Mercury Rising #3, December 1991
All of us even the most fearless riders get a little nervous this timeof year, as the sun goes down and we face the last hour or two of our workday in nighttime rush-hour conditions. The danger we're accustomed to escalatesto near military combat levels, especially when the weather’s foul. Insteadof exercising extra caution, motorists seem to hurry more blindly runningthose late yellows and swinging those rights on reds because it’s alreadydark and they want to be home. If we're lucky, we endure more than averageclose calls.
At a recent Executive Courier Safety Meeting, Nosmo King suggested thatthe company purchase flashing safety lights for the crew to wear on thosetreacherous winter evenings. Manager Joe Kent promptly agreed. Perhapshe saw a chance to reduce accidents AND promote good will with a rathersmall expenditure. (Kent was on vacation and couldn't be reached priorto press time, so we can only speculate). Anyway, it was a good move; onethat should be repeated all over town.
These flashers are more dependable and effective than the models offereda couple of years ago. For as little as 8-9 dollars, they truly get younoticed out there. The model they're using at Exec conveniently uses pagerbatteries, which the company keeps stockpiled.
Now Courier has also reacted favorably to the idea, and Silver Bullethas already bought its crew flashers and headlights. Mercury Rising urgesall SFBMA members (that means everyone who rides, O.K.?) to persuade employersto light us up by Christmas. We'd like to be informed of the companies’reactions to this timely suggestion.
We're also interested in everyone’s thoughts and ideas on safety particularlythose. of management. Our address is 564 Mission #152, San Francisco 94105.Let’s be seen!
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