If you’ve ever jogged, cycled or been broken down on the side of the road, you know how vulnerable it can make you feel. Many joggers will run against traffic, so they know what dangers are coming at them, others wear vests with safety reflectors. It is unusual to see bicyclists who’ve not taken the necessary steps to make themselves more visible to drivers and when we finally do see them, it’s alarming. It is also unusual to see a broken down car on the side of the road where the driver has set up a reflective sign, flare or set of cones. Jogging, cycling and being broken down on the side of the road all put you in a vulnerable position against drivers and all can benefit from using a proper safety light.
Lights On For Safety
Lights can be blinding, helpful and sometimes intrusive. Luckily not all drivers spring for the ultra-bright and often bluish headlights, but when they show up in your rearview, they’re almost unbearable. A safety light, on the other hand, puts most people at ease. Whether the light is spotted on a cyclist half a mile down on the road, on a headlamp in a darkened campsite or on the leash of a lost pet, a safety light is almost always a good thing. We like safety lights—or we should at least—because we are able to infer that the person using one is responsible and values not only her safety, but also the safety of the people around her. Most safety lights are red. Flashing bicycle lights are red. The safety function on headlamps is red. We have been conditioned to stop, pause or use caution when we see red.
Ready For Safety
A flashing red strobe safety light on a helmet can be seen from both lanes of traffic. If you set the same light on the trunk of your car when you’re broken down, it will be the first thing a driver will see when they come around a blind turn or hill in the road. Affixing a light to a hat, vest or arm band are all great ways to get driver’s attention and keep it if you are jogging in the morning or at night. If your dog runs out into the darkness of a campsite at night, finding him will only be as difficult as it is to catch him. A good safety light isn’t expensive, nor is it cumbersome. Taking the time to use a safety light is a wonderful way to keep yourself and those around you safe.
For more information on safety light, please go to the site www.panthervision.com
