Riders all know the feeling of anticipation at having a bit of fun, even when you are riding to or home from work.
In the summer months most Sydney commuters will ride to, and home, from work in daylight, so not much changes from morning commute to the evening commute.
In the winter months however, most of us ride to work in daylight and home in the dark.
As riders, we get the distinct advantage of riding in the much less congested bus lane 6am-10am in the morning and 3pm -7pm in the evening. Even with this bonus, it is still best we are as visible as possible to those around us, especially in the dark.
Here are some tips to consider for riding at night.
The simplest of these is our High Vis Riding Vest (click HERE). I’ve got one and it’s easy to wear over any riding jacket including my usual riding jacket in winter click HERE. The vest is made for riders as it has a sturdy zipper that prevents it flying open like a cheap velcro one might. It is high vis yellow for greater visibility in daytime or rainy day conditions. It also has reflective panels for higher visibility at night. The vest is inexpensive and packs away under your saddle or in a top box, so there is no excuse not to have one really.
The other popular addition is a Ultravent Rain Jacket (click HERE). While I love my Corazzo Regata Jacket, it is only water resistant, so my Ultravent Rain Jacket fits over the top of this jacket and helps keep out rain and windchill. I’m then far more visible than most other riders typically wear. Note however, it doesn’t have reflective strips for night time. It does however pack away in its own bag under your saddle.
Reflective accents on your riding jacket are also a big plus. Corazzo urban riding wear do a great job of adding reflective components into many of their jacket designs. Corazzo jackets offer the added protection of elbow, shoulder and back protectors, along with abrasion resistant materials. Simply wear your High Vis gear over the top. Check them out HERE
Another thought is to add reflective adhesive tape to your topbox or even the body of your scooter. 3M do a great product but only in 25meter rolls. Maybe Bunnings have something similar. Liam in spares here at the store has a supplier that provides wheel rim tape in reflective colours. Give him a call if you’d like to know more on 09 9938 5858 ext 3.Â
Light coloured outer layers and helmets are always a good idea in low light. People tell us that drivers tend to see your jacket colour first (as its at eye line) then helmet colour, and finally the scooters colour, so obviously having your upper body be visible is a must.
Lastly, its a really good idea to check your scooters lights regularly. Check out this handy VIDEO on how to do it when you are on your own and cant see your rear brake light operating.
Some other things to consider for night riding
- Use clear helmet visors, not tinted and keep your visor clean (click HERE)
- If you have a windscreen fitted, keep it clean too
- Avoid looking directly at headlights as they approach. The new LED lights in particular can be dazzling.
- Follow traffic at a safe distance and speed.
- Beware of dewy winter road surfaces.
- Avoid speeding. Matching the traffics general speed is always best.
- If you are riding along comfortably, you will probably find that you are following all these points.
If you have any night riding tips you’d like to share email me HERE and I’ll add them to this article