Bikes with flashing brake lights

Roadtoad

I was filtering on the M50 and N7 behind a bike with a flashing brake light and it really bugged me. Am I being a bit precious?
Seeing them as a car driver they appear and disappear relatively quickly, but tonight we were in convoy together for a while. OK, I could have eased up and let a gap build up, but that's a different argument.
I'm inclined to think that car drivers wouldn't pay any extra heed anyway, as 4-wheel slow commuting is normally just a zone-out mental space.
(10MHxxxx, with lots of front lights, if you know such a biker, ask him/her to think about it).

galwaytt

You are being precious, and they're being rolled out in some cars too, so better get used to it.

I've had Hyperlites on some of my bikes over the years, and am adding similar to my Road King soon.

I'm also adding 2 x prs of front lights - it's more important for my safety than anything else.

arybvtcw0eolkf

As soon as I see them I think 'wanker, over take'.. They annoy the crap out of me, very distracting and in the same category (for me) as a 'Polite' vest.

If I had anti-tank rocket launchers on my bike I'd blow the bastards out of me way

Zebbedee

galwaytt wrote: »

I'm also adding 2 x prs of front lights - it's more important for my safety than anything else.

High intensity lights that flash on the front can cause somebody suffering from epilepsy to have an epileptic fit.
Just something to think about.

Max Headroom

Brielle Calm Relaxation wrote: »

As soon as I see them I think 'wanker, over take'.. They annoy the crap out of me, very distracting and in the same category (for me) as a 'Polite' vest.

If I had anti-tank rocket launchers on my bike I'd blow the bastards out of me way

Think Stewie had titanium ones fitted to his bike.....:P

Paulw

Here's an aftermarket set of lights that can be setup to flash when braking -

It gets attention, which is never a bad thing.

thos

There is the situation of sitting stationary in traffic and having a car approach behind, I was always told to tap the brake lights a few times to help with visibility, to help make sure they see you, so this sounds like same logic. I can see why filtering it may only be so useful, but in other heavy braking situations, sounds alright to me.

I've taken to running with my front fog/aux lights on in this weather to help with a bit of visibilty. Looking at some ideas for better visibility from the rear, may put an additional reflector on the top box.

I've seen some people filter with hazards on too, whatever works to keep you visible!

Cienciano

Depends on the person, different people get annoyed by trivial things. That wouldn't bother me, but those headlights that look flicker blue from a distance annoy the shít out of me for some reason.

Grumpy Bike Wizard

I think some newer bikes or cars have lights that flash if you pull the brakes hard enough. Not a bad idea as people can be very dozy coming up behind a line of traffic.

If it gets on a few people's nerves, then you know they can see you. Mission accomplished like.

Lumen

Grumpy Bike Wizard wrote: »

I think some newer bikes or cars have lights that flash if you pull the brakes hard enough

There are cars which make the brake lights brighter when you brake hard, and there are cars which make the hazards flash when you brake hard.

These solutions both seem reasonable.

Flashing hazards or brake lights when you brush the brake lever is just stupid. It degrades the significance of genuine emergency situations.

thos

Lumen wrote: »

Flashing hazards or brake lights when you brush the brake lever is just stupid. It degrades the significance of genuine emergency situations.

True, but I think a lot of these are people looking at their phones, and then panic and hit the brakes when they think something it happening ...

Cienciano

Lumen wrote: »

There are cars which make the brake lights brighter when you brake hard, and there are cars which make the hazards flash when you brake hard.

These solutions both seem reasonable.

Flashing hazards or brake lights when you brush the brake lever is just stupid. It degrades the significance of genuine emergency situations.

Someone is a boardroom for a car company suggested it and repeated the word "safety" over and over again. No one wanted to say anything against safety, so here we are with flashing brake lights.

Alkers

Zebbedee wrote: »

High intensity lights that flash on the front can cause somebody suffering from epilepsy to have an epileptic fit.
Just something to think about.

If a persons epilepsy is that sensitive, they should not be driving. What about emergency vehicles?

frozenfrozen

I watch videos on youtube of ambulance drivers and the amount of times they'll be behind a car for 20 seconds with lights and sirens going and they don't notice... some people just don't look. No amount of hi vis or lights will change that.

I tap my brakes if I don't want to get rear ended.. but flashing every time you touch the brakes is stupid

Lumen

Simona1986 wrote: »

If a persons epilepsy is that sensitive, they should not be driving. What about emergency vehicles?

Yeah, having epileptics drive emergency vehicles is probably a bad idea too.

bladespin

Simona1986 wrote: »

If a persons epilepsy is that sensitive, they should not be driving. What about emergency vehicles?

Never thought of the epileptic emergency drivers, god must be a cruel job, poor bastids.

D3V!L

I'm picking up a new 1200GSA soon and the brake light flashes when you brake hard to re-enforce the w*nker stereotype :P I find it adds a little bit of extra visibility when I wear my "polite notice" highviz and BMW donkey suit.

arybvtcw0eolkf

D3V!L wrote: »

I'm picking up a new 1200GSA soon and the brake light flashes when you brake hard to re-enforce the w*nker stereotype :P I find it adds a little bit of extra visibility when I wear my "polite notice" highviz and BMW donkey suit.

Just getting the new Yamaha Niken II ready for the Womens Refuge Christmas Toy Run

PopSensyDad

I didn't know flashing brake light is legal here... It's illegal in where I came from, Japan.

Even more surprise, there seems to be a EU demand.
http://www.motorbikeireland.com/biker-news/are-flashing-brake-lights-legal/

John_Rambo

I had a Volvo car that's brake lights flashed when I jammed on and the ABS kicked in. Otherwise they were normal brake lights. I'd have no problem with motorbikes having flashing brake lights. I'd rather see them than go through the horror or rear ending one.

Edit - flames from exhausts on powerful motorbikes are always a great sight too.

galwaytt

Zebbedee wrote: »

High intensity lights that flash on the front can cause somebody suffering from epilepsy to have an epileptic fit.
Just something to think about.

who said anything about flashing lights on the front ??

And, as someone else pointed out, if someone's epilepsy is that bad, they shouldn't be driving or riding, out of respect for their own safety as much as anyone else's.

arybvtcw0eolkf

Zebbedee wrote: »

High intensity lights that flash on the front can cause somebody suffering from epilepsy to have an epileptic fit.
Just something to think about.

If I thought that was true I'd ride around for hours giving people fits for the craic