Author Topic: Super bright flashing bloody lights (Read 30770 times)

frankly frankie · « **Reply #75 on:** 26 November, 2011, 11:44:09 am »

Quote from: mattc on 24 November, 2011, 06:11:58 pm

Quote from: Kim on 24 November, 2011, 04:30:24 pm
But this thread was about rear lights. If people approaching from behind assume I'm arbitrarily slow, then that's a good thing...
[rereading Andy's OP, I _think_ it's about white lights, but it's a bit vague, so it's no surprise we've covered both ends!]

That's how I read it too. Either way, it's prompted a right load of old bunkum since

Quote

I guess a slow appearance is good for being spotted as a hazard
HOWEVER
When someone is overtaking me - and remember this is the No1 priority for any driver - I'd like them to assess and predict my size and movement as accurately as possible.

Me too - and on that basis, I don't like to masquerade as something I'm not (such as, motorbike, distant car). So I use a single flashing multi-led rear light of moderate power, correctly mounted ie pointing straight back, because these days a flashing rear 'says bike'. With the obvious caveat that I use it on steady mode when riding in company.

At the front I wouldn't use a flashing light as it's too irritating to me, but I do much prefer lights with circular beams. Since these do have to be directed away from oncoming traffic, I would normally also run a separate visibility light of moderate power, pointed straight ahead.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #76 on:** 26 November, 2011, 10:53:27 pm »

What's the danger in being assessed as slower than you really are by traffic from the rear? A scary overtake and/or left hook.

What's the danger in being assessed as faster than you really are by traffic from the rear? Someone not reducing speed enough and running into the back of you, or coming scarily close to doing so.

Neither appeal to me.

Mr Arch · « **Reply #77 on:** 28 November, 2011, 12:43:32 pm »

Well, having read this thread I reassessed my Aldi torch purchase and added a bit of tape to 'dip' the beam a bit more. I can still get a focused spot on narrow beam but in wide beam the pattern is a nicely cut off D shape to save dazzle.

Domestique · « **Reply #78 on:** 28 November, 2011, 05:58:04 pm »

I am quite happy to do a bit of mirror dazzling

In return I am also happy to have my mirror dazzled, but only by a cyclist

andygates · « **Reply #79 on:** 28 November, 2011, 07:22:10 pm »

Quote from: MFWHTBAB on 28 November, 2011, 12:43:32 pm

Well, having read this thread I reassessed my Aldi torch purchase and added a bit of tape to 'dip' the beam a bit more. I can still get a focused spot on narrow beam but in wide beam the pattern is a nicely cut off D shape to save dazzle.

Angels will carry you to your rest, plying you with caek.

Peter · « **Reply #80 on:** 28 November, 2011, 07:27:44 pm »

This has been a fascinating thread. It's really difficult to know what to do for the best. I use a Fenix for seeing and a 9-LED for being seen. Until a few days ago (on reading this thread) I used the 9 -LED in flashing mode. Then I decided it mght be a distraction, so used it in steady. However, coming over the moors the other night I actually had to stop several times because the oncoming cars (undipped) lights were so bright I couldn't see where I was. I think maybe we are tackling the wrong culprits here, but I will persevere with steady, in case it makes me holier!

mattc · « **Reply #81 on:** 28 November, 2011, 07:32:31 pm »

Quote from: Peter on 28 November, 2011, 07:27:44 pm

... I actually had to stop several times because the oncoming cars (undipped) lights were so bright I couldn't see where I was. I think maybe we are tackling the wrong culprits here, but I will persevere with steady, in case it makes me holier!

Two wrongs don't make a right - car lights are a problem too. I've been dazzled by both types in the last week.

Even DIPPED car lights have become a problem in the last - ooh, I dunno - 5 years or so. Not simply for brightness, but narrowness of hot-spot. The bloody things are in effect flashing on any imperfect surface. Grrr ...

Bike lights affect other cyclists as well as drivers, so it's in everyone's interest to Play Nicely.

gerwinium · « **Reply #82 on:** 28 November, 2011, 07:37:11 pm »

I tend to use a B+M Ixon on night rides, which is pretty much useless unless it's pointed downwards - as I discovered whilst careering down Cheddar Gorge and making hasty adjustments as I couldn't see the corners.

On the car front, I drive a Smart Roadster, which annoyingly means that you often get blinded by cars with a high - or sometimes even regular - wheel base. Especially 4x4s are a problem. Not sure if there's much to be done about it though.

Peter · « **Reply #83 on:** 28 November, 2011, 08:00:02 pm »

@ mattc

I agree about the summation of wrongs. I've even taking to "dipping" the Fenix by just tipping it down. It actually gets most drivers to dip - or maybe that's coincidence!

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #84 on:** 28 November, 2011, 10:32:19 pm »

As an example of the opposite end of the spectrum, but in a bizarre way, the other night I saw a woman riding along a quiet residential street with a helmet light front and rear, two bar-mounted lights, one on the seatpost and another on the rear rack - but the brightest thing about her was her hi-viz jacket, because all her lights were turned off!

Dinamo · « **Reply #85 on:** 28 November, 2011, 10:59:05 pm »

She probably couldn't afford to buy all those batteries !

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #86 on:** 28 November, 2011, 11:30:07 pm »

CamPhil · « **Reply #87 on:** 29 November, 2011, 01:59:23 am »

Quote from: andygates on 28 November, 2011, 07:22:10 pm

Quote from: MFWHTBAB on 28 November, 2011, 12:43:32 pm
Well, having read this thread I reassessed my Aldi torch purchase and added a bit of tape to 'dip' the beam a bit more. I can still get a focused spot on narrow beam but in wide beam the pattern is a nicely cut off D shape to save dazzle.

Angels will carry you to your rest, plying you with caek.

Playing with his what

JonBoy · « **Reply #88 on:** 30 November, 2011, 08:48:34 pm »

Sometimes you have to run with relatively cheap lights (because you can't afford anything better). Transferring the risk may seem callous, but as a cyclist I'm/you're the most vulnerable user and so you do what's necessary.

andygates · « **Reply #89 on:** 30 November, 2011, 08:55:00 pm »

In which case they're not super bright bloody bastard lights.

Blinding vehicle operators isn't transferring the risk, it's increasing it.

Kim · « **Reply #90 on:** 30 November, 2011, 09:00:33 pm »

Quote from: andygates on 30 November, 2011, 08:55:00 pm

In which case they're not super bright bloody bastard lights.

I dunno. I reckon a £5 Saik torch scores higher in the blinding stakes than an IQ Cyo, for example. If you've got to negotiate pothole-infested lanes on a budget, it's understandable that you'd chose something like that over a Wilko blinky.

andygates · « **Reply #91 on:** 30 November, 2011, 09:07:44 pm »

You'd be well advised to point the thing at the potholes, and not the driver's face, then.

Wendy · « **Reply #92 on:** 30 November, 2011, 09:30:28 pm »

I'm less than convinced dazzling lights are dangerous. Annoying, certainly, but not dangerous. Bright lights encourage you to drive at them, yes?

RJ · « **Reply #93 on:** 30 November, 2011, 09:33:30 pm »

Some might say if it's bright enough to dazzle, the dazzle is dangerous (but fixed by angle of attack, so to speak).

andrew_s · « **Reply #94 on:** 30 November, 2011, 09:42:15 pm »

Quote from: Wendy on 30 November, 2011, 09:30:28 pm

I'm less than convinced dazzling lights are dangerous. Annoying, certainly, but not dangerous. Bright lights encourage you to drive at them, yes?

I do remember reading of someone getting killed by a driver he'd dazzled.
He was on a footway cycle track, going against the flow of traffic in the adjacent road lane. The driver tried to pass to the left, and got diverted by crossing up the kerb at a shallow angle. A Cateye Stadium, or one of the other early HID lights.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #95 on:** 30 November, 2011, 09:53:58 pm »

Quote from: Wendy on 30 November, 2011, 09:30:28 pm

I'm less than convinced dazzling lights are dangerous. Annoying, certainly, but not dangerous. Bright lights encourage you to drive at them, yes?

The rabbit in the headlights reaction is generally held to be involuntarily true, yes. Surely that means they are dangerous to both the dazzler and the dazzlee.

Kim · « **Reply #96 on:** 30 November, 2011, 11:19:59 pm »

Quote from: andygates on 30 November, 2011, 09:07:44 pm

You'd be well advised to point the thing at the potholes, and not the driver's face, then.

Well yes, but stupid beam shapes common with LED reflectors not designed for use as serious bicycle lighting make that harder than it needs to be - put the hot spot somewhere useful on the road, and you've got half a cone of pointless dazzle-beam above it.

I reckon B&M's IQ reflector is the best thing to happen to bicycle lighting since the white LED. It's about time that other manufacturers (Cateye, I'm looking at you!) caught up and started competing.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #97 on:** 01 December, 2011, 01:01:19 am »

My Hope 1 throws a cone of light - there's no clever beam shape. It seems pretty bright. When I'm following a car, in traffic say, I can see its hot spot on the back of the car. But when another car comes up behind me, the car lights totally drown out the shine of my bike light. A Hope 1 is brighter than the lights most people use (not necessarily most people here, just most people on bikes up and down the UK) but we've got a long way to go before we come close to the output of average car lights.

Gandalf · « **Reply #98 on:** 01 December, 2011, 06:38:52 am »

Oh well, I fitted my Magicshine 872 yesterday so I'm officially no longer a flasher. Perhaps I can get off Andy's virtual naughty step now

Too soon to say whether the lack of flashiness has any bearing on smidsyesque stunts, but we'll see. I don't think it will because having helmet mounted Ayups as well should mean there is sufficient moving light to get their attention, well I hope so anyway.

tonycollinet · « **Reply #99 on:** 01 December, 2011, 06:56:21 am »

I also use a hope one. If the hot spot is on the road around 3-4m ahead of me, then there is nothing like half a cone going upwards. Probably less than 1/4, and it is the least bright 1/4. I would say much less bright than even a moped headlight on dip.