The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia began this week with 250 sets of front and rear bicycle lights, received from Planet Bike at a discount. As of Wednesday evening, there were none.
And that’s great news. On Monday and Wednesday, members of the Coalition joined with volunteers and members of the Cadence Cycling team to hand out, and install, the lights on Philadelphia cyclists’ bikes at Third and Spring Garden, and 52nd and Walnut, respectively.
We couldn’t have done it without the help of some elected officials and businesses across the city. Among them: Councilman Mark Squilla and R.E. Load Bags, who sponsored the Monday giveaway; and Firehouse Bicycles and Wolf Cycles, who sponsored the West Philly giveaway, which was attended by Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell.
Speaking of which, our volunteers were really happy to hang with the Councilwoman on Wednesday evening:
West Philly cyclist Jason told us he’d gotten hit by three cars over the last year—so he really needed some lights:
And attendees spanned all age groups:
As we told you earlier this week, all bicycles in Pennsylvania used before dawn and after dusk must be equipped with a front light and rear reflectors visible from at least 500 feet.
It’s the law, but it’s also just common sense. Bike lights keep you visible to other cyclists, pedestrians and cars on the road. They also create a greater line of vision while traveling at night.
In case you missed the events: Make sure you equip your bike! The more visible you are, the less likely you are to be involved in a crash this winter while riding in the dark.