Commuting by bike?

username, where can one get the reflective material you speak of ?<br>thx!<br><br><br>

<br><br>Well right now I just use plastic reflective tape. They used to sell it in strips at Recycled Cycle, but now they just have shaped sticker sheets which aren't as versatile. I may end up ordering a roll online or something. Of course you can also get reflective vests, or the big orange triangle thing that lots of people put on their backs.<br><br>My helmet below. As you can see, the reflective stuff is pretty much as bright as whatever gets shined at it--the camera flash in this case.<br><br> <br><br>

Seattle Fabrics (on Aurora) sells rolls of sticky reflective tape (at least they did last time I was in there a few years ago).<br>Hmm.... I think I have one still lying around, maybe I'll start decorating my bike in it...<br>(I think I got it for marking wands with, so you could see them at night with your headlamp)<br><br>Let's see if we can identify username's book collection.<br>We got<br>Whitewater Rivers of Washington<br>???<br>???<br>Freedom of the hills<br>Mark Twight's book<br>The exit 38 climbing guide?<br>???

Not only is night riding a challenge, which I don't do, but you have to be aware of your surroundings wherever you are no matter what time of the day. A couple of years ago 4 of us were riding a nice rural two lane quite country back road in Eastern Washington, when some "red neck" came roaring down the road, honking his horn. For what reason I'm still not sure why he was honking since he was the only car on that road for as far as the eye could see, and deliberately tried to run us off the road with his huge white dualie pick up truck and into the irrigation ditch &gt;. To this day, everytime I see something big and white coming up behind me, I can still hear the roar of that engine and feel the heat from those dual tires on his truck, way to close for comfort &gt;. That was in broad daylight, in the country. <br><br>IMHO I think that before anyone passes their drivers test and is given a drivers license, they should have to ride a bike in traffic for a day . Maybe then they would be a little more aware of what's happening around them.

<br>Unfortunately one of them is me,

<br>One of them is me, too. I've been hit by a car and clipped by a Metro Bus.<br><br>I second most of the great advice here: fenders, booties, lots of reflective tape, lights, and clothes that dry quickly while hanging up at work. One thing that has not been mentioned here as a word of wisdom is to avoid headphones. Be aware, as Mad_Dog suggests, "of your surroundings wherever you are no matter what time of the day." Jeanette, you also suggest: "I think that before anyone passes their drivers test and is given a drivers license, they should have to ride a bike in traffic for a day". I've actually thought about going to do talks with high school drivers ed classes. Who wants to join me? <br><br>Think invisibility on the road and but at least off the road, be visible in your efforts to make bike commuting more mainstream. Enjoy your ride!

<br>The exit 38 climbing guide?<br>

<br><br>heheh, er, no, that's the field guide to bolt-chopping and tat-slashing!! lord knows I wouldn't condone such a profane activity as sport climbing!

So far I have only hit cars, after being illegally cut off without warning. I like to keep the danger in front of me, so I ride as fast as possible. Perhaps not the smartest philosophy, but certainly the most fun, and it has kept me safe so far. An exited rider is an alert rider! May have to change my ways with the impending precipitation though.<br><br>I've found it pays to communicate with drivers. I think drivers consider bicyclists to be as clueless as we see them, so a little eye contact and body language goes a long way. Simply looking back over my shoulder periodically or hand signalling lets them know that I know they are there, and they seem to drive more considerately for this. It lets them know that I am not some zoned-out fool waiting to be picked off, but an intelligent and legitimate user of the road.