From Eric at KCBike.info comes a reminder that with rapidly-shortening days, you need to have proper lighting on your bike.
Now is a good opportunity to go replace the batteries in your lights, or buy new lights if you haven’t done so yet.
LED lights just keep getting better and better, and are relatively inexpensive. DirtBum recently reviewed a Coleman headlamp that he adapted as a helmet light, commuterDude reviewed the Busch+Muller Lumotec IQ Fly headlamp, and Shamus is rolling with handlebar-mounted flashlight and a SuperFlash taillight.
Eric also reports that “If you or someone you know need lights and don’t have enough cash on hand to pay for them, please contact the Greater KC Bicycle Federation for a free light.”
Many police departments and community safety organizations can also provide free or low-cost bicycle lights, so there’s no excuse for you to ride without proper lighting.
In addition to being simple common sense, it’s also the law. In Kansas, the statute states: “Every bicycle when in use at nighttime shall be equipped with a lamp on the front which shall emit a white light visible from a distance of at least five hundred (500) feet to the front and with a red reflector on the rear of a type approved by the secretary of transportation which shall be visible from all distances from one hundred (100) feet to six hundred (600) feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful lower beams of head lamps on a motor vehicle. A lamp emitting a red light visible from a distance of five hundred (500) feet to the rear may be used in addition to the red reflector.”
