Bicycle lights

[Gragson]

We can all simply wear our auto darkening helmets, and set them on "5"....

. all the mirrors on my car have night time anti glare mode, so maybe not that crazy

 

[Scalarocco]

I've got one of these which gives a reasonable output. The lumen count is chinese, so half it for real world numbers.

 

[Erie Fred]

. all the mirrors on my car have night time anti glare mode, so maybe not that crazy

While that sounds nice, that doesn't address head on.

 

[pcwizme]

If you're complaining about the strobes, then they're obviously doing their job at getting your attention.
But if they're inducing an epileptic fit, then you shouldn't be driving.

or sat in a passenger seat, or walking down the side of the road, or on a bus or..... (add your own options here)

 

[GRW]

This is the one I've had for MTB for the last couple of years.....

Powerful light for Mountain Biking and Cycle Commuting

The SG-T2200 is a powerful light for Mountain Biking and Cycle Commuting. Up to 2200 lumens bright, waterproof, rugged and with an extended battery pack

brightbikelights.com

 

[voipio]

Whatever lights you use PLEASE make sure they are both flashing. A fixed headlight on a bike can get confusing in amongst traffic - especially at roundabouts etc. A flashing front and rear light screams BIKE!

Nooooo. Flashing bike lights are the worst thing on the road. Flashing lights distract from all of the other road hazards, that need to be taken account of to drive safely.

Flashing lights on the front are deadly, make sure you have at least one static on the front as otherwise it is impossible to work out the speed a bike is doing or even if it is moving.

Yep! Static is best. Well-aimed, non glaring.

There's two very different use cases / scenarios here, though.

In traffic I totally agree that they should be flashing as the light is so that other road users see you and recognise you as a bike.
In unlit roads the front light (of course) needs to be solid and lights up the path so you don't ride into a hole or slide off the path.

When I commuted (4 miles in city, plus five miles in the country) I had both. I would only put on the headlight when I got to the country roads.

The thing is, with modern LED vehicle lights which have small exit paths, they tend to flash as they go behind obstacles.

some of those strobe lights blind you i just put full beam back if they do . no need for it if there correctly set down

Some bike lights are so bright, it's impossible to see anything, even especially the bike/cyclist they're attached to.

Do you also have the same concern about amber strobe lights on vehicles stationary at roadworks, or on slow moving vehicles?

Yes. They create confusion and distraction, and factor in most accidents that occur in roadworks traffic.

The new ones on our Police cars are a real hazard. Vert dangerous. Suprised they are allowed.

Yep, and ambulances, too. All wrong!

If you're complaining about the strobes, then they're obviously doing their job at getting your attention.
But if they're inducing an epileptic fit, then you shouldn't be driving.

But don't you get it that getting that attention is also producing a serious distraction. So much so, that I now have to put a hand in front of me to block the strobe and/or the overly bright light. Surely that's counterproductive.

 

[fizzy]

There's two very different use cases / scenarios here, though.

In traffic I totally agree that they should be flashing as the light is so that other road users see you and recognise you as a bike.
In unlit roads the front light (of course) needs to be solid and lights up the path so you don't ride into a hole or slide off the path.

When I commuted (4 miles in city, plus five miles in the country) I had both. I would only put on the headlight when I got to the country roads.

Totally agree.
And cyclists need to use lights on bright sunny days if riding under trees. I often encounter riders on our country roads. When you go from bright sunshine to a sudden dark patch it can be very hard to see a cyclist especially dressed all in black lycra!

 

[m_c]

Yes. They create confusion and distraction, and factor in most accidents that occur in roadworks traffic.

But don't you get it that getting that attention is also producing a serious distraction. So much so, that I now have to put a hand in front of me to block the strobe and/or the overly bright light. Surely that's counterproductive.

Most accidents happen in roadworks traffic are due to people not slowing down enough. Even though they're blinded by the lights, they just plough on regardless of being able to see or not.
Rule 126 from the highway code-

 

[skotl]

It's a shame that the conversation seems to be taking a turn away from protecting the most vulnerable road users on bikes.

Flashing lights do draw motorists' attention to bikes so therefore they are doing their job, and anything we can do to protect other humans has to be a good thing, right? I'm speaking as both a motorist and a cyclist and, while I think I'm a pretty good driver, I encountered the worst of driving when on a bike.

The final point I'll make is that a car driver's interaction with a cyclist is fleeting - you're not both heading along the same road at the same speed for anything more than a few seconds so it seems an oddly irrelevant topic to be opining about on a welding forum

 

[skotl]

Totally agree.
And cyclists need to use lights on bright sunny days if riding under trees. I often encounter riders on our country roads. When you go from bright sunshine to a sudden dark patch it can be very hard to see a cyclist especially dressed all in black lycra!

Defo. Most lycra does in fact seem to be only available in black, which I don't understand. But I always wear a ScrewFix £4.99 yellow hi-viz tabard over the top and even my gloves are hi-viz. And this is my helmet:

 

[fizzy]

It's a shame that the conversation seems to be taking a turn away from protecting the most vulnerable road users on bikes.

Flashing lights do draw motorists' attention to bikes so therefore they are doing their job, and anything we can do to protect other humans has to be a good thing, right? I'm speaking as both a motorist and a cyclist and, while I think I'm a pretty good driver, I encountered the worst of driving when on a bike.

The final point I'll make is that a car driver's interaction with a cyclist is fleeting - you're not both heading along the same road at the same speed for anything more than a few seconds so it seems an oddly irrelevant topic to be opining about on a welding forum

I also cycle but not as much as I used to.
I got caught out once at a roundabout. Pitch dark and raining. A car in the distance - I went to pull out. Almost too late I spotted the cyclist. His LED light was lost amongst car headlights behind him. If it had been flashing I would have seen it straight away. Frightened the life out of me what could have happened.

 

[Morrisman]

There's a cyclist around my way who has what appears to be a super bright motorcycle led light, that is on high beam all the time. First time I saw it a few months back I assumed it was a motorcycle broken down, but no, it was just an eejit on a cycle.

He thus gets high beams from me when I'm trying to drive down the lane he uses and I'm blinded by his beam. That way I can still see where I'm going, and not have to slow to a complete stop.

If you're complaining about the strobes, then they're obviously doing their job at getting your attention.
But if they're inducing an epileptic fit, then you shouldn't be driving.

Aren't there laws on the type of light you can use on public roads, or are cyclists above those laws too?

 

[fizzy]

There's a cyclist around my way who has what appears to be a super bright motorcycle led light, that is on high beam all the time. First time I saw it a few months back I assumed it was a motorcycle broken down, but no, it was just an eejit on a cycle.

He thus gets high beams from me when I'm trying to drive down the lane he uses and I'm blinded by his beam. That way I can still see where I'm going, and not have to slow to a complete stop.


Aren't there laws on the type of light you can use on public roads, or are cyclists above those laws too?

It seems nobody cares any more.
Super bright LED floodlights springing up everywhere at the moment. Cars sales lots - supermarket car parks - petrol stations. They totally blind drivers but report it to the authorities they don't seem to care.

 

[Seadog]

There's a cyclist around my way who has what appears to be a super bright motorcycle led light, that is on high beam all the time. First time I saw it a few months back I assumed it was a motorcycle broken down, but no, it was just an eejit on a cycle.

He thus gets high beams from me when I'm trying to drive down the lane he uses and I'm blinded by his beam. That way I can still see where I'm going, and not have to slow to a complete stop.


Aren't there laws on the type of light you can use on public roads, or are cyclists above those laws too?

Cyclists are above all laws.

 

[m_c]

Aren't there laws on the type of light you can use on public roads, or are cyclists above those laws too?

There is a law, but it's somewhat archaic, as it originally dates from the 70s, with the most significant update being in 2005.

Under the law, it stipulates the colour, white forward facing and red rear facing, and minimum brightness of 4 candela.
It also references a pretty much defunct British Standard from the 70s.
The 2005 update allowed the use of flashing lights, and any light that meets another EC country's standard.

Nobody is aware of any company that produces any lights to the BS standard anymore, and I don't think many other countries have a standard.
The whole law isn't really fit for purpose, but nobody wants to really address it, so it just gets tweaked occasionally. Even the 2005 update took a lot of campaigning, as prior to that technically any LED light was not compliant.


However I do agree some idiots use far too powerful or inappropriate lights.
I would never use my mountain bike light on my road bike, as it's not only too bright, the beam pattern isn't ideal. The beam spread is too wide which is fine off-road where you're not going as fast and want to see to the side, but on road unless you run it on high power, it doesn't shine far enough along the road at speed.
I did briefly use a Halfords light, which was a bit better, but I got fed up changing power settings to avoid blinding other road users.
I then bought a German Busch + Muller which provides a 'hooded' beam pattern similar to a vehicles dipped beam (required for the German standard) but also concentrates most light straight ahead, so angled correctly, it can light up 20-40m straight ahead at full power for faster speeds, yet still provide enough light on low power for slower speeds, and not blind anybody coming the opposite way.

 

[voipio]

I wish all cyclists took the responsible attitude to lighting, that @m_c does, but would add that motor manufacturers also need to take a leaf out of your book. .

 

[Alan Reynolds]

If you're complaining about the strobes, then they're obviously doing their job at getting your attention.
But if they're inducing an epileptic fit, then you shouldn't be driving.

Really?

 

[m_c]

Really?

Yes.
And the law agrees with that.
If you're at risk of having an epileptic fit, then the DVLA will revoke your license.

 

[Robotstar5]

Yes.
And the law agrees with that.
If you're at risk of having an epileptic fit, then the DVLA will revoke your license.

My sister in law had to go 12 months clear of fits before she could re-apply for her licence, she never did.

 

[Gragson]

2 work colleagues have epilepsy , one got his short term licence back adhering to strong meds with plenty of after effects. The other with a young family gave up after too many issues with the meds, fortunately he does good remote support. In another company a colleague died, she'd had new surgery and came back, this was 35 years ago, totally different person, limped, slurred speech, her death was related to it.

Many things can bring it on, not just strobing lights, its a truly really nasty affliction