Light delivery at the Lansing Bike Co-op.

LMB’s partnership with OHSP has allowed us to provide over 600 front and rear Planet Bike light sets to 19 recipients from the Upper Peninsula, Metro Detroit, Battle Creek, Lansing, Grand Rapids, and Kalamazoo.

Deputy Jon Hutchison, Jim Conboy, Lieutenant Dean Tebo

48% of cyclist fatalities were reported in dark conditions. Most recently, LMB’s partnership with OHSP continues to allow us to provide bike light sets to recipients throughout the state, including Cheboygan. Cheboygan County-Sheriff Timothy Cook and Rotary Club of Cheboygan member and avid bicyclist, Jim Conboy, for example, teamed up this summer to provide 25 free sets of lights to cyclists riding in dark conditions.

Sheriff Cook shared that when distributing the lights, “deputies would make contact with a cyclist without lights and assist by putting the lights on the bikes.” Most of these contacts were in the morning or evening hours. Bicycling during these times is often the only way to and from work or appointments for these cyclists, who were grateful to receive lights from the deputies.

One of the recipients, Craig Tarvis, thanked Deputy Hutchison for his bike lights. “I appreciate that I was able to receive the lights, I use my bike a lot to get around town.”

Craig Tarvis, recipient of a set of bike lights.

“It is an important safety program and my hope is Rotary can continue to partner with LMB and work with other departments to pass out more lights,” said Conboy.

We have also developed a rack card discussing the reasons why lighting and rider/pedestrian conspicuity is important as well as what drivers should be aware of during times of limited light. We plan to open the application process again in mid-summer once we determine if continued funding from OHSP is available.

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