The Joys of Night Riding

Routes

I prefer that roads are open. While in the day, tree-lined roads provide shelter from the wind, there is rarely more than a gentle breeze in summer nights. The unobstructed view of sky and moon-bathed field makes the ride pleasant and picturesque, especially in comparison with the dark shadow that surrounds the road and mounting the roadside near the trees, obstructing the moonlight. Of course, when travelling in the day, or a beacon on a moonless night, a tree-lined road becomes as good as anyone.

Taking a break from writing this article about 2 hours, I rode for over an hour and found only a few cars on two major roads. The meeting of high-speed traffic on a narrow two-lane road, when you do not know if they can see you to change lanes, is a real pain once you get into the slot to walk alone and undisturbed. Therefore, I suggest sticking to secondary roads (at speeds that are lower, and driving in the middle of the road instead of right behind you), which are just as well paved, have a better hills, and pleasant Moonlit fields.

Car Headlights

I separated from my helmet visor to walk on the roads, because it seems to me tuck it blocked my vision when my head down to keep out the wind. However, the headlights of cars are really blind, especially the redneck hitches in puppy crusher that the use of high beams, unless you can block out - and his hands not only of court to block out the lights. The good news is that while the angle, can block the headlights with the small lip on the front in the hull. You may have to adjust the straps, but it should be covering the front to get started. Just tilt your head down, looking at the same time, until the light is slightly outside their field of vision.

Early Warning System

The great thing about riding at night is that you never have to worry about what behind you. Not only because it almost never is, but because the car can determine the type of approach, distance, and if that happens with enough space - all for the future.

The first idea that comes from handlebars. Publicity and lines of white light is placed in the tube, indicating that a car is behind you. Be aware of the position of the moon, but that was mainly looking for his handlebar lights, which are very noticably brighter, even when the car is a hundred meters away.

Watch the way for any height, shadows moving. The tar macadam road, sometimes there are dark stripes running along the road, especially when there are as seam in the middle of the road, so you'll have to take note of the location of these, and to see movement. If you are unsure whether the "shadow" is actually a dark banda, try drifting to the left or right and see if darkness moves.

As the car approaches, "puddles" of darkness appear in depressions in the road, like bands crossing the road. These dark spots and lines are very subjective to the hills, however. Begin to pay a lot of attention for the movement of its shadow over today because the car is near. After seeing a few cars pass, the size and type that shortens the shadow will tell you exactly where and how fast the car is in motion. More importantly, see that the shadow rate slips to the right. If the car is close, and the shadow is still almost in front of you, the average pass beside the road, or another point in the lane with his hand.

Lighting

Do not tell anyone, but I do not use a beacon. I love my night vision is the way, thank you very much, without lights or vehicles that a large bright patch in front of my bike for that mess. But then, I walk only when there is bright moonlight.

If there is no good moonlight, you must use a beacon. (If you wonder if the lighting is good, take a look at the current moon phase on the right.) Otherwise, you can not see well enough to travel quickly, safely or comfortably. You always second-guess the roadside, thinking that the road becomes when and not vice versa, and occasionally having to travel without any visual stimuli at all useful when there are trees on both sides of the road, or when the headlights of cars are in sight. After the moonlight, or in his absence, a beacon of its own, solve these irritations.

Rear Blinker

Despite the rear collisions constitute less than 5% of all collisions between bicycles and motor vehicles, that does not stop you from being paranoid about it when, after half an hour without seeing a car, a transport truck comes barreling behind your some two lane main road. Since there is no real rider uses reflectors, installed in place of rear-face LED Blinker, available for less than $ 15, which is mounted on the back seat.

The psychological effect is mainly in two ways. First, it puts my mind at ease, which tends to worry about putting my life in the hands of the mouth of respite driving up behind me, even though the rear collisions are rare, like the Accidents are the airlines. The second effect is on the driver of the car behind me. Besides being less likely to drive through me, the cars seem to give me more leeway to happen when I Blinker. Go figure.

The final effect, of course, is that it adds back the same weight and air resistance that had removed to obtain a racing bike without reflectors little plastic everywhere. Oh well.

Ground

Empty roads offer substantial freedom to travel to any part of them you please. Choose the darkest regions running along a worn road, which is usually the result of smooth asphalt or oil, both offer much lower rolling resistance. On the other hand, avoid dark patches, which are often potholes, dead animals, and the like.

In addition, the moonlight, street lamps, headlamps and rapprochement will make some parts of the road bright. These strips are soft and have the least resistance.