I can see in the dark because I eat lots of carrots.
By the end of August we will have lost 58 minutes of daylight.
~~~~~~~
Traci
I've been getting out at 5-5:30 trying to beat the heat so I'm looking for something as well. I run in a park so it's not so much being seen as seeing. Some of the trails can be pretty dark. Usually it's just rabbits, squirrels and an occasional armadillo. But I've run across a couple of people that have made me a little nervous. I start seeing other walkers and runners around 6-6:30. Sunrise is around 6:35 right now.
Team TJ
I wear a Nathan reflective vest that has strobing LED lights in it. I hate the lights so I never turn them on. I rarely meet any cars during my early morning runs anyway.
I showed it to my Dad right after I got it since he is usually the lone vehicle I would see in the mornings. One day I skipped wearing it and he passed me and that night he told me that vest worked good. I guess it was the placebo affect of the vest he needed
Running for TJ because he can't.
Hip Redux
Former Bad Ass
58 minutes less of sunshine sound great to me, as that stupid BLOB in the sky keeps irking me.
Damaris
Barking Mad To Run
Well, I chew Orbit gum, so I just smile widely when a car comes toward me. If I hear one behind me, I just run backwards and smile.
Seriously, I guess I am very lucky that I don't have to really worry about it. As retired military I have access to the local military bases and they have lots of designated 'safe' places to run in the early morning hours that are very well lit. For off-base, I have lots of routes along off-road paved trails in local parks and these are pretty well lit too.
When Fall comes and the cooler weather will be here again, I will go back to my usual running time of 4 pm - I really do not like morning running and much prefer running after work - so no worries about the dark then. Until Texas summer rolls around again. Then back to the 4:30 and 5 a.m. running.
"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." Theodore Roosevelt
If it is mostly in the evening, I would not care. Sadly, it is mostly in the morning.
Warm&fuzzy
I use a $9 Energizer headlamp . I wear it on a Spibelt, On low I can see about 15-20 feet front and sides. I cycle it low/high a couple of times when I see headlights coming toward me.
I didn't like a light strapped to my forehead, but on the waist it isn't annoying. it also let's you look towards yards and houses without spotlighting windows.
I sometimes clip a flashing LED on the back of the belt if it is foggy. I do live in a rural area, and can hear vehicles well before I can see them.
Runner with a riding problem.
I'm an incorrigible evening/night runner, and it's blacker than Dick Cheney's heart out here when there's no moonlight.
I wear a reflective vest with light colors when dry and dark colors in the snow for contrast. No lights of my own, I'd rather stay out of the cars' way, usually moving to the wrong side well before they pass.
I bought a headlamp from Home Depot. It is the brightest one in my running group so I see really well, but it has a weird strap that goes on top of my head. Fortunately no one sees that I look like a nerd in the dark.
Thanks all, good stuff.
I mostly run a path around my neighborhood.
It seems like something to help be seen is just a good idea in general. However in reality, it's probably not an issue. I only encounter cars when crossing sub entrances, and there are few enough of them (entrances as well as cars at that hour) that I can just be careful. I'm more worried about tripping over someone's friggin' dog - those people keep crazier hours than runners.
As far as something to help see - I do agree you can often see more than you think, due to ambient light, etc. However there are a couple sections of the path that are completely covered by trees. That is just plain pitch black in there, it scares me to not be able to see where my feet are going to land. I kind of like the idea of knuckle lights, seems you have more control of what you are lighting up than with a headlamp. But $40, jeez.
Dave
good stuff here...I've actually used knuckle lights sparingly...and this around the holidays
marathon pr - 3:16
uʍop ǝpᴉsdn sǝʇᴉɹʍ ʇI
I use a very light weight reflective vest and I run familiar routes so I don't carry a light. The routes are Del Boca Vista are nice.
I'm more worried about tripping over someone's friggin' dog - those people keep crazier hours than runners.
While running in the dark last fall, it was the sudden barking of dogs that scared the living crap out of me more than anything!
I once kicked a dog by accident. I was running through one street inside my complex when I heard this tiny dog's bark. Next thing I knew, I accidentally kicked him. He left me alone after that but stayed barking from afar. Of course, the owner had let him out without a leash and was nowhere to be found.