In a message dated 1/14/2008 7:33:01 A.M. Central Standard Time, 1304bikes@gmail.com writes:

I still feel that any light is better than no light.

This is true any light is better than dressing in all black and riding at night. I do (easily) sell the lights for $60 to walk in customers and sell them for cost $30 students and volunteers. My customers are the same low income folks you sell to. I have sold great lights to inner city low income folks in St louis, Indianapolis, Champaign- Urbana, Chicago's south and west side. I sell education and give people a choice to make them safer at night time. Many people who own 15 dollar bikes and will balk at a $20 dollar repair have spent $60 on a lamp. If you teach safety, biology, act like traffic, you can sell good product to "newly educated"  people. Broke ass folks like me still spend money wisely when we know the "WHY" a product is needed.

 

I can not afford to drive a car around but I can afford a great light. I can not afford to spend time in a hospital because someone did not see me, but I can afford a great light. I can not afford a box to be buried in but I can afford a great light.

 

If a homeless person wanted to work for a lamp, I would give him a job worth $30. If they do not want to work I do not have time for them. No one give me bikes for free, they make sure I am working to make the world a better place before they donate a bike to me. I work hard, and I believe you do too.

 

I have a recumbent I built out of recycled materials for $20 and it has $50 bucks of rear and front lights. Being broke ass does not mean you can not spend money to make life better, beer, shoes, lights, and a news paper once in a while.

 

If you know how to sell safety (helmets, act like traffic, reflectors, tires, brake pads,)  you can also sell good lights. Safety is not just for rich folk, it is for all peoples of our world. if a person had no brake pads and rotted tires would you just say ride on the rims, go slower and use your foot for the brake? Or would you sell (talk and encourage them to buy) product for themselves because they need it to be safe on the road? Or are they too poor to be safe?