Flashing lights

[UncleEbenezer]

Being the season of gathering gloom, it was less than full daylight under the trees in the park today as I walked through it about 6pm.

But still far from so dark as to call for bike lights in a car-free environment. So why were most of the cyclists shining lights at me, many of them painfully bright? The park is supposed to be somewhere I can relax!

And worst of all, a light that's not merely obscenely bright but also flashing! That's not even useful in full darkness, when a bright light (preferably angled downwards like a dipped car headlight) might be justified by the need to see the path ahead.

Grrr ...

[Slarti]

They've been on a road and are going back onto a road where a flashing LED attracts the attention of those drivers with less than 100% attention.

Theoretically they should turn them off in the park, I suppose, but would you?


Slarti

[UncleEbenezer]

The park in question is fairly substantial: my route through it that day involved between three and four miles off road, which would also be typical of a bike ride across it (though pedestrians and possibly cyclists also do circular walks entirely within it). So yes, I'd turn the bike lights off unless it was so dark I needed them to see. Though come to that, I'll turn lights off even for a much smaller park.

And when cycling on-road, my lights are steady, not flashing. Supplemented with a bright yellow stripe to be seen. I understand motorists often have great difficulty judging the distance to a flashing light, and a steady light is more helpful. The fact that it's moving is the most important thing in being noticed in the first place.

[didds]

well, they cant win can they?

No lights - people moan that cyclists are riding without any.
Single light - people complain they cant see it well enough or don't know if its a car with a headlight out (which is obviously the cyclists fault that some drivers drive around with only one headlight "for ages")
Flashing light - people complain its flashing and they dont; know what it is
Fixed and flashing light - people complain they cant tell if its two cycles or one and it sets of epilictic fits on people etc...

whatever.

didds

[Slarti]

And when cycling on-road, my lights are steady, not flashing. Supplemented with a bright yellow stripe to be seen. I understand motorists often have great difficulty judging the distance to a flashing light, and a steady light is more helpful. The fact that it's moving is the most important thing in being noticed in the first place.

I have to say that, as a motorist, bright flashing lights on cyclists are one of the greatest innovations in years, as they are a) much brighter than the steady lights on bikes and so easier to see and b) the flashing attracts your attention.

I have seen some people who are a bit OTT with 2 steady lights on the fork, 1 flashing light on the handle bars and another on their head. But at least I noticed them.

Slarti

[didds]

Indeed Slarti. That's the entire point - to be seen.

There have been reports / evidence that suggests wearing a hi viz makes not a lot of difference to being "seen" - for hatever reason. (Though it does of course give more backup to any cyclist that gets flattened by a vehicle etc...)

Its all about avoiding the SMIDSY scenario.

didds