What is the safest way to commute without lights? I somehow managed to leave my lights on this morning and they are now dead - rear light still working thankfully.
My commute is roundabout five miles on fairly busy roads, most of which do not have street lights (bloody energy saving council)
I could either ride without a front light, and just go slowly enough to not wind up in the hedge/ditch, or take to the pavements, or walk.
Hit the Pavement instead of running the risk getting hit! 😯
"safest way to commute without lights"
get bus home, charge lights, get bus in tomorrow, cycle home
edit: and buy a spare charger for work.
Buy/borrow any old random torch and tape it to the bars?
If there's few places where cars are turning right across your path then it's not so bad...
Ride offroad. Anywhere offroad!
get some batteries from a local shop?
pretty simple answer really - what organic355 says.
pretty stupid to ride in the dark with no lights
is it worth the risk of a £30 fine and risking your life?
ride on the pavement, but be prepared to scoot/push if there are peds.
can you not buy a £5 torch?
IMO the rear light is the most needed so cars coming from behind can see you. Lack of a front light means its dangerous if you get cars coming from the other way turning right infront of you and cars pulling out of side roads. Both of those you can see and avoid ( hopefull)
I'd ride home with extra care going on the pavement / walking for dangerous junctions - especially if you have reflective kit or reflectors on your bike
Use the Pavement...sod the law they should build more cycle paths! 
If it was me then I'd walk/scoot on the pavement, well I wouldn't really as my commute is 20 miles so I'd phone my wife. But if you're unlikely to meet folk walking then riding on the pavement won't be considered the crime of the century this once.
cant buy a cheap torch and tape, there is a garage on the way home but ive got no cash/card, ditto bus/taxi options
cant buy batteries - niterider minewts
will try to get collected by fullstop....'s missus.
most likely stick to the road as it will be quicker and easier than the pavements - im on 23c/100psi tyres. just extra careful of right turning traffic.
will pack emergency light and order a spare charger tonight
My mate had the same issue yesterday, tho his were just failing rather than completely dead. I always run 2 rear lights, and try to keep a spare charged front light (just dont leave it on your bike when you nip in the shops tho, or some little scrote will nick it GRRR!!!).
Dress like a chav, ride no handed on the pavement with a fag in your gob.
Seems to work for people round here.
leave now whilst it's still light or find your LBS and buy a spare light...
although I am guilty, m'lud, of the offence on several occasions - which is why I now always run with main lights (Lumi's) and a spare light just in case.
Can a work mate sort you out with a lift home?
How many here use two rear lights? Or is it just me paranoid about losing my rear light 😉
as per DaRC_L above...
a small flashing back up front light can be a godsend! (a bit late for today though...)
[i]cant buy batteries - niterider minewts[/i]
Now if you worked in the south side of glasgow you could have borrowed mine as I have one in my drawer.
[i]How many here use two rear lights?[/i]
2 cateye tl-ld1100, one on bike one on bag, fibre flare on chainstay, wee flasher on helmet, wee flasher dangling from bag. I'd rather someone said 'look at that cock lit up like a christmas tree' than 'sorry mate I didn't see you'.
[i]How many here use two rear lights? Or is it just me paranoid about losing my rear light [/i]
One on my back pack for high vehicles, one under my saddle
my commute is 20 miles so I'd phone my wife
There you go.
Give "full stop........."'s wife a ring.
Or ride with a can of Lager, this makes you invincible.
erm...only one rear light here.....sounds like a good idea to have two though so might get one.
I had an 'incident' a few months back where my fully charged Lumi battery, wasn't.
Ran out with about an hour to go. I ended up stopping at a petrol station & luckily they had one of those dynamo torches with a fair bit of charge in it. Bright enough to get home by, relatively safely, but now i always wear my helmet torch as a back up.
Probably best to get some kind of front & rear back up if you are regularly commuting.
I'd be doing some combo of riding/walking/scooting. It isn't very far. 🙂
[i]How many here use two rear lights? [/i]
Ive got 3, soon to be 4!!
2 under my saddle with different flashing rates, once of those flashing glow stick things that came with my Altura Jacket and just ordered one of [url= http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nite-Ize-SKL-03-10-NiteIze-SpokeLit/dp/B00152R8Q6/ref=pd_sim_sg_1 ]THESE[/url].
Joystick on the bars too with white eye (480 lumens) 😯
Buy a set of these ...
... and just keep them in your pocket / rucksack until you need them.
Fact: riding without lights actually makes you more visible to motorists, who never miss an opportunity to whinge about cyclists without lights.
