Starting today, Police officers in Missoula Montana will give away a free set of bike lights to cyclists stopped for not having them.
Sound familiar? It should. The program takes a page out of a similar program by the Portland Police Bureau that began over a year ago.
According to an article in the Missoulian, the project was spearheaded by Missoula Mayor John Engen after he heard about Portland’s program at their recent Bike/Walk Summit.
Missoula’s program has an informal name of “Be Bright! Use a Light!” and according to the paper has already been “lauded by bureaucrats and bike advocates alike.”
On a similar note, don’t forget to bundle up and brighten up for this week’s See & Be Seen Bike Light Parade. Organized by PDOT’s Transportation Options division and hosted by the Community Cycling Center, this ride leaves from CCC headquarters (NE 17th and Alberta) at 5:00pm on Thursday (11/30).
I’ll see you out there!