if a cyclist lights dazzle a driver, its worth it...
Discussion
Linky
Linky above said:
Stephen Young, managing director of Lumicycle, makers of the LED4Si bicycle light, defended the lights, saying:“You have to offset the vulnerability of the cyclist and if that means causing a dazzle to a driver, maybe it's worth it.”
I agree they need to be regulated, some of the latest lights on pedal cycles are ridiculously dazzling and usually aimed at your face, but what a ridiculous statement!MysteryLemon said:
The whole point in the light is to get the cyclist seen. By dazzling the driver, its doing it's job. A moment of inconvenience for the driver is far less important than a dead cyclist that driver probably wouldn't have otherwise seen...
On that theory I will now travel everywhere in my car using full beam, as it's safer.Moronic.
It seems bright dazzling lights are also a problem for the police 
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2304618/Po...
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2304618/Po...
MysteryLemon said:
The whole point in the light is to get the cyclist seen. By dazzling the driver, its doing it's job. A moment of inconvenience for the driver is far less important than a dead cyclist that driver probably wouldn't have otherwise seen...
Eh? If you are dazzled then you can't see. If you can't see then you are more likely to hit something and this is more likely to result in dead cyclists.We can all dazzle. We can all drive around on main beam to make sure we can be seen. Rear end shunts are highlkycommon so let's all fit dazzling rear lights to our cars. When we're all driving round dazzled let's see how we get on.
Nobody needs to dazzle anybody, I run some fairly bright lights and drivers let you know pretty quickly, by dazzling you back if you are dazzling them, sometimes augmented by a swerve towards you to underline the point that two Xeonon headlamps on main beam may not be making.
I soon learnt that they need to be turned down to a lower setting, aimed down and to the left when there is traffic about, on unlit lanes when nothing is coming you can use them to their full effect but it is simple to adjust, effectively dip them so as not to cause annoyance, I can see the point as I drive and ride a bike, have been on both ends of it but I have to say it isnt the odd over lit cyclist that burns my retinas, it is usually some premium german metal who doesnt dip or sits behind you melting the back of your bumper.
I think a little bit of education is required, some cyclists tend to be a bit defensive, a mentality usually borne of being regularly treated like s
t, if a cyclist is too bright, perhaps a little flash rather than 5 seconds of main beam, a swerve and the horn will do, they will get the message eventually.
And, really, I think motorists need to perhaps check that they have a full complement of lights on there car, I reckon one in five drives round with a bulb out.
I think that perhaps some standard for lights needs introducing, like for car headlamps, cyclists also need to be able to see at night as well as be seen, the requirement is lower due to speed but it is still there, I ride country roads to work all year round.
I soon learnt that they need to be turned down to a lower setting, aimed down and to the left when there is traffic about, on unlit lanes when nothing is coming you can use them to their full effect but it is simple to adjust, effectively dip them so as not to cause annoyance, I can see the point as I drive and ride a bike, have been on both ends of it but I have to say it isnt the odd over lit cyclist that burns my retinas, it is usually some premium german metal who doesnt dip or sits behind you melting the back of your bumper.
I think a little bit of education is required, some cyclists tend to be a bit defensive, a mentality usually borne of being regularly treated like s
t, if a cyclist is too bright, perhaps a little flash rather than 5 seconds of main beam, a swerve and the horn will do, they will get the message eventually.And, really, I think motorists need to perhaps check that they have a full complement of lights on there car, I reckon one in five drives round with a bulb out.
I think that perhaps some standard for lights needs introducing, like for car headlamps, cyclists also need to be able to see at night as well as be seen, the requirement is lower due to speed but it is still there, I ride country roads to work all year round.
Edited by J4CKO on Saturday 6th April 12:02
"Even when set to strobe, the lights can dazzle onlookers."
Strobe? Won't this get the seizure lobby angry, like all the warnings I see on TV that the following programme contains "strobe lighting". I'm sure a cyclist's bright strobing headlight causing a driver to have a seizure and crash into a school of disabled lesbian immigrants might cause much fury and anger amongst the lobbyists.
Strobe? Won't this get the seizure lobby angry, like all the warnings I see on TV that the following programme contains "strobe lighting". I'm sure a cyclist's bright strobing headlight causing a driver to have a seizure and crash into a school of disabled lesbian immigrants might cause much fury and anger amongst the lobbyists.
MysteryLemon said:
The whole point in the light is to get the cyclist seen.
U-boats used to spot a lit cigarette in the dark, through choppy seas, from miles away....You don't need a bright light to be seen (hence the existance of sidelights), you only need a bright light to see with....
FourWheelDrift said:
"Even when set to strobe, the lights can dazzle onlookers."
Strobe? Won't this get the seizure lobby angry, like all the warnings I see on TV that the following programme contains "strobe lighting". I'm sure a cyclist's bright strobing headlight causing a driver to have a seizure and crash into a school of disabled lesbian immigrants might cause much fury and anger amongst the lobbyists.
I don't think flashing bike lights strobe fast enough to trigger seizures, otherwise police cars etc. would be in trouble.Strobe? Won't this get the seizure lobby angry, like all the warnings I see on TV that the following programme contains "strobe lighting". I'm sure a cyclist's bright strobing headlight causing a driver to have a seizure and crash into a school of disabled lesbian immigrants might cause much fury and anger amongst the lobbyists.
The typical range for a strobe to be dangerous is about 15-25 Hz (flashes per second). The Pokemon episode that infamously caused seizures in some of the children who watched it in Japan involved flashing lights at 20 Hz, which is right in the middle of that range. Bike lights seem (from timing mine) to flash at about 3-5 Hz, well outside the danger range.
Not to mention that if you have photosensitive epilepsy you're probably disqualified from driving on medical grounds!
Of course, having flashing lights alone on your bike is a bloody stupid idea, as the light could be off when someone glances in a mirror/over their shoulder. I find it harder to focus on a flashing light than a steady one even if I do look at it for a reasonable time (like an oncoming cyclist).
I have a mall strobe on the front as well as the higher powered light, I beleive in a bit of redundancy, unike a lot of cyclists who seem to view one light as a new fangled and unecessary afectation I like to have a spare in case one conks out, I keep the strobe on during the day as well as when riding though tree lined roads it seems to help and it is a short cut to a driver relaising its a bike, the single powerful light at night I am sure people just assume it is a Peugeot 206 as they only ever have one headlamp working.
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