With the recent change to daylight saving time and increased hours of darkness during the fall and winter, many of us are having to ride our bikes in the dark. Visibility to drivers is one of the key factors for cyclists to avoid accidents with vehicles. Not only is it a good safety practice to have a bike light when riding at night, it is the law in the city of Boulder, including the ¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä Boulder campus.
Boulder Revised Code 7-5-11 requires that all cyclistsÌýriding between sunset and sunriseÌýhave both a mounted white light on the front of the bike and a minimum of a red reflector on the back of the bike.
To make sure you are ready for night riding, the city of Boulder, Community Cycles and ¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä Boulder have teamed up for the . Several times this month, representatives will be handing out free bike and pedestrian lights at different locations, including on campus. To get a free set of lights, stop by any of these locations between 4 and 6 p.m.
- Tuesday, Nov. 13, at Goose Creek Path (west of Foothills Parkway, close to Wilderness Place)
- Wednesday, Nov. 14, at Broadway/Euclid Avenue (bike path near the University Memorial Center, east of Broadway)
- Thursday, Nov. 15, at Elmer's Two Mile Path (south of Glenwood Drive)
- Monday, Nov. 26, at Bear Creek Path (just east of U.S. 36, close to ¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä)
- Wednesday, Nov. 28, at 30th Street and Colorado Avenue
- Monday, Dec. 3, at Williams Village (near bus stop south of Baseline)
Finally, here are some great safety tips for riding at night.
- Use a white front light and a red rear blinking light at night or when visibility is poor.
- Wear bright colors and/or reflective gear.
- Add sidelight or reflectors on wheels to be more visible.
- A stronger headlight (300 lumens or above) is recommended on multi-use paths, where light is low and is much darker at night than compared to city streets.
