Today, I bought a bicycle. While you might say to yourself, 'But wait, isn't it wintertime?', let me assure you that Ireland's climate (which is maritime, technically) is not all that cold. Except in August, of course, when it is freezing. While there is a great deal of rain in general, there is almost no snow, and no ice, so riding a bike simply requires a bit of fortitude and a good rain coat. In fact, the largest threat to cyclists is traffic. I have been on buses that 'accidentally' sideswiped a biker, or seen cars pull out in front of a speeding bike.
Darkness is worse (and Ireland is very dark right now), because the drivers get a bit more reckless, and the bikers are still forced to ride in the streets. To avoid serious harm, most cyclists wear neon yellow reflective vests. I find that these serve mainly as bright targets, at which cars aim with general abandon. Nonetheless, I am very excited to have a bike, and very hopeful that I won't get hit by anything worse than the rain.
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