Cheap Blinky

Now that daylight savings time has ended, cyclists need to drag out their lights once again so motorists can see you in the dark.

I'm still using my tried and true Planet Bike lights on the front and back, but thought I'd augment my night-time visibility by spending a coupla bucks after spotting this Halloween accessory at the local retail store for $3.

Three bucks apiece? I don't think so.

I had a hunch they wouldn't sell out so I waited until November 1st when the remaining stock immediately went into the clearance bin so I picked up a pair at 74-cents each.

The jack-o-lantern blinky features a belt loop, a neck chain, and three modes of illumination:

• blink fast
• blink slow
• constant on

The package claims the lights will last 24-hours, but we'll see about that…

I'm using mine as side lights that clip onto the horizontal fender supports.

And they seem to be water resistant - at least according to my initial 40-minute field test in the rain last night.

Sure, they look a little cheesy, but you really can't tell they're flashing pumpkins from a distance, and it beats getting mowed down and left for dead...

As more holidays come to pass I'll be checking a few dollar stores looking for similar cheap illumination…

You know, a blinking Santa, or a Heart, maybe?

Happy Holidays!