Is riding on unlight country roads at night suicide?

[wafflycat]

The vast majority of roads I cycle on at night are unlit country lanes. Has something to do with living in the countryside. So far, cycling on them at night has not resulted in my death.

 

[jamesxyz]

it's actually safer than daylight on some of these roads. If you're really well lit up then cars aren't sure what you are or where your vehiclce starts and ends. I certainly feel they give me more room in the dark than in light.

With good lights and hi-viz gear you are easy to see - have at least one flashing and one constant rear light (flashing is more visible while constant is better for judging distacne apparently). Cars are much easier to see and hear in the dark & still night air.

As some of the others have said the most dangerous thing is hitting a bloody great pothole and coming off if you don't know the road. Your reaction times need to be much quicker in the beam of bike light.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Nope. With the right lights and some reflective gear you are proably safer than in broad daylight on a main road. Just attend to both the 'be seen' and 'see by' aspects of your front lights and run something so bright at the back it burns out drivers retina's.

 

[Wobblers]

Suicide? Definitely not! In fact, I feel safer at night. Far more motorists wait at junctions until I've past before pulling out than in the daytime so I seem to be more noticeable at night. But is important to have a good set of lights. Something like the Hope Vision One is probably the minimum I'd use - that way you can see the verges and obstacles ahead in good time. It's also a good idea to cycle on lanes and roads that you're familiar with, so you know where the potholes are. On the FNRttC, I used a Fenix LD2 aimed about ten feet ahead so that I could spot potholes in time to avoid them.

Cycling at night is probably my favourite time - it's quieter and more relaxing. Go out and enjoy!

 

[GrasB]

As some of the others have said the most dangerous thing is hitting a bloody great pothole and coming off if you don't know the road. Your reaction times need to be much quicker in the beam of bike light.

It depends on the lights, a relatively low level of flood elimination can give you enough information to know what part of the road to avoid. The only issue is that you get false positives on deep pot holes/branches/stones on the road if you can see darker patches of road but there isn't enough flood to really see. Personally I'd prefer to have false positives rather than not spotting something.

 

[Norm]

With good lights it's fun, with poor lights it's awful.

+1. I've done a fair bit of riding at night, on and off road, and I love it as long as it isn't too busy. There's an extra element to night riding that you just don't get during the day.

I have also invested a lot in my lights (Exposure Enduro Maxx and head-mounted Exposure Joystick on the front, 2 x Smart 1/2 watt and an Exposure RedEye Micro on the back) but they pay back when I'm riding at night. I have yet to have a car which didn't dip for me, for instance, and I get more courtesy and room at night.

The other side of the coin is that I've also had a few twats attempting penis enhancement by mouthing off in front of their mates, but that has only ever happened to me in towns.

 

[Crankarm]

You don't need mega expensive lights, just good ones. I have just one Cateye EL130, the small 3 LED one, most of the time. Sometimes I put the other EL130 back up alongside. But I have 4 SMART rear lights, 20 LEDS in total and most importantly a hi-viz gilet. Vehicles give me a very wide berth passing on the other side of the road.

I like cycling in the evening and night on rural roads when there is little traffic about. Far safer than cycling in an urban environment where drivers are throttle to the floor and where there are few cars that are present during the day to slow them down. Only time I am a little anxious is if cycling on a friday or saturday night because of drunk drivers or chav/scum who may also be drunk or high as kites.

 

[mossy]

My set up is like Macb ,I certainly seem to be given more room at night.
As everyone has said,invest in good lights,especiallly rearwards.There are lots of good advice here.Always have back up.
Lastly enjoy ,I prefer at night ,quieter and chance to think but miss the views.

Good luck.

 

[plainlazy]

+ 1 for feeling safer at night, I get given more room by far.
I have three backs lights (One flashing. Two constant) and Three fronts light again same as rear.
Found a light on the skid lid helps with checking verge, pot holes etc and seems to confuse the motorist as to what type of vehicle you are and thus they dip their head lights and slow now.

 

[manimal]

I ride unlit roads to work in the dark every day. I use one of these:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.16092

It is awesome and on the single track roads i use cars pull over to let you through as they havent go a clue whats coming towards them!!!

 

[betty swollocks]

There's a theme here: with good lights it's safer than daylight.
Reflectives too.

 

[GrasB]

If you can keep your front lights in a fairly close formation with a number of lights you often fool motorists into thinking you're a motorbike... this generally is a good thing.

 

[kewb]

im not so sure about bright lights being the answer ,
if youve a clear front flashing light simply replace with a blue led and get the roads to yourself ,

joke .


anyone else find that when a car fails to dim its lights and your dazzled you drift towards the light (not a joke btw )
on occasion ive almost been in opposite lane because of this , i must have some condition
as nobody ive spoken to does it , very strange and terrifying , has me almost slow to a
crawl to avoid ?

 

[shouldbeinbed]

agree with crankarm -
they don't need to be mega expensive just good quality.

my lights to be seen by are smart lunar 25 kit which is a very bright front and the excellent 1/2 watt rear - £50, or less if you catch a sale somewhere and they get me a wide berth and dipped lights by every driver.

I've never had a 'to see the road by' front light that cost more than £80 and have happily ridden pitch dark twisty country roads at all hours of the night whilst on call.

 

[Norm]

anyone else find that when a car fails to dim its lights and your dazzled you drift towards the light (not a joke btw )
on occasion ive almost been in opposite lane because of this , i must have some condition as nobody ive spoken to does it , very strange and terrifying , has me almost slow to a crawl to avoid ?

Target fixation? Just don't look at the lights.

Had a lovely ride on an unlit country road this evening.