Cyclists need to light up their rides

Visibility is important — especially if you’re riding on two wheels in the dark. As the city plans to increase bike lanes across Oahu, cyclists need to make themselves more visible and comply with state law, which requires using a front light that’s visible for at least 500 feet ahead of them and a rear reflector when riding at night.

The Hawaii Bicycling League recently distributed 75 free pairs of lights to cyclists in town and in Kailua, prompted by a University of Hawaii-led count near its Manoa campus several years ago that found fewer than half of the cyclists there used a light as required by law. In Hawaii, federal data show that 13 cyclists were killed in traffic crashes from 2010-2014. Of those, three were killed at night and none were using lights.

It’s always a good time to plan for the future

The latest report from the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization, released Friday, was full of good news. More visitors from more places, a construction boom, cheaper energy and personal income growth all point to a stronger economy next year.

“This year has turned out a bit better than anticipated, and prospects remain good for 2016,” the report said.

Good times can be a good time to invest wisely, save for a rainy day, and prepare a solid fiscal foundation to carry us through the inevitable downturn. That’s good advice for individuals — and for the government, too.