As fall sets in and the days get shorter, the City of Boulder, Community Cycles, the University of Colorado (CU) and local businesses are teaming up for the fifth annual Lighten Up Boulder safety campaign to encourage the use of bike lights for nighttime riding. The campaign offers 10 to 20 percent discounts on select bike light accessories at participating Boulder businesses.

 

Bike light coupons can be printed from the GOBoulder.net website or picked up during business hours at the following locations:

 

  • the GO Boulder office at 1739 Broadway, second floor,
  • the Community Cycles shop at 2805 Wilderness Place, Suite 1000; or
  • the CU Bike Station on campus at the University Memorial Center (UMC).

 

The coupons can be redeemed at any of the eight different retailers listed on the coupon and are valid through Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2012.

 

The campaign also reminds cyclists that biking at night without proper lighting is both illegal and unsafe. Without bike lights, cyclists cannot see what’s ahead and drivers cannot see cyclists. The Boulder Revised Code requires all cyclists traveling between sunset and sunrise to equip their bikes with both a mounted white light on the front and a red reflector on the back (B.R.C. 7-5-11: Bicycle Headlight and Reflector Required).

 

“Riding your bike at night without adequate lighting can result in dangerous situations for you and others, as well as a $50 fine,” said Bicycle/Pedestrian Transportation Planner Marni Ratzel. “We hope that this campaign will encourage more cyclists to mount lights on their bikes, making nighttime travel in Boulder safer for cyclists, drivers and pedestrians.”

 

For access to bike light coupons, bike maps and safety tips, visit www.goboulder.net.