Originally Posted by
ItsJustMe
If it's all the same to you, I kind of feel that serious lighting is actually necessary gear for my commute, 24 miles in the dark over almost exclusively 50 to 55 MPH 2 lane roads.
Also for short distances I'll use a backpack to get my clothes and food to work, but for 24 miles I'm putting it in a bag on a rack. Backpacks suck for more than about 10 miles or so.
A light is necessary for you and your commute, but that doesn't make it "necessary equipment" for commutes. Different people, different commutes, you can't say that your light is necessary equipment for other people. Like your handle says.
Another example, I don't use a backpack either but that doesn't mean I have to use a rack on my road bike. It's not "necessary" on a road bike - there is more than one way to skin a cat.
Just to be clear, I'm not exactly a newbie with a short commute and I don't skip a commute for any conditions, so it's not like I'm advising people while unaware of the challenges. We all tend to work out our own particular solutions, but many of those solutions do not require any "necessary equipment", and in particular for those with shorter commutes as you mentioned, and who prefer to pick and choose when to ride in.