Okay bike commuters, is it safe to ride at night?

Okay bike commuters, is it safe to ride at night?		queensaline
		May 16 2008 13:05
I'm twenty years old and ride my bike everywhere. I just got a new job waiting tables about 5 miles away from my house (a 15-20 minute ride, nothing bad). I'll be doing some night shifts that will end at about 10pm, and I feel perfectly safe riding home on the bike trails that late as long as I have a bike lamp, but my parents and their friends are all completely against it. They say it's unsafe to ride in the streets at night because I'll get hit by a car, unsafe to ride on the trails at night because I'll get attacked, and unsafe to ride in the neighborhoods at night because I'll run into something in the dark. I think they're overreacting and creating fear where there really isn't much of a threat. I actually have a car, but gas is so expensive and so is parking down by where I work, I hate driving it. I also hate driving because it makes the day feel so monotonous and dull. BTW I live in a nice city in Nebraska, very clean and safe.

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#1	melkor	May 16 2008 13:58
Your parents watch too much TV - unless you live in downtown Atlanta none of those scenarios are remotely probable, and even in Atlanta they're extremely unlikely. I mean, check your local crime statistics. Odds are, the last time there was a serious crime in your area, it was Jesse James robbing the stage coach or something :)
#2	queensaline	May 16 2008 14:11
We actually don't own a TV. I grew up without one. But my mother is dating a lawyer who is afraid of everything. I asked my mother if she remembered a time when something actually happened to a person on a bike trail and she said "Uuuuuh...yes" and I asked her when and she said "It waaaas...laaast...Spring." I think I'm pretty safe. It's a good thing I only have to live at home during the summer...at school I'm doing all sorts of night walking!
#3	floggingsully	May 16 2008 15:18
I think you're fine, if you get some pepper spray for your key-chain it might help your mom feel less uneasy. And remember to wear your helmet, that's the biggest thing for bike safety.
#4	amethystgirl	May 16 2008 15:26
Also wear light colors/reflectors and one of those flashy red lights you can put on the back of your bike. I think that night bikers sometimes forget that just because they can see the car doesn't mean the car can see them. Other than that, and what the others say, you should be fine.
#5	sweetigem	May 16 2008 15:27
As long as you wear dayglo and reflective clothes you'll get seen from anywhere lol Seriously though, as a driver of country roads at night, there's nothing worse than not being able to see a cyclist (or pedestrian) properly! The brighter the better, even if it's just a sash! Helmet too, and good lights are key. Good luck!
#6	mrsdagle	May 16 2008 15:47
When I moved out, I started riding a bike in midtown Tucson for work and pleasure. It is a very crime-ridden city with a lot of poor drivers. I'm still alive. I have near misses with cars all the time (rolling through stop signs, driving too fast, not pulling over enough) but if you're on a trail, you should be fine. I wouldn't wear headphones at night, be very aware of your surroundings and have a good light. I have found using a deep, barking voice at troublemakers works. Back in my "nice" hometown, I actually had someone chase me like they were a dog. I yelled at him, "What the @!#! are you doing?!" and he stopped cold.
#7	im_a_cc	May 17 2008 02:38
I dont think you'd be attacked your on a bike you're faster than your attacker.
#8	ssbuckeye	May 17 2008 02:46
I believe too that in most places you must have a white front light and a red back light just like a car when you ride at night. If you ride on the streets, you can be ticketed for this just like a driver.
#9	queensaline	May 17 2008 03:33
Original Post by mrsdagle: When I moved out, I started riding a bike in midtown Tucson for work and pleasure. It is a very crime-ridden city with a lot of poor drivers. I'm still alive. I have near misses with cars all the time (rolling through stop signs, driving too fast, not pulling over enough) but if you're on a trail, you should be fine. I wouldn't wear headphones at night, be very aware of your surroundings and have a good light. I have found using a deep, barking voice at troublemakers works. Back in my "nice" hometown, I actually had someone chase me like they were a dog. I yelled at him, "What the @!#! are you doing?!" and he stopped cold. Yikes!! I'm going to get lights and one of those bright jackets. I might just catch a ride from someone if I end up getting off work later than 11...no one is up to any good driving around at 11 or 12 on a weekend night downtown, and I don't want to get hit.
#10	ibez	May 17 2008 09:46
I actually frequently do ~10 mile bike rides at 10-12 PM or 3-4 AM just because I hate the heat, and just like the night time atmosphere really. My city is hardly crime-ridden, but I don't think you have anything to worry about. Just be watchful of cars (They'll stand out very clearly because of headlights) and use a bike lamp like you mentioned. I've been doing it for months and never really had any "close calls".
#11	kajikit	May 17 2008 21:43
The biggest danger in biking at night is being hit by a car because they can't see you in the dark (or because they're a drunken idiot if it's very late at night...) I don't think being mugged is any great danger though - you're more likely to have an accident because you didn't see a hole in the road or something. You need LOTS of safety reflectors, one of those flourescent safety vests like construction workers use, and a very good bicycle light so you can see where you're going.
#12	jc343	May 18 2008 05:47
I have been commuting for a couple of years now. In the winter month's I ride in the pre-dawn dark -- not exactly the same as a late night ride. If you check through last year's postings on the calorie count cycling club thread ("join the fun ...") you will find that one of the members did exactly what you are talking about doing. It was a little more thrilling than some of responses to your question suggest. Clothing (including a helmet), headlight and tail light are good precautions. I see people riding at night around our town -- some of them obviously commuting -- without the benefit of these precautions. I suppose when I was younger I didn't bother with that stuff either and, obviously, I survived. More recently, I have taken several spills. Some of them were due to slick conditions (wet clay) after a downpour. I have landed on my head twice -- both times my helmet took the brunt of the impact. I find traffic conditions unpredictable. Sometimes there is very little traffic while at other times traffic is quite heavy. You just have to deal with that. In my case, I have couple of miles of tricky road with high speed traffic that can trap me in very challenging situations. So far nothing has happened but there is always tomorrow and the day after that. On the other hand, incidents of people operating or riding in cars being killed are quite common. Pedestrians are killed more often than cyclists. So you are probably as safe commuting on your cycle as you are in a car. Take it easy and enjoy your ride. Good luck.
#13	skp_here82	May 18 2008 09:35
I've been commuting by bike for more than a year in one of the busiest cities in the world - London, UK. What I've learned: - As others said, you are responsible for your safety, and you really need to wear a helmet, reflective clothing, and good lights (the difference in brightness between a cheap light and a good light is amazing) - Be assertive, but not mad. Respect traffic lights. Signal where you are going. I tend to signal even if there is no one around, just in case, and not to lose the habit of signalling. - In London, most traffic accidents involving cyclists happen when a large truck or bus is turning left (as we drive on the left, so the equivalent would be turning right in the US), and they don't notice that there is a cyclist there. Basically, always stay either in front of trucks or buses, or behind them altogether, but never ride alongside a bus or truck.
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