With Fall engulfing our sun and nightfall coming earlier and earlier each day, it’s of the utmost importance to use lights while riding a bike. Just now, I was riding up to the store to pick up some groceries when a mom and her 2-year old daughter walked out in front of me with. Luckily, my front light was bright enough that she stopped in her tracks. I too came to an abrupt stop (still getting used to my SRAM brakes) and all she could do was thank me for having a front light. She kept saying over and over again how so many cyclists in Brooklyn ride in all-black and without lights. I politely reminded her to look both ways before crossing the street (and to put the phone away when walking with her daughter in tow). It was one of those infrequent, polite interactions between a pedestrian and a cyclist. No one was mad. We were just glad we avoided the collision.

Be damn careful out there and use some lights that are actually visible!