Video: See Why Cycling in Chicago Without A Bike Light Is Dangerous

By Rachel Cromidas in News on Oct 29, 2015 7:21PM

Shorter days and longer nights are upon us (thanks, Daylight Savings), and for an urban cyclists, that inevitably means commuting under the cover of night.

If you've ever wondered just how hard it is for drivers to see you when you're riding home after twilight without a light on your bicycle, the local advocacy group Active Transportation Alliance has your answer—and it isn't pretty.

In this new video, ATA reps invite you to take a look at just how hard it can be to see a cyclists on the road at night, especially from within the confines of a vehicle facing down the glare of lights from other cars.

"As a cyclist, you're one of the smallest things on the road, so it's easy for you to be obscured from a driver's vision," says ATA educator Jason Jenkins. "So you really need to stand out at night."

And it's not just smart—it's the law in Illinois.

We hate the Nov. 1 time change as much as the next guy, but we'd like to be alive for it.