Flashing lights on cycles

[DeathAxe 10]

Probably an attempt to stay upright on their bike.

 

As much as you hate their lights I expect they hate being hit by your car even more.

 

Ah what complete and utter nonsense. They are very bright, can be blinding, and flashing lights like that are not good for some people's health.

 

As for being hit by my car: I don't drive. I just get blinded by them at the bus stop.

[syne 10]

It's not too difficult to understand. An incandescent bulb in a bike light will be about 1W. Compare that to the 2 x 50W or more for car headlights.

 

Even off road non LED cycle lights, the most comparable, are usually 10W to 20W.

 

Watts mean absolutely nothing is an outdated term when taking about light.

 

Cycle lights can be brighter than car headlamps you can get cycle lights that are 4000+ lumens.

When most headlamps are giving out 1200 ish lumens (more for hid) but that is spread and directed in a quite specific pattern It is aimed at the road and in a fixed position it shouldn't be a problem to not be blinded by them. Of course if you look at them you'll be dazzled.

 

The problem with a pointable, focused beam of light on a headmount is that it can easily blind a driver. especially when you look directly at the driver (which is just madness if yo do it on purpose)

[llamatron 10]

the more visible a cyclist is, the better. amazing the number of motorists who cannot comprehend that other people are allowed to use the roads at the same time as them. these are the people who are most likely to kill someone on the road.

moving your mirrors to 'block out' a cyclist is just criminal. do you do it when an ambulance approaches? it may be on its way to the cyclist you just killed.

i dont cycle, i jog and drive. i nearly witnessed a cyclist being hit by an impatient driver who didnt notice the lit up cyclist as the driver shot onto the roundabout. the cyclist almost came off his bike. as a jogger i still find some drivers fail to see my bright flourescent top. i may have to start wearing lights too. blue flashing ones might be a good start. or a pair of flashing headlights, some drivers always notice their gormless buddies when they flash their headlights at them.

 

 

Theres literally nothing else I can do-It is distracting and dazzling-I have never had to do it for an ambulance because the light isn't as dazzling.

 

To clarify I am a cyclist and have never noticed this effect other than with this one bloke on a cycle. Its obviously the particular light, angle and flashing pattern (the flashing pattern being crazily fast on off flashing). My bike light points slightly downwards and is flashing irregularly at a reasonable speed. No-one will be dazzled but anyone looking properly will see me.

Edited January 30, 2014 by llamatron

[altus 540]

Watts mean absolutely nothing is an outdated term when taking about light.

That's why I specifically mentioned incandescent bulbs.

 

Cycle lights can be brighter than car headlamps you can get cycle lights that are 4000+ lumens.

When most headlamps are giving out 1200 ish lumens (more for hid) but that is spread and directed in a quite specific pattern It is aimed at the road and in a fixed position it shouldn't be a problem to not be blinded by them. Of course if you look at them you'll be dazzled.

 

The problem with a pointable, focused beam of light on a headmount is that it can easily blind a driver. especially when you look directly at the driver (which is just madness if yo do it on purpose)

 

All true, but I was responding to a post that described a claim that dipped headlights can dazzle cyclists as "complete cobblers". It won't happen to those with the brightest lights but to those with the more typical lights, i.e. those designed mainly to help you be seen rather than to help you see, their eyes will be accustomed to the dark and being dazzled by dipped headlights is certainly possible.

[Obelix 11]

That's why I specifically mentioned incandescent bulbs.

 

 

 

All true, but I was responding to a post that described a claim that dipped headlights can dazzle cyclists as "complete cobblers". It won't happen to those with the brightest lights but to those with the more typical lights, i.e. those designed mainly to help you be seen rather than to help you see, their eyes will be accustomed to the dark and being dazzled by dipped headlights is certainly possible.

 

You are building a strawman. You said "Even cars with dipped headlights leave cyclists blinded for a while."

 

Not "can" or "may" or "sometimes" you implied that it happened every time. I pointed out that this is in fact complete cobblers.

[Cyclone 10]

I haven't ever seen any used on roads, but I have certainly seen some LEDs worn by 'night MTBers' in nearby woods (not of the flashing variety) when I walk the dog, and they are definitely way stronger than your average car/bike dipped beams.

They almost certainly aren't. It's just that with dark adjusted eyes you perceive them to be very bright.

 

I've long been familiar with LED diving torches (not your average household LED torch ), but their throw distance actually spooked me a bit the first time I saw them.

 

Possibly they are more focussed, it's unlikely that they can put out more light than a car headlight, given the amount of power available in the car 12v system.

 

---------- Post added 30-01-2014 at 15:06 ----------

 

how do you get used to not being able to see them though?

 

Did you actually read what was written?

 

All the research would suggest that the less 'special' equipment or clothing is required, the more people will cycle, the more drivers will get used to it and the safer everyone will be.

 

The more drivers will get used to people cycling. I made no reference or inference to drivers getting to used to being dazzled

 

---------- Post added 30-01-2014 at 15:10 ----------

 

Why would they need too? if you are a pedestrian you should be on the path, if you are crossing the road you should not be running into the path of a car.

 

This is a genuine question, what situation would a car need to see you on our roads here in sheffield?

 

Perhaps when using roads with no footpath? Or crossing driveways or zebra crossings (just a few examples I can think of).

 

---------- Post added 30-01-2014 at 15:10 ----------

 

So it's perfectly ok to create a dangerous situation by dazzling other road users with strobing bright lights?

 

TBH I don't see the point of strobing front white lights. Front lights are primarily designed to help you see where you're going therefore a steady on light beam is the perfect option.

No true on a bike. Commuting lights are purely to "be seen", they do nothing to illuminate the path.

 

---------- Post added 30-01-2014 at 15:14 ----------

 

Man, I HATE those obnoxious flashing lights some cyclists use. What is the deal with them?

 

They're so that obnoxious, inattentive drivers notice them.

 

---------- Post added 30-01-2014 at 15:14 ----------

 

I understand that but I did say "on our roads here in sheffield"

 

And all the roads in Sheffield have pavements?

 

---------- Post added 30-01-2014 at 15:15 ----------

 

Ah what complete and utter nonsense. They are very bright, can be blinding, and flashing lights like that are not good for some people's health.

 

As for being hit by my car: I don't drive. I just get blinded by them at the bus stop.

 

Perhaps you can make use of you neck and turn your head away from them?

[altus 540]

You are building a strawman. You said "Even cars with dipped headlights leave cyclists blinded for a while."

 

Not "can" or "may" or "sometimes" you implied that it happened every time. I pointed out that this is in fact complete cobblers.

 

Well as you put "Funny, as a motorist I'm not dazzled by other peoples dipped headlights. I know cyclists like to think they are special but that's complete cobblers...." making no reference to how many cyclists would be affected we can only assume that by "complete cobblers" you meant all cyclists as well.

 

Pot and kettle.

[Obelix 11]

They almost certainly aren't. It's just that with dark adjusted eyes you perceive them to be very bright.

 

Possibly they are more focussed, it's unlikely that they can put out more light than a car headlight, given the amount of power available in the car 12v system.

 

55W in a car headlamp at perhaps 4% efficiency vs a 7W Cree at 25% efficiency....

 

---------- Post added 30-01-2014 at 15:30 ----------

 

Well as you put "Funny, as a motorist I'm not dazzled by other peoples dipped headlights. I know cyclists like to think they are special but that's complete cobblers...." making no reference to how many cyclists would be affected we can only assume that by "complete cobblers" you meant all cyclists as well.

 

Pot and kettle.

 

I guess the original post really went over your head.

 

I'm sorry. I'll readjust my estimate of how well you don't comprehend things for when I reply to you in future.

[DeathAxe 10]

They almost certainly aren't. It's just that with dark adjusted eyes you perceive them to be very bright.

 

Possibly they are more focussed, it's unlikely that they can put out more light than a car headlight, given the amount of power available in the car 12v system.

 

---------- Post added 30-01-2014 at 15:06 ----------

 

 

Did you actually read what was written?

 

 

 

The more drivers will get used to people cycling. I made no reference or inference to drivers getting to used to being dazzled

 

---------- Post added 30-01-2014 at 15:10 ----------

 

 

Perhaps when using roads with no footpath? Or crossing driveways or zebra crossings (just a few examples I can think of).

 

---------- Post added 30-01-2014 at 15:10 ----------

 

No true on a bike. Commuting lights are purely to "be seen", they do nothing to illuminate the path.

 

---------- Post added 30-01-2014 at 15:14 ----------

 

 

They're so that obnoxious, inattentive drivers notice them.

 

---------- Post added 30-01-2014 at 15:14 ----------

 

 

And all the roads in Sheffield have pavements?

 

---------- Post added 30-01-2014 at 15:15 ----------

 

 

Perhaps you can make use of you neck and turn your head away from them?

 

And miss my bus?

[CPC464 10]

Have either of you ever cycled at night on an unlit country road? Even cars with dipped headlights leave cyclists blinded for a while. Unfortunately most drivers don't seem to notice you and leave their headlights on full beam until they are almost upon you.

 

How does that make it right for cyclists to do the same?

[alchresearch 214]

All the research would suggest that the less 'special' equipment or clothing is required, the more people will cycle, the more drivers will get used to it and the safer everyone will be.

 

How do you "get used" to being blasted in the eyes?

 

I pass by Vauxhall motors at the end of the afternoon shift and since the autumn its been worse than ever (the area being flat its popular for workers to cycle in).

 

One guy must have two Cree torches mounted to his helmet. That's far higher than a car headlights - car headlights which are correctly aligned and dipped. There are no such regulations for cyclists.

[Obelix 11]

How do you "get used" to being blasted in the eyes?

 

I pass by Vauxhall motors at the end of the afternoon shift and since the autumn its been worse than ever (the area being flat its popular for workers to cycle in).

 

One guy must have two Cree torches mounted to his helmet. That's far higher than a car headlights - car headlights which are correctly aligned and dipped. There are no such regulations for cyclists.

 

Nothing to stop you wearing such a get up in the car and aiming back at them :-)