Potential bike ride event swag

[jrenaut]

@Vicegrip 127524 wrote:

At the Monday night BA blinky give away I was in the process of installing a front and rear light on a bike that rolled up to me and the Dear Daughter. We honestly had a hard time finding clear handlebar and seatpost space due to the dog tick like infestation of dead BA blinkys. Seems the bike owner had every intention of getting batteries but the giveaways were often enough to maintain.

Yeah, a lot of the people I talked to at the giveaway seemed to rely on Bike Arlington to get them new lights every year, and never entertained the thought of buying their own, or replacing batteries.

[consularrider]

Cycling cap yes.

[cvcalhoun]

@Vicegrip 127524 wrote:

At the Monday night BA blinky give away I was in the process of installing a front and rear light on a bike that rolled up to me and the Dear Daughter. We honestly had a hard time finding clear handlebar and seatpost space due to the dog tick like infestation of dead BA blinkys. Seems the bike owner had every intention of getting batteries but the giveaways were often enough to maintain.

Perhaps you should have taken the old blinkies back, put new batteries in them, and given them away again? That would have to be cheaper than whole new blinkies.

[AlexandriaBiker]

I like those small lights that @BikeShare and @WABA have given out. I now have five on them on my bike… two whites on the front and three reds on the rear. I don’t ride at night so a bright store bought light isn’t necessary. I just want others to see me on my last mile home in the late afternoon, usually on the trail or side streets.

[Vicegrip]

@cvcalhoun 127566 wrote:

Perhaps you should have taken the old blinkies back, put new batteries in them, and given them away again? That would have to be cheaper than whole new blinkies.

Crossed my mind at the time. (that and “No soup for you!”) She did say she had every intention of replacing the batteries and I think picking them off might have not gone well. :rolleyes: One less ninja for a while.

20/20 hindsight I could have gone into Grinch mode, gave Cindy lou Hoo a gentle pat while quickly stripping her bike with the other hand while telling her in a dry bottom bracket bearing voice “I will take them back to my shop to change the batteries. Come back next week and pick them up”.

I have to say I am impressed how long the blinkies do last. I found one flashing away in a backpack and it had to have been on for 3 or so days.

[dbb]

I’m amazed that so many people seem to rely on the little blinkies provide an appropriate level of lighting. Maybe we (BikeArlington/WABA/GoDCGo) could also include discount coupons for bike lights at participating LBS to encourage riders to get real lights. I would think we might be able to get the shops to offer a 15-25% discount on some of the starter lights.

[Tim Kelley]

@dbb 127650 wrote:

I’m amazed that so many people seem to rely on the little blinkies provide an appropriate level of lighting. Maybe we (BikeArlington/WABA/GoDCGo) could also include discount coupons for bike lights at participating LBS to encourage riders to get real lights. I would think we might be able to get the shops to offer a 15-25% discount on some of the starter lights.

We tried a couple years ago and the bike shops saw very little foot traffic from it. In subsequent years we decided it wasn’t worth the coordination effort.

[Emm]

@dbb 127650 wrote:

I’m amazed that so many people seem to rely on the little blinkies provide an appropriate level of lighting. Maybe we (BikeArlington/WABA/GoDCGo) could also include discount coupons for bike lights at participating LBS to encourage riders to get real lights. I would think we might be able to get the shops to offer a 15-25% discount on some of the starter lights.

Your WABA membership card (because I KNOW everyone here has one ) already gets you 10% off accessories at many bike stores in the area. It’s not a 25% off coupon, but if your bike-crazy like my husband and me, it’ll save you a few hundred bucks a year on parts, accessories, lights and clothing…

[DismalScientist]

Cheap flashlights/headlights and taillights are available from China on ebay. They may not meet the needs of light purists, but they are better than blinkies.

[mstone]

@DismalScientist 127655 wrote:

Cheap flashlights/headlights and taillights are available from China on ebay. They may not meet the needs of light purists, but they are better than blinkies.

Note that these are the ones that people keep complaining about being blinding…

[dbb]

@Emm 127654 wrote:

Your WABA membership card (because I KNOW everyone here has one ) already gets you 10% off accessories at many bike stores in the area. It’s not a 25% off coupon, but if your bike-crazy like my husband and me, it’ll save you a few hundred bucks a year on parts, accessories, lights and clothing…

While some of the folks that get blinkies may not ever join WABA, some certainly would. It might make sense to have WABA join us (in person or with flyers) at the bike light giveaways so they can get the 10% discount that way. Two birds with one stone.

[DismalScientist]

@mstone 127664 wrote:

Note that these are the ones that people keep complaining about being blinding…

I’ve been blinded by many lights sold at bike stores as well.

It’s often more a question of where the light is pointed. A shaped beam pointed too high will still blind. Less expensive lights sold in bike shops are not shaped.

When my flashlight is narrowly focused, it puts out a square shape (which is the shape of the LED) and with proper aim can be kept out of the eyes of oncoming traffic.

[Author]

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