Free Bicycle Lights for Commuters

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), and the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition (SFBC) are giving out 2,400 free front & rear bicycle lights to bikers who don’t already have them as part of their “Light up the Night” campaign starting on Monday, November 8th.

Free Front & Rear Bicycle Lights

November 8, 2010; 5 to 6:30 pm Market St. at 10th Street, in front Fox Plaza – San Francisco

From The Sentinel: The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), which oversees all surface transportation in the City, and the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition (SFBC) are working together to increase the visibility and safety of people riding bicycles at night by giving out free bicycle lights and safety information as part of their “Light up the Night” campaign. Starting on Monday, November 8, SFMTA and SFBC staff and volunteers will be distributing front and rear bicycle lights to people on bicycles who do not already have lights. A white front light and red rear reflector (or light) are required by law when riding at night, yet some cyclists either cannot afford lights or are not aware of the law.

The “Light up the Night” campaign will target these cyclists by issuing free lights and talking with them about the importance of always using lights at night. The SFMTA purchased 2,400 red and white blinking bicycle lights that will be installed by volunteers from the SFBC and San Francisco Bicycle Advisory Committee (SFBAC) at various locations throughout the winter. Free bicycle safety education classes will be offered by the SFBC in multiple languages in order to reach out to a broad spectrum of San Francisco residents. Bicycle lights will be given out to people who complete this safety education course.

San Francisco Police Department officers will also be given lights and safety information so that they can distribute them to cyclists that they interact with. The SFMTA and the SFBC encourage every cyclist to be visible and safe on city streets. Light colored, bright, or reflective clothing are recommended for people riding bicycles at any time of the day. Established by voter proposition in 1999, the SFMTA, a department of the City and County of San Francisco, oversees the Municipal Railway (Muni), parking and traffic and taxis. With five modes of transit, Muni has approximately 700,000 passenger boardings each day. Over 35,000 extra vehicles enter San Francisco on any given business day, and rely on the SFMTA to keep the flow of cars, transit vehicles, taxis, delivery trucks, pedestrians and bicycles moving smoothly through the streets.

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