By now I was quite confident that I finally had everything I could think of to be the safest rider around; my helmet with mirror, safety brakes, spare inner-tube and repair kit, glasses, gloves, my computer, and my handy dandy bike tool that can fix absolutely anything on my bike. I even have a cell phone holder and water bottle holder; so I should have all angles covered. Oh, and I had an emergency "Lincoln" tucked away just in case...
After I took that Critical Mass ride in Detroit last month I was telling my cousin from Florida all about it, and he did some research on Critical Mass rides in his area.
Unlike the ride I did, rides down there tend to be a bit more structured, and they have certain guidelines; lights are strongly encouraged so motorists can see them better.
that was one thing I never considered getting because I never ride in the dark; so motorists should be able to see me just fine. Sure,I might occasionally start at dawn or finish at dusk, but for that rare time, I figured it wasn't worth the extra effort.
Of course, the more I thought about it, it started to make sense to have one just in case... however, my handlebars were over flowing with all of my gadgets as it was, so I needed to come up with another option.
I was told there were lights that go on the fork, which was a great solution, however, looking at this tiny yellow strip it seemed like nothing more than a glorified reflector. But I soon learned that just because something is small doesn't mean it's not bright.
The great thing about this light is I could set it to shine bright or dim; I could even set it to flash on and off if I needed help.
This once tiny yellow strip could now illuminate a ball stadium.
Having my light on in daylight might seem redundant, but it might help people spot me easier just the same. However, even with a light so bright, I find myself sometimes uncertain where I'm going, and I have to trust my light will guide me.
I guess it just goes to show you: We might think we have all we really need in life, but even though our light might not always be shining... it sure is good to know we have it:)
Have a great weekend!!
Christine:)
