Be seen and be safe in the dark - Winter Cycling
Mon 4th November 2019
As the clocks go back and the nights draw in, take extra care when cycling in the dark.
See and be seen is a motto to live by during the winter months when mornings and evenings are dark and the weather often dreary.
When cycling in the dark, taking two lights with you is a necessity - one for the front and one for the rear of your cycle. This increases visibility both for yourself and for the drivers you are riding alongside. One of these lights can even act as a backup should the other fail or run out of battery.
Wearing reflective clothing or having reflective items on your bicycle that are visible from a side view is another great way of being seen.
Being seen side-on is important - a motorist may not be able to see your front and rear lights from this angle!
When cycling down roads that are not street-lit a stronger, more powerful front light (100 lumens or higher) is also recommended so you can both see where you are going and also be seen by others.
Having a light on that all important helmet is also a good idea. Many helmets nowadays come with a light on the rear for extra visibility and light mounts can also be bought to affix a light to the front of your helmet.
The beam from a front helmet light will point in the direction of your vision, rather than where your handlebars are directed, which is often not he way you’re looking.
