Helping riders stay bright after dark 

Like it or not, the sun is setting around 5 PM every day from now until spring. That said, most of us who commute to and from work will be making the trip home in the dark.

In order to see and be seen by fellow road users, riders should be equipped with front & rear bike lights. Pennsylvania law requires bicyclists to use a front light that emits a white beam and we recommend using a rear light for extra safety. Lightless riding is risky, and whether people are simply unaware or cannot afford lights, we want to ensure that they are covered.

Click here to read our blog post full of tips & tricks on how to be seen and safe in the dark.

In an effort to make biking at night safer for everyone, we hosted an Operation Illumination pop up bike light giveaway just after Daylight Saving Day in Oakland – an area that’s well-known for its bike commuters.

With the help of our friendly volunteers and fellow bike/ped advocate Karen Brooks, we were able to give away 75 sets of lights to unlit bicyclists! In addition to installing lights, we handed out Pittsburgh Bike Maps, Biking 101 Guides, and spoke cards with battery directions for the lights.

As daylight becomes scarce during the next few months, extra visibility from bike lights can help keep you safe. Bike lights come in many different shapes & sizes and the choices can be overwhelming, so we’ve created a new light guide to help you narrow down your choices.

Want to see more bikes with lights? Click here to donate today to help support BikePGH’s Operation Illumination program.

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