Redmond Police to Distribute Free Lights to Pedestrians, Cyclists

The plans to hand out free flashing red lights to bicyclists and pedestrians around town beginning this Saturday at the festival.

Department spokesman Jim Bove said patrol officers will have the lights on hand during the evening hours and distribute them to people they spot traveling by bike or on foot without any reflectors after dark. The outreach program will likely continue into through the summer and into the first part of the fall, he said.

Bove said the department has about 500 lights in stock right now but will reorder more if neccessary.

“We’ll just replenish as needed,” he said.

Here are some bicycling and walking safety tips, as provided by the police department:

For pedestrians

• Wear bright colored or reflective clothing.
• Walk facing traffic.
• Cross only at corners where drivers can see you.
• Be alert: use a crosswalk when it is available, but remember painted lines cannot force drivers to stop.
• Obey signs and signals.
• Always look left, right, then left again before crossing a street, even if there is a “walk” signal flashing.  Continue being aware of traffic until you have crossed the street. 

For bicyclists

• Always wear a bicycle helmet.
• Obey all traffic rules and signs—give proper hand signals and yield the right of way to pedestrians.
• Walk your bike across busy intersections by using the push button to activate the pedestrian signal and making sure traffic has stopped.
• Always ride single file and watch for opening car doors.
• Use a headlight or reflector when riding at night.

For more walking and biking tips, visit www.redmond.gov/Transportation/GettingAroundRedmond