How many times have you come across a cyclist speeding along a bike path in the evening, only to spot him or her at the last minute? All too often! By the time October rolls around, it's already dark at 6 pm. While some decide to stop riding, many of us continue to use our bikes in progressively darker conditions. I confess to being surprised, every year, at the low number of cyclists using their bikes with adequate lighting. Isn't it contradictory to demand the right to use the road and to be respected when you don't take the basic steps to be seen at night? I still don't understand why 75 % of cyclists riding at night do so without lighting. These cyclists are perceived as people who don't care about traffic rules, and they certainly don't help the cycling cause by acting so casually.
Don't forget this statistic: even though only 2 % of total kilometers traveled by cyclists are done after dark, 30 % of fatal bicycle accidents take place in the evening, when daylight disappears. These figures speak for themselves!
Vélo Québec's recommendations are simple.
- Equip your bike with active lighting (white light at the front, red at the rear).
- Fit your bike with reflectors, especially on moving parts. This is particularly effective on wheels. This makes it easier to detect your presence on the road.
- Choose accessories with reflective strips (helmet, pannier, trouser clip, self-adhesive strip to affix to bike, tire with reflective sidewall, etc.).
Remember: just because street lighting gives you a good view of the road, it doesn't mean that motorists and cyclists can see you! At night, an unlit cyclist is invisible.
Happy autumn on your bike!
Suzanne Lareau
President and General Manager
