My first commute in total darkness
#1
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My first commute in total darkness
I've been commuting for a little over a year straight now. This morning was my first trip in total darkness. I started a new job 3 weeks ago. It's 9.5 miles one way and I had to be there at 5am today. I left my house at 3:55am in the darkness.
At first it was kind of creepy (I'm a girl ) , then it was eerie and finally I decided it was very relaxing. I liked the minimal traffic and I felt safe as far as visibility....rear blinky, front light to be seen, a reflective vest and a bright Cygolite to see. I didn't have any problems seeing where to ride and there was a lot of debris from last night's high winds. I never realized that there are almost no street lights on the majority of my route.
I won't be working that shift often, but now I feel confident that I can do this commute in darkness (my last job was much closer to home....only 1.6 miles IF I took the direct route).
At first it was kind of creepy (I'm a girl ) , then it was eerie and finally I decided it was very relaxing. I liked the minimal traffic and I felt safe as far as visibility....rear blinky, front light to be seen, a reflective vest and a bright Cygolite to see. I didn't have any problems seeing where to ride and there was a lot of debris from last night's high winds. I never realized that there are almost no street lights on the majority of my route.
I won't be working that shift often, but now I feel confident that I can do this commute in darkness (my last job was much closer to home....only 1.6 miles IF I took the direct route).
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Glad you are comfortable with that hour.
When I had weird hours, I preferred the commute. It was so quiet the few cars/people that I had to deal were so easy to keep track of. Very safe. Diametrically opposed to what Rt.30 was at 5:00pm rush hour, like a crazy free-for-all. Over time you will remember the big potholes and stuff like that and it will even get easier. I also found that this little cheepo LED flash lights you can get at CVS for $5.00 make great lights to augment your lighting set-up if you have no aversions to hoseclamp or electrical tape mounting
Be safe
When I had weird hours, I preferred the commute. It was so quiet the few cars/people that I had to deal were so easy to keep track of. Very safe. Diametrically opposed to what Rt.30 was at 5:00pm rush hour, like a crazy free-for-all. Over time you will remember the big potholes and stuff like that and it will even get easier. I also found that this little cheepo LED flash lights you can get at CVS for $5.00 make great lights to augment your lighting set-up if you have no aversions to hoseclamp or electrical tape mounting
Be safe
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Ironically I feel a little more safer in the dark. Figuring my lights show up a lot better so I feel more visable. It seems people giveyou more room too. Although my wife hates it when I'm riding in the dark.
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Those Cygolites are great lites at night. I ride with a 400 on the helmet, and a Bell headlight on the front, a Bell tailight and a Thunderbolt light both on at the back of the bike. Riding at night is fun!
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It's been ages (years) since I've ridden that early in the morning...and, yes, it's awfully nice to have the world to yourself.
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I love my morning commute at 3:30 am. My ride is 18 miles in the morning. I get in at 4:45 for 5 am. It is so nice to have the entire road to yourself. Any traffic I do encounter has the entire road to move around you as well. I will say that 4:30 is a very different ride than 4:00 am. The peacefulness tends to evaporate the later in the morning it gets.
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It's the weirdest thing, I started off commuting at night because i felt more comfortable with less cars on the road, even though when you tell people they think you're crazy for riding a bike on the roads at night
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I am a big fan of the early morning commute in the dark. I do a double light on back just to be sure visibility is there.
Here in DC I really enjoy the quiet streets before the city wakes up.
Here in DC I really enjoy the quiet streets before the city wakes up.
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I work graveyards, my commute into work is at 23:30. Except for weekends when I have to go through frat row at the local university, it's a nice stress free route. I actually feel safer at night, as I feel like my femininity is more invisible, so I don't get the gendered BS flung at me that I do during my morning commute back home.
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I love my morning commute at 3:30 am. My ride is 18 miles in the morning. I get in at 4:45 for 5 am. It is so nice to have the entire road to yourself. Any traffic I do encounter has the entire road to move around you as well. I will say that 4:30 is a very different ride than 4:00 am. The peacefulness tends to evaporate the later in the morning it gets.
I also noticed that the cars have more room to get around me and that they use it. I do enjoy that.
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At night times, when there are very few cars, I feel more relaxed; CREE XML T6 1200 front, CatEye rapid 5 tail, reflective vest with reflective armbands help keep me visible. Plus, it is really pleasant at night times because riding on a summer day in New Jersey is HELLISH. You've just gotten outside and you are already sweating.
The only problem I have encountered is people. Bike riding (especially night bike riding) is a priori considered to be extremely dangerous, although yet all the drivers I have seen were really nice to me biking.
Oh, and also I had not heard so much crap when I was getting a tattoo, as when I decided to commute using a bike.
The only problem I have encountered is people. Bike riding (especially night bike riding) is a priori considered to be extremely dangerous, although yet all the drivers I have seen were really nice to me biking.
Oh, and also I had not heard so much crap when I was getting a tattoo, as when I decided to commute using a bike.