Lights too bright...
Discussion
I realise that there's a thread running on what lights to buy, but please choose wisely. I live out in the sticks, and while I rarely cycle, I appreciate the difficulties riding at night can present. One thing to note, though, is that I can spot and identify a bicycle a long way ahead if they're using s flashing light, front or rear.
However, last night I came across a set of rear lights that was like looking into a setting sun. They would outshine a car rear fog light, and were dazzling me from quite some way off. This guy was lit up like an Australian road train. While annoying for me, I was past him reasonably easily, but it wasn't until I got quite close to him that I noticed another cyclist following him (I saw his rather less bright tail light eventually), and he must have needed his Ray-Bans on just to see where he was going. This inconsiderate eedjit had these lights fitted to his t
t hat, by the way. His belt-and-braces approach meant that he also had a flashing rear light, and also a pair of eye-hurting front main beams and a flashing front as well. I guess dipped beams don't come as standard.
Is it really necessary to have such bright lights? It wasn't even foggy!
However, last night I came across a set of rear lights that was like looking into a setting sun. They would outshine a car rear fog light, and were dazzling me from quite some way off. This guy was lit up like an Australian road train. While annoying for me, I was past him reasonably easily, but it wasn't until I got quite close to him that I noticed another cyclist following him (I saw his rather less bright tail light eventually), and he must have needed his Ray-Bans on just to see where he was going. This inconsiderate eedjit had these lights fitted to his t
t hat, by the way. His belt-and-braces approach meant that he also had a flashing rear light, and also a pair of eye-hurting front main beams and a flashing front as well. I guess dipped beams don't come as standard.Is it really necessary to have such bright lights? It wasn't even foggy!
daddy cool said:
His what?
Also - when you happen across a very bright light, avoid looking directing at this very bright light. HTH.
His T-w-a-t hat, as if you didn't know. It's relatively colloquial, I'm surprised that you haven't heard it before.Also - when you happen across a very bright light, avoid looking directing at this very bright light. HTH.
Also, how silly of me to suggest that this selfish rider should consider his fellow cyclist following behind.
Mad Jock said:
I realise that there's a thread running on what lights to buy, but please choose wisely. I live out in the sticks, and while I rarely cycle, I appreciate the difficulties riding at night can present. One thing to note, though, is that I can spot and identify a bicycle a long way ahead if they're using s flashing light, front or rear.
However, last night I came across a set of rear lights that was like looking into a setting sun. They would outshine a car rear fog light, and were dazzling me from quite some way off. This guy was lit up like an Australian road train. While annoying for me, I was past him reasonably easily, but it wasn't until I got quite close to him that I noticed another cyclist following him (I saw his rather less bright tail light eventually), and he must have needed his Ray-Bans on just to see where he was going. This inconsiderate eedjit had these lights fitted to his tt hat, by the way. His belt-and-braces approach meant that he also had a flashing rear light, and also a pair of eye-hurting front main beams and a flashing front as well. I guess dipped beams don't come as standard.
Is it really necessary to have such bright lights? It wasn't even foggy!
No, it's definitely not. My lights have a retina burning setting but I only use that on foggy days. For general use even in the pitch dark fens I use the fifth (lowest) setting and they're still plenty bright enough.However, last night I came across a set of rear lights that was like looking into a setting sun. They would outshine a car rear fog light, and were dazzling me from quite some way off. This guy was lit up like an Australian road train. While annoying for me, I was past him reasonably easily, but it wasn't until I got quite close to him that I noticed another cyclist following him (I saw his rather less bright tail light eventually), and he must have needed his Ray-Bans on just to see where he was going. This inconsiderate eedjit had these lights fitted to his t
t hat, by the way. His belt-and-braces approach meant that he also had a flashing rear light, and also a pair of eye-hurting front main beams and a flashing front as well. I guess dipped beams don't come as standard.Is it really necessary to have such bright lights? It wasn't even foggy!
daddy cool said:
Mad Jock said:
His T-w-a-t hat, as if you didn't know. It's relatively colloquial, I'm surprised that you haven't heard it before.
No, ive never heard of this expression. And using to describe what a cyclist is wearing makes you seem like a bit of a . Are you a bit of a ?Mad Jock said:
daddy cool said:
Mad Jock said:
His T-w-a-t hat, as if you didn't know. It's relatively colloquial, I'm surprised that you haven't heard it before.
No, ive never heard of this expression. And using to describe what a cyclist is wearing makes you seem like a bit of a . Are you a bit of a ?Why can't cyclists aim their lights onto the road instead of blinding anything on-coming?
I would think they don't need to be more than 20metres ahead (like decent vehicle dipped beam) , the road would be lit up more too.
This also applies to sts who can't be bothered to aim their vehicle dips properly too
Yes I cycle and also drive.
I would think they don't need to be more than 20metres ahead (like decent vehicle dipped beam) , the road would be lit up more too.
This also applies to s
ts who can't be bothered to aim their vehicle dips properly tooYes I cycle and also drive.
It's easy enough to aim front light down but rears are not always so easy. Sometimes they are aligned to the seat post angle, and that's that.
Would be useful to have brightness settings on them, I agree. My front light (Chinese CREE original type) can be pointed downwards and has 3 levels of brightness (the lowest is suitable for road use), but my rear is a Knog Mr Chips which is enormously bright and fixed in place. I use it either on the soft up/down setting or not flashing at all... whatever seems least obnoxious. I'm not concerned about not being seen. You can see it from space.
Not sure why a derogatory term for a helmet is used above.
Would be useful to have brightness settings on them, I agree. My front light (Chinese CREE original type) can be pointed downwards and has 3 levels of brightness (the lowest is suitable for road use), but my rear is a Knog Mr Chips which is enormously bright and fixed in place. I use it either on the soft up/down setting or not flashing at all... whatever seems least obnoxious. I'm not concerned about not being seen. You can see it from space.
Not sure why a derogatory term for a helmet is used above.
When I was into mtb years back it was at the advent of the LED revolution and people would often stop me to ask what light I had and were amazed at the power (and probably the price tag).
Nowadays a cheap £10 Chinese cree lamp will be brighter, people who use them on flashing strobe at night should be fined imo, had one the other day which literally left me seeing stars.
In Germany it's illegal to use a non conforming light same as if you used HIDs in a car with fluted lenses.
Nowadays a cheap £10 Chinese cree lamp will be brighter, people who use them on flashing strobe at night should be fined imo, had one the other day which literally left me seeing stars.
In Germany it's illegal to use a non conforming light same as if you used HIDs in a car with fluted lenses.
Totally agree that most lights are now far too bright and many cyclists don't care or understand this. It's not always possible to look away either, particularly on a narrow tow path when someone is coming towards you or when you are following someone. It's worse when they are on strobe.
gazza285 said:
Mad Jock said:
daddy cool said:
Mad Jock said:
His T-w-a-t hat, as if you didn't know. It's relatively colloquial, I'm surprised that you haven't heard it before.
No, ive never heard of this expression. And using to describe what a cyclist is wearing makes you seem like a bit of a . Are you a bit of a ?t hat' as their No1 Dress Cap...
...so for me, hearing someone refer to a bicycle helmet as a t
t hat smacks of prejudice against cyclists. It's certainly a derogatory term with only negative connotations unless it's being used as a dismissive term in conversation between cyclists.I'd certainly agree that overly bright lights could be counter-productive in some situations, though. Especially in your scenario, where you've "lost" the second cyclist due to the brightness of the first chap's rear lamp. Like when cars fail to spot motorcyclists because the motorcyclist's headlight appears to be one of the lights of the car behind him sort of thing.
People with bright lights annoy me more than the ones with no lights!
The last 2 miles of my commute home is a cycle path, with just about enough room for two riders to pass each other without falling into the ditch. Every now and then I get some selfish so and so coming the other way, completely blinding me for about 5 seconds with his unnecessary 2000 lumens. One day I'll end up in that ditch I'm sure.. If you're one of these then turn the bloody thing down when you're on a shared path! Grr!
The last 2 miles of my commute home is a cycle path, with just about enough room for two riders to pass each other without falling into the ditch. Every now and then I get some selfish so and so coming the other way, completely blinding me for about 5 seconds with his unnecessary 2000 lumens. One day I'll end up in that ditch I'm sure.. If you're one of these then turn the bloody thing down when you're on a shared path! Grr!
Mad Jock said:
His belt-and-braces approach meant that he also had a flashing rear light, and also a pair of eye-hurting front main beams and a flashing front as well
You have to have a fixed light front & rear by law ... thats why most of us double upAlthough I'd prefer just the flashing lights (not strobe) if I'm honest as I ride on urban roads and my lights are more about been seen than seeing where I'm going
What are the rules on having your 9 giga-lumen front light on strobe? Most front lights I can deal with by just looking at the verge for a bit but I have seen a couple of cyclists with genuinely dazzling strobes, and this was in the daytime.
Having said that, I find bike lights far less of an issue than insanely bright LED brake lights on newer cars (Mercs and Audis, mostly), or front indicators mounted within the headlight cluster for that matter.
Having said that, I find bike lights far less of an issue than insanely bright LED brake lights on newer cars (Mercs and Audis, mostly), or front indicators mounted within the headlight cluster for that matter.
The first set of genuinely 'bright' lights I bought must have been 15 or 16 years ago. And I only bought them as I was fed up of being knocked off by cars that used the SMIDSY line.
They were Specialzed Fireballs.
They were actually banned for use on road (said something about this in the literature) and were meant to be just for off-road use.
Not sure of the rating but even these would pale in comparison to some of the Cree stuff now.
I do make sure to try and point my current lights at the ground, but this recent trend of using rubber bands to attach eveything means they don't stay put and regularly 'creep' up.
But the biggest thing is probably the fact that you can't see your own lights. I've no idea if mine are too blinding as I've never been able to follow myself. Or cycle towards myself.
They were Specialzed Fireballs.
They were actually banned for use on road (said something about this in the literature) and were meant to be just for off-road use.
Not sure of the rating but even these would pale in comparison to some of the Cree stuff now.
I do make sure to try and point my current lights at the ground, but this recent trend of using rubber bands to attach eveything means they don't stay put and regularly 'creep' up.
But the biggest thing is probably the fact that you can't see your own lights. I've no idea if mine are too blinding as I've never been able to follow myself. Or cycle towards myself.
yeah modern day DRL's and HID's cause me way more bother than the odd cyclist running a light tbqfh.
My front light kicks out 1600 but I use 500. Similar on the back.
I think people aren't educated how to best use lights.
But OP comes across as a knob jockey, whereas most of us would probably agree.
My front light kicks out 1600 but I use 500. Similar on the back.
I think people aren't educated how to best use lights.
But OP comes across as a knob jockey, whereas most of us would probably agree.
The OP might well be a tosser, but that doesn't mean he's wrong.
I got stuck behind some guy last week on the way in to work for a few hundred yards without room to get past. His rear light could've been seen from space, and this was in broad daylight!
Being seen is, of course, vital, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if someone had driven into the back of him after dark, just from being totally dazzled by the light and not noticing him stopping.
I got stuck behind some guy last week on the way in to work for a few hundred yards without room to get past. His rear light could've been seen from space, and this was in broad daylight!
Being seen is, of course, vital, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if someone had driven into the back of him after dark, just from being totally dazzled by the light and not noticing him stopping.
Kell said:
But the biggest thing is probably the fact that you can't see your own lights. I've no idea if mine are too blinding as I've never been able to follow myself. Or cycle towards myself.
easy to check your lightsface your bike 20 or so metres from a vertical surface (garage door / wall etc.) in the dark and aim your light so the light patch stops at the base of the door/wall etc. Your lights should light up the ground so you can see any objects you don't want to ride over and also not blind on-coming persons/bikes/vehicles.
step out 20 metres - it is a fair distance. You may even want to aim closer
Yeah, but that might only prove they don't blind pedestrians.
Your head is lower if you're on a bike. And lower again when you're driving.
As mentioned I deliberately point mine (front) down and to the left but it does creep up because of the stupid fastening so adjusting it on the fly is a bit more pot luck as i'm certainly not going to to pull over and go through that rigmarole every time I hit a bump.
Your head is lower if you're on a bike. And lower again when you're driving.
As mentioned I deliberately point mine (front) down and to the left but it does creep up because of the stupid fastening so adjusting it on the fly is a bit more pot luck as i'm certainly not going to to pull over and go through that rigmarole every time I hit a bump.
Edited by Kell on Friday 28th October 11:07
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