Steady lights on on calendar events - resolution for AUK AGM

[Kim]

I still have a couple of those PlanetX Superflash clones in regular (though not heavy) use.  Admittedly with a strategic elastic band to stop anyone wanting to nick them the front half ejecting when I fail to avoid a pothole.  There's also a real Smart one somewhere which got removed from the Red Baron to when I replaced the rear rack with a tailbox.

My Radbot1000 (which is a better-engineered functional equivalent to the Smart that also uses the same brackets, and must be about 10 years old) has just been transplanted to my new Streetmachine, on the basis that I came up with a suspension-friendly bracket bodge and didn't want to have to change it.  It only gets switched on for night riding and shite weather, but it's been on the bike for thousands of miles without trouble.  That one's notable for introducing a sinusoidal throb mode as an alternative to hard flashing, which I reckon is a good compromise between attention-getting and melting the BRANEZ of following riders.  Sort of thing that makes sense if you're not riding in a group per se, but expect other cyclists to be around.

My primary rear lighting is rack-mounted dynamo lights like dog intended.  Mostly from B&M.  Notable not just because it's a steady light, but that it consistently points in the right direction.  Partially-arsed light attachment (bouncing around on soft luggage loops, seatstay mounted and aimed at low-flying aircraft / into the eyes of following riders) can be as problematic as actual flashing modes IME.

[bianchi boy01]

I have read the thread and two things appear to be clear.

1. Flashing lights are picked up earlier.

2. They are harder to judge the distance of.

The real question does not appear to have been asked.

Does this matter in the real world? Does the earlier notice reduce collisions? Or does the flashing and confusion of senses cause more?

All I know is that I have felt my brain getting muddled when in groups with multiple flashing lights and on a few occasions I have had to stop, let the group go and continue alone.

As a car driver as well I do not think the flashing lights help cyclists. Two good rear lights on steady is good and front flashing lights tend to cause confusion.

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[Kim]

I don't think there's any decent real-world evidence for bike lights having any safety benefit at all.  Even front lights probably just help you to ride faster.

[MikeFromLFE]

Does this matter in the real world? .

As a car driver as well I do not think the flashing lights help cyclists. Two good rear lights on steady is good and front flashing lights tend to cause confusion.
 

As a car driver I'd say that you are correct in rural situations.
On busy urban roads I find cyclists with flashing lights more noticeable - particularly front flashing lights.

(Although it's outside the scope of this thread I find head mounted lights extremely confusing as a driver - the sometimes rapid high level movements make locating the source almost impossible)

[Adam]

(Although it's outside the scope of this thread I find head mounted lights extremely confusing as a driver - the sometimes rapid high level movements make locating the source almost impossible)

It's far better if there's also a steady light mounted on the bike - it gives your eye something to focus on.

The best light I've seen, apart from the soothing pulse of Kim's Radbolt, was years ago on a recumbent, where the rider had strapped a front light to the top of the long pole mounted behind, so that it shone down and bathed his white helmet (oo-er missus) in light, making him shine like a nuclear egg cup going critical.