to
minimize the blinding of oncoming traffic and put more of that light
where you are going. I use a B&M IQ Fly (essentially the dynamo
version of the Ixon that Isa mentioned above). That reflector makes
a big difference - and a heckuva bike light. (are you listening
Planet Bike - at $60 your new 2W headlight is coming in close to the
price of these European lights)
-Bill
On Oct 16, 2009, at 4:41 PM, India Rose Viola wrote:
Harry,
You may be correct that there are too many lights to go around, but
that is not an argument against appropriate lighting. I don't like
light pollution, but I wouldn't ask you to remove the lights from
inside your house.
From the numerous emails that have been circulating about this
topic, it seems that we are relatively evenly split down the
middle- with some folks wishing there was some moderate,
intelligently designed lighting added to the corridor for added
safety for all, and others opposing it. I am in the light camp,
but want to be respectful of all my fellow bikies. I'm going to
pursue keeping this dialogue open and see if the neighbors are
still feeling the same way that they did when the path was first
constructed. I am all for using bright headlights, but I don't
think that is the only way to make the path more user-friendly. I
also really don't like it when cyclists have to blind me as an
oncoming biker because they are relying on their lights to see so
far ahead. It's extremely unpleasant.
-India
***********************
India Viola
UW-Madison
Stretton Lab
115 Zoology Research Bldg.
1117 W. Johnson St.
Madison, WI 53706
608.262.3336
***********************
"How can we learn from our mistakes if we don't first acknowledge
them?" -Anonymous
"We exist in the bacterial world, not bacteria in ours" -Stuart Levy
----- Original Message -----
From: HARRY W READ <[email protected]>
Date: Friday, October 16, 2009 3:44 pm
Subject: Re: [Bikies] Southwest Path- is it getting too silly at
night?
To: [email protected]
I say no additional lighting. We've got enough electric lights in
this world.
Harry Read
----- Original Message -----
From: Jesse Wickizer <[email protected]>
Date: Friday, October 16, 2009 2:57 pm
Subject: Re: [Bikies] Southwest Path- is it getting too silly at
night?
To: [email protected]
*"If we are taking an informal poll here, and it seems we are, I
vote
no
additional lighting on the path. Spend that money elsewhere."*
Agreed.
If you're riding at night you should have a light anyway. A bright
light not
only helps on the dark paths, but helps cars see you better.
On Fri, Oct 16, 2009 at 2:18 PM, Linda Kietzer <[email protected]
>wrote:
I have that same feeling of exhilaration on that path at night
with
only my
bikelight on a cloudless winter night. The downhill trip is
superfun. But I
like that sorta thing.
If we are taking an informal poll here, and it seems we are, I
vote
no
additional lighting on the path. Spend that money elsewhere.
--- On *Fri, 10/16/09, Mark Evans <[email protected]>* wrote:
From: Mark Evans <[email protected]>
Subject: [Bikies] Southwest Path- is it getting too silly at night?
To: [email protected]
Date: Friday, October 16, 2009, 2:01 PM
Eh --
I've been riding that stretch from Monroe to Glenway for several
years,
year round pretty much. Getting a good bright light is just a good
idea (and
cheaper than having them wreck the stillness with sodium vapor). I
got the
basic Dinotte and it works great, rechargeable AA, extra holder so
I
always
have backup.
http://store.dinottelighting.com/shared/StoreFront/default.asp?CS=dinotte&StoreType=BtoC&Count1=527248561&Count2=444388985
I note that during the fall/winter, when it it cloudy (a condition
that
exists a good portion of the time) that ambient house and
neighborhood
lights seem to reflect off clouds and illuminate the trail pretty
well. On
clearish moonless nights, it's just downright fun, with skittering
cats,
twinkling starts, and idiots on bikes with no lights making for an
adrenalin-rush on the commute home.... But with a bright light, I
can see it
all.
it is indeed a bit of stillness in the midst of the city that I'd
rather
not lose to public lighting.
and oh yeah... does anyone else think that tall upright riders
with
helmet
lights coming at you in the dark on a path look like some weird
alien
headless horseman sorta visage?
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