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Front Bicycle lights !

  • 09-11-2011 7:21pm
    #1
    robbie_998
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,222 ✭✭✭


    i do agree with them and think its great they are on more now with the early dark nights and fair play and all that.


    but earlier i came across 6 cyclists together in a group and they all had front white / silverish lights . grand no problem being visible and all that.


    but my problem is as a motorist. they all had their front lights flashing !

    when i got passed them my rear view mirrors caught me out as i thought it was an emergency vehicle behind me when it was the cyclists.

    they were bright lights... seriously why cant you leave the lights in the "ON" mode rather than "Flashy flashy" mode ?

    if its just for the sake of saving battery power then take a hike.


    i would say the same about the rear (red) light for flashing cos its just annoying being behind a bike with the same annoying red flash every second.


Comments

  • #2
    TheChizler
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,514 ✭✭✭TheChizler


    It definitely makes them more visible, seen a couple of steady LED lights the last few days and they'd easily be mistaken for reflections on parked cars or your windscreen.

    Is it just me or are there an awful lot of cyclists with no lights at all this year? I wouldn't dream of cycling without lights past half 5 these days.


  • #3
    Lumen
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 31,222 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    Many cyclists think they will be killed to death if they are not lit up like a Christmas tree.

    This rather ignores the fact that flashing lights are illegal in (for instance) Germany, which doesn't have horrific cyclist killed-to-death rates.

    Pointing this out is likely to invoke one or both of the "Irish drivers are stupider" or "Irish roads/cycle 'facilities' are crappier" defences.

    What is objectively true is that flashing lights use less battery power.


  • #4
    el Bastardo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 573 ✭✭✭el Bastardo


    Flashing lights are more noticeable than an always-on light and not easily confused with anything else.

    Last winter, I had two flashing front lights on my bike. Some motorist in front of me evidently thought I was an emergency response vehicle and nearly squashed me when she pulled in (She pulled in when I was about to move up on her left hand side!).


  • #5
    mediwheel
    Closed Accounts Posts: 55 ✭✭mediwheel


    robbie_998 wrote: »
    i do agree with them and think its great they are on more now with the early dark nights and fair play and all that.


    but earlier i came across 6 cyclists together in a group and they all had front white / silverish lights . grand no problem being visible and all that.


    but my problem is as a motorist. they all had their front lights flashing !

    when i got passed them my rear view mirrors caught me out as i thought it was an emergency vehicle behind me when it was the cyclists.

    they were bright lights... seriously why cant you leave the lights in the "ON" mode rather than "Flashy flashy" mode ?

    if its just for the sake of saving battery power then take a hike.


    i would say the same about the rear (red) light for flashing cos its just annoying being behind a bike with the same annoying red flash every second.
    You sound to stupid to be driving a car ! If you pass six cyclists there still going to be six cyclists when you pass them.


  • #6
    captain P
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 690 ✭✭✭captain P


    I use flashy lights - after discussing it with some motorists they advised that they're easier to see. The more visible, the better I reckon.
    If I'm close behind a car or queuing/ in traffic ill often stick it on constant so it doesn't annoy/daze/confuse the cars in front.


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  • #7
    Lusk Doyle
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,365 ✭✭✭Lusk Doyle


    A few bright rear red lights in flashing mode can be hard to follow when cycling with others. It makes it difficult to see the road properly even with your own front light I find.


  • #8
    cdaly_
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,440 ✭✭✭cdaly_


    robbie_998 wrote: »
    they were bright lights... seriously why cant you leave the lights in the "ON" mode rather than "Flashy flashy" mode?

    Try spotting a steady bike light in your door mirror while planning a left turn on a windy, rainy night in city traffic. OTOH, a flashing light will show up...


  • #9
    Lusk Doyle
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,365 ✭✭✭Lusk Doyle


    cdaly_ wrote: »
    Try spotting a steady bike light in your door mirror while planning a left turn on a windy, rainy night in city traffic. OTOH, a flashing light will show up...

    True but this ties back into the reckless undertaking movements and lack of awareness on the cyclists part. Why should the driver be forced to stop his turn for someone acting stupidly and breaking the rotr?

    That said, the driver being able to see what's coming up from behind can help prevent this.


  • #10
    greenmat
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 581 ✭✭✭greenmat


    Your eye is drawn more towards the flashing lights, it's just a far safer option. When you have had a lot of near misses with cars day or night you tend to play safe. Sorry if flashing lights bother you for the few seconds it takes to pass a cyclist but there are a lot of very dangerous drivers out there who are more interested in texting and posting to facebook while driving than watching were there going.


  • #11
    Lusk Doyle
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,365 ✭✭✭Lusk Doyle


    greenmat wrote: »
    Your eye is drawn more towards the flashing lights, it's just a far safer option. When you have had a lot of near misses with cars day or night you tend to play safe. Sorry if flashing lights bother you for the few seconds it takes to pass a cyclist but there are a lot of very dangerous drivers out there who are more interested in texting and posting to facebook while driving than watching were there going.

    No no I mean when cycling in a group it can be hard to follow the bike in front and see the road, not when driving. I've no issue there at all. Had a training spin last night with two others and had to get one of the lads to turn off his rear helmet light it was so bright!


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  • #12
    ccull123
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 592 ✭✭✭ccull123


    TheChizler wrote: »
    It definitely makes them more visible, seen a couple of steady LED lights the last few days and they'd easily be mistaken for reflections on parked cars or your windscreen.

    Is it just me or are there an awful lot of cyclists with no lights at all this year? I wouldn't dream of cycling without lights past half 5 these days.

    Totally agree. Cycling in and out of Dublin city to west Dublin over the last two years. The amount of cyclists that have a rear light and no front light is high. Totally stupid and as a motorist/cyclist it's only a matter of time before they are swiped off of it!


  • #13
    Beasty
    Administrators, Social & Fun Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 78,393 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Beasty


    Lusk Doyle wrote: »
    Had a training spin last night with two others and had to get one of the lads to turn off his rear helmet light it was so bright!
    Wheelsucker:pac:


  • #14
    Lusk Doyle
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,365 ✭✭✭Lusk Doyle


    ccull123 wrote: »
    Totally agree. Cycling in and out of Dublin city to west Dublin over the last two years. The amount of cyclists that have a rear light and no front light is high. Totally stupid and as a motorist/cyclist it's only a matter of time before they are swiped off of it!

    Also, many have inadequate lights power-wise.


  • #15
    ThisRegard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,833 ✭✭✭✭ThisRegard


    You couldn't help but notice them, so much so you started a thread about them. Job done.

    They're much easier to spot in any of your mirrors on a wet pissy night.

    I have a ridiculously eye catching rear light though, it has a number of modes, one a crazy bright strobe one. In fact I think it may cause a motorist to hit me as they fall into the photosensitive epileptic fit it induces.


  • #16
    greenmat
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 581 ✭✭✭greenmat


    Lusk Doyle wrote: »
    No no I mean when cycling in a group it can be hard to follow the bike in front and see the road, not when driving. I've no issue there at all. Had a training spin last night with two others and had to get one of the lads to turn off his rear helmet light it was so bright!


    Sorry, got what you were on about, while cycling in a group, I'm just talking in general about bikes with lights and cars.


  • #17
    Lusk Doyle
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,365 ✭✭✭Lusk Doyle


    Beasty wrote: »
    Wheelsucker:pac:

    You must have me mistaken for staro!


  • #18
    Beasty
    Administrators, Social & Fun Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 78,393 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Beasty


    Lusk Doyle wrote: »
    You must have me mistaken for staro!
    I had a woman driving very closely behind me heading up the Malahide Road one evening last winter. She wouldn't back-off. I was probably doing about 40kph, keeping a safe distance behind the traffic in front. About 200m before a set of lights she shot in front of me, basically forcing me to slow down to let her in. At the lights I pulled up alongside her and asked her what she was playing at. She claimed that rear helmet light was too bright and she just had to get past. She just didn't get it when I tried to explain to her it would appear a lot less brighter if she had backed off to a sensible distance ...


  • #19
    Lusk Doyle
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,365 ✭✭✭Lusk Doyle


    greenmat wrote: »
    Sorry, got what you were on about, while cycling in a group, I'm just talking in general about bikes with lights and cars.

    Of course I must clarify that that particular individual is usually way behind me, isn't that right beasty?!? I had no dinner before I headed out! Great lights though!


  • #20
    robbie_998
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,222 ✭✭✭robbie_998


    mediwheel wrote: »
    You sound to stupid to be driving a car ! If you pass six cyclists there still going to be six cyclists when you pass them.

    when did i mention they disappeared after i went past them ?

    when i also said that their lights confused me because there was 6 of them using flashy lights that got me confused for a service vehicle of some kind.
    captain P wrote: »
    I use flashy lights - after discussing it with some motorists they advised that they're easier to see. The more visible, the better I reckon.
    If I'm close behind a car or queuing/ in traffic ill often stick it on constant so it doesn't annoy/daze/confuse the cars in front.

    agree with this completely.
    cdaly_ wrote: »
    Try spotting a steady bike light in your door mirror while planning a left turn on a windy, rainy night in city traffic. OTOH, a flashing light will show up...

    also agree completely ... even on those days it can be hard to see other cars, never mind yourselves.... but i would like to argue this was not a dark area.. it was a built up area and well lit and you could see people walking from a distance without anything other than normal clothing.


  • #21
    kenmc
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,278 ✭✭✭kenmc


    couple of years ago some ould fella started moaning at me while I was stopped in traffic that my fenix (on lowest setting) was too bright. I took this to mean that I was visible enough , job done.

    the amount of muppets I pass who look like they have no lights on, but turn out to actually have a blinky on, total light output approx equal to one sputtering match, is mind boggling. totally deluded. and as for the Darwin award contenders who think that they're a train, and put their (only) red light up front...


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  • #22
    tomasrojo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,853 ✭✭✭✭tomasrojo


    I was dazzled by the front light of a cyclist coming the other way on a two-way cycle track the other day. It was steady rather than flashing, but I couldn't see the road ahead as he approached, or for a second or two after he'd passed. I think he probably hadn't pointed it down at all, which, given how powerful the light was, would have been advisable.


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