Increasing number of nightime cyclists has Haleyville Police concerned

HALEYVILLE - Police are concerned over the increasing number of persons riding bicycles after dark, when visibility is limited among the cyclists as well as motorists.
After the indictment of a driver in a confirmed hit-and-run incident from May, Haleyville Police are reviewing safety tips for pedestrians and those riding bicycles in the area, especially at night when visibility is lower and larger percentage of people are out riding, according to Haleyville Police Investigator Austin Lewis.
 Lewis issued safety tips to those navigating bicycles on public streets, especially since police know of people on bicycles at night on public roads and streets, and since a bicyclist was struck at night and killed by a vehicle earlier this year on Highway 13.
“From witnessing people on bikes in town late at night, half the people in town have dark clothing on, and their bike has no lights on it,” Lewis pointed out.
“It’s been that way for six or seven years, people riding bikes, and you have certain people that have flashing lights on it and things like that,” Lewis added.
The investigator recommended that if people are going to ride bicycles at night, they need to equip them with red, flashing lights or obtain a headlight for a bicycle.
Instead of wearing dark clothing, that cannot be seen at night, riders are encouraged to wear reflective vests or bright colored clothing that can be more easily seen at night, police stated.
“First and foremost, they need some sort of lights, so somebody can see that something is here,” Lewis stated.
“If it’s a car with one headlight, you still know that something is there,” Lewis added. “Something  high visibility, like a vest.”
Reflectors, which are placed on the bicycle tire spokes, can wear out after several years and can fade, so they should be replaced, police said.

Often, these reflectors on bicycle spokes can only be seen from the side, so that poses another safety concern, police added.
“Most times, when you meet a bike, you are going behind it, or it is coming at you,” Lewis continued.
“Most people, from what I have seen here in town, they don’t have anything on their bike,” Lewis pointed out.
The bicycle that was struck by a motorist on Highway 13 earlier this year, had reflectors on the tire spokes, but the bicycle was traveling in the same lane and in the same northerly direction as the vehicle that struck it, Lewis said.
“The car didn’t see the bike,” he noted. “Just get you some lights. I think lights would fix a lot...You are going to need something with a reflector on it.”