On Thursday, June 22, independent bicycle dealers, bicycle industry representatives, bicycling advocates and political representatives joined forces in a valuable Rider Safety Visibility (RSV) summit to discuss how bicyclists can better deploy the latest in technology to become more visible and safe whether they are road riding, commuting to work or cycling to school. The RSV event, moderated by Nathan Fletcher, was held at California Bicycle, Inc.
The event, co-sponsored by the San Diego Sports Collective and the San Diego Sport Innovators, focused more than 30 attendees on the latest in RSV technology, including LED helmets with integrated brake and turn signals; day and night time running lights; high visibility clothing and commuter bags; and other RSV technologies that are effective at ensuring that cyclists increase visibility in an increasing era of distracted driving.
Fletcher, former California assemblyman and now professor of practice at UC San Diego, led the discussion on how people on bicycles have to take the lead and stack the deck in their favor as much as possible by utilizing lights for both day and night time riding, and deploying some of the latest technologies like integrated LED helmets, reflective clothing and other high-visibility accessories to better identify themselves to motorists.
Mike Ely, COO of San Diego-based NiteRider Technical Lighting Systems, addressed the group on the importance of bicyclists using front and rear lights during the daytime as well as at night. Today, new cars and motorcycles are equipped with daytime running lights, to be seen by other motorists, the same reasoning is used for bicyclists for illuminating their position on the road. He said that cost barrier to entry in terms of cyclists purchasing bike lighting has been greatly reduced. Ely pointed to a comprehensive display of lighting systems that are available at California Bicycles.
“There is a major push to use bicycles as a way to reduce car trips and improve our environment, at the same time these same cyclists are interacting with traffic in an era of increasingly distracted drivers. Bicyclists today need highly effective and visible options to stack the deck in their favor in terms of being better seen during the day and night,” said Ed Clancy of the San Diego Sports Collective, the event sponsor.
NBA Hall-of-Famer and executive chairman of the San Diego Sport Innovators, Bill Walton, was in attendance to throw his support behind the effort and spoke to the group about his own efforts to be visible on the road using reflective clothing and lights on the front and rear of his bicycle.
Fletcher suggested calling on bicycle manufacturers to put integrated lights on all models in the immediate future, while better enforcement and significant fines for motorists violating the 3-foot law plus driving/texting could be a positive deterrent.
Kevin Millard, owner of La Jolla’s California Bicycle, Inc., said that San Diego County’s cycling infrastructure makes commuting difficult. “Education and visibility are both ways to take action. Proper riding etiquette will increase motorist awareness and respect while decreasing the fear of riding in traffic. Being seen with the use of daytime running lights and bright highly visible clothing are simple and effective ways to greatly improve safety,” said Millard.
Discussion also highlighted how retailers can create RSV displays in store to focus consumer attention on the latest products and technologies; as well as encouraging club/team to casual riders to adhere to a riding code of conduct.