Courteous use of front lights...
Discussion
Now that the nights are drawing in, can I ask people to think about where their front light is aimed? I get blinded by nearly every cyclist coming the other way, there must be something wrong with how people set them up. Don't you want the brightest part of the beam on the road ahead of you?
Daveyraveygravey said:
Don't you want the brightest part of the beam on the road ahead of you?
It could depend on whether you want it to see what's ahead or for someone up ahead to see you coming?I wouldn't limit it to front lights either. I'm seeing a lot of rear lights pumping out some serious wattage these days that are really obnoxious and totally OTT for a lit urban commute.
Going to (courteously) disagree there.
Driving around the last couple of nights, it's really struck me how poorly the 'average' bike lights stand out against a typical urban background consisting of... lots more lights.
Plus, if a bright flashing light is disorienting, it's probably time to hand in one's driving license.
Driving around the last couple of nights, it's really struck me how poorly the 'average' bike lights stand out against a typical urban background consisting of... lots more lights.
Plus, if a bright flashing light is disorienting, it's probably time to hand in one's driving license.
You think bike lights are a problem? Try being on a bike and having some feckwit in a car driving at you and steadfastly refusing to recognise you as a "road user" and dipping their headlights. Even when you 'flick' your own light up and down (à la flashing the high beams on a car) they still refuse to dip. And don't even get me started on those retards who ILLEGALLY use high beam headlamps in streetlit areas.
I used to get along OK with a couple of watts powered by AA batteries for front lights. But now I'm using a 700 lumen rechargeable lamp up front, and sometimes it doesn't feel like nearly enough. Car manufacturers, HID retrofitters, and LED addicts started a lighting war. Brighter cycle lights are a fair and reasoned response in my humble opinion.
My light is aimed at the patch of tarmac about 6 to 8 feet ahead of my bike. Having it "aimed high" would be of absolutely no use to me whatsoever. But I am aware that a lot of peripheral light "leaks" from the light, and may well be irritating. But no, I refute any suggestion that they are any more irritating than any number of badly aimed, or unserviceable headlights on a motor vehicle.
"People in glass houses shouldn't call the kettle black"
I used to get along OK with a couple of watts powered by AA batteries for front lights. But now I'm using a 700 lumen rechargeable lamp up front, and sometimes it doesn't feel like nearly enough. Car manufacturers, HID retrofitters, and LED addicts started a lighting war. Brighter cycle lights are a fair and reasoned response in my humble opinion.
My light is aimed at the patch of tarmac about 6 to 8 feet ahead of my bike. Having it "aimed high" would be of absolutely no use to me whatsoever. But I am aware that a lot of peripheral light "leaks" from the light, and may well be irritating. But no, I refute any suggestion that they are any more irritating than any number of badly aimed, or unserviceable headlights on a motor vehicle.
"People in glass houses shouldn't call the kettle black"
Daveyraveygravey said:
My issue is mainly unlit country roads; bright lights there are exaggerated, and if I can't see where I am going because someone is coming towards with with a WWII searchlight in my face, I have to almost stop.
In towns, it is different because you need a bright light to stand out.
I will swtich my lights off on country roads, just for you.In towns, it is different because you need a bright light to stand out.
It's much harder to quickly switch or "dip" bike lights, and since potholes are murderous to cyclists I don't see why they should have to bimble around with dim lights to preserve the OPs retinas. I doubt they are doing it to anger you, and it's more likely they have had issues in the past when they have had dimmer lights. Maybe next time slow down a bit, don't stare directly at the light and have some consideration for vulnerable road users?
As strange as this feels Im about to engage in a cycling thread and stick up for the opposition
I bloody hate bright lights on bikes
Especially strobes - I bloody hate them the most
Let me explain.......
As a keen MTBer and early adopter of night riding I have always packed a gazillion lumens on my bars and helmet for proper night time technical off roading
I say a gazillion but I think my old Lumicycles put out a bit less than this in reality!
One night I had been out alone and was pottering down the road when a car pulled out just in front of me, just feet away
I was dumbfounded that they hadnt seen me, it was just not possible with the amount of light I was generating
This coincided with the explosion of cheap and accessible bike lights, often sourced from China
As I began to see more and more powerful lights on bikes I also realised that they can make it difficult to judge distance and perspective from the point of view of other road users potentially leading to the scenario as happened to me where Id like to think the motorist misjudged me as another vehicle further away
To draw a line I still MTB at night time and I also ride on the road too with something like 2000 Lumens but only when the road is quiet and I never switch it to full in the presence of other oncoming road users
For commuting I have a helmet light on strobe (Joystick) which has a usefully narrow bean pattern so I can direct it at people I suspect havent seen me but on the whole its not antisocial to the many, if Im off the beaten track I use my 'big' light on minimum pointed down and activate it as necessary, in town I dont see the need for much else other than a modest battery powered bar light
The cheap lights tend to have huge bulbs and poor optics leading to a flood beam which just dazzles everyone - especially on strobe
Stay safe and be nice
Cheers
yellowjack said:
And don't even get me started on those retards who ILLEGALLY use high beam headlamps in streetlit areas.
It's a should not a must.OP, if some muppet is blinding you with his wide-spread cheap mega-lumen LED from China then just STOP FFS.
Maybe even have a word and let him know.
As ever - ranting on the internet and admitting you are a bad driver won't achieve very much.
As a cyclist, I'm fed up with being dazzled by other cyclists on my pitch-dark, nowhere near a road, cycle path. visibility on the path (an old railway line) is excellent, so its not like they don't have time to 'dip' their lights so that oncoming traffic can see. And why have them on strobe? I can see the point of standing out in a lit area, but in an unlit area they just make it really hard to judge distance and position of the bike they are attached to.
Rant over.
Let's be courteous out there folks!
Rant over.
Let's be courteous out there folks!
gazza285 said:
Daveyraveygravey said:
I can't see where I am going because someone is coming towards with with a WWII searchlight in my face, I have to almost stop.
Nice to know that you'll just keep going anyway.lukefreeman said:
Daveyraveygravey said:
My issue is mainly unlit country roads; bright lights there are exaggerated, and if I can't see where I am going because someone is coming towards with with a WWII searchlight in my face, I have to almost stop.
In towns, it is different because you need a bright light to stand out.
I will swtich my lights off on country roads, just for you.In towns, it is different because you need a bright light to stand out.
E65Ross said:
I actually think it's the opposite..... In towns I use my lights on low power because they don't need to be high, just high enough to be seen. Why would I have them low on a country road? I need high power so that u can actually see where I'm going!
Yup, at this time of year I usually switch from blink in town (be seen) to steady on country roads (see in front of me).When it's properly dark I'll have two lights, one on continuous and one I'll switch as above. I've not got massive amounts of light coming out though, probably only 150-200 lumens combined on fresh batteries.
Some cyclists do appear to have lights which are 'too bright' and really need angled down/dipped like car headlights. Mine aren't like that.
gazza285 said:
Nice to know that you'll just keep going anyway.
I said "almost stop" which I meant as slow down and almost stop. I can't see how you take that to mean the opposite?lufbramatt said:
If you have any sort of empathy, it's much more preferable for you to have to add 10 seconds to your journey than the cyclist finish his journey in a body bag, despite how annoying their light might be.
I am speaking as a cyclist! If we all just charge around with our lights on full beam, dazzling everyone, who does that help?walm said:
It's a should not a must.
OP, if some muppet is blinding you with his wide-spread cheap mega-lumen LED from China then just STOP FFS.
Maybe even have a word and let him know.
As ever - ranting on the internet and admitting you are a bad driver won't achieve very much.
Bad driver? Maybe, but the post was about me as a cyclist. And the original post was 3 sentences, is that a rant?OP, if some muppet is blinding you with his wide-spread cheap mega-lumen LED from China then just STOP FFS.
Maybe even have a word and let him know.
As ever - ranting on the internet and admitting you are a bad driver won't achieve very much.
Daveyraveygravey said:
Bad driver? Maybe, but the post was about me as a cyclist. And the original post was 3 sentences, is that a rant?
Ah - sorry - I mis-read that. I thought you were saying you kept going (in a car) towards cyclists even when you couldn't see where you were going!Perhaps not enough swearing for a proper rant.
Even more if you are on a bike - just tell them to angle their beams down!
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