FALL BACK and LIGHT UP!
Bicyclists are reminded to be visible at night with
local bike shops helping with 20% discounts on bike lights.
As the clocks fall back, cyclists need to light up.
Can you believe it, daylight saving’s time is just around the corner! It will get darker a lot earlier, but that’s NO reason to stop cycling and every reason to make sure you’re WELL-LIT! White lights on front, red lights on back, and plenty of reflectors and reflective clothing. Join us in chanting the mantra “See and be seen!”
Daylight Savings Time ends on Sunday, November 4th. Area bike shops are joining the chorus by offering discounts and promotions on bike lights at a special “Fall Back and Light Up” sale during the weekend of November 2nd – 4th. Participating stores are: Newport Bicycle on Broadway, Pedal Power on West Main Road, and Ten Speed Spokes on Elm Street.
For bike enthusiasts, riding at night can be fun, relaxing, and a delightful end to the day. For bike commuters, riding in the dark is a fact of life. Statistically, there are more crashes at night than during the day. This is due in part to the difficulty motorists have in seeing cyclists at night, and in part to cyclists not seeing unsafe road conditions in the dark. There are several ways to improve cyclist visibility and safety at night:
Headlights: Handlebar mounted headlights can be USB rechargeable or run on batteries. There’s a range of brightness, and settings that are steady and flashing. Newport law requires a white lamp on the front of your bike that can be seen from 500 feet. Bike shops can help riders choose the best light based on how and where they ride.
Front light on your helmet: Helmet headlamps send light whichever way the cyclist looks. Smart!
Rear light: Law also requires a red light on the rear of a bicycle. Many cyclists use red blinking lights throughout the day to be more visible as cars approach from the rear. Rear lights can be mounted on fenders, seat posts, seat stays, racks, or saddlebags.
Reflective Vest or Jacket: Reflective material increases visibility exponentially and can make cyclists much more obvious on the road at night. In fact, highly reflective material can be far brighter even than the bike lights. Be careful – brightly colored clothing is not the same as reflective. Bright clothing may be highly visible in the daylight, but no different from any other color at night. Be sure that nightwear is reflective.
Please contact Bike Newport at 401-619-4900 for more information about the “Fall Back, Light Up” program.
For more bike safety information and local ordinances, click here.
Bike Newport