Cyclists with ultra bright lights

[George111]

What is it with cyclists these days that they seem to need a light on their bike and helmet which is brighter than the sun ? They often have one flashing and one on permanently and they're so bright I need to use high beam to see past them. What are these lights they're using, are they legal ? Even the newer HID and LED lights on cars are not as painful as these lights . . . why ? As a cyclist myself I know they're not going fast enough to need long range lights, a ground facing flood light is far more useful on a bicycle.

[kambites]

I suppose they need them because it's the only way they have a hope of being seen in a sea of HiD covered SUVs.

[Jacobyte]

They're doing it for absolutely no other reason than to annoy you. It seems to have worked.

[ReaderScars]

There you go, even put them in chronological order for you.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=2&a...

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=133...

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=119...

[jamieduff1981]

They don't even pay road tax...


Seriously though, anything that highlights their very presence better is a good thing. Anything that helps range them (which flashing lights are not so good at) is better still.

[marting]

Cool Story bro

[Martin_M]

Easily irritated.

[SteveSteveson]

George111 said:

What are these lights they're using, are they legal ?

It's not the brightness often, it's them pointing the wrong way. Also, some cyclists have a view of "if they are dazzled at least they will see me". And many people don't understand the diffrence between lights to see with and lights to be seen with.

Personaly I use a cateye volt 350 and a small cateye LED light on the front. I ride on unlit roads and find it plenty for anything on road in dry weather. I also make sure I point my lights in the right direction, but I have set up motorbike lights so know what to do, or thy would fail an MOT. Some people just stick on the brightest lights they can buy.

When you see the number who put a crap rear light on their left seat stay, so its blocked by the wheel, behind a basket on the front or put it on the seat and wear a coat that covers it you have to think at least bright lights are visable. Some people just don't think.

Having said this, I see less of them than cyclops cars or bikes with no lights.

Edited by SteveSteveson on Thursday 5th February 20:18

[Renovation]

I agree, I commute on country lanes and I regularly meet one cyclist who's lights are blinding - I simply head approx 3ft right of the light, as that is where the road probably is.

[dandarez]

Now I'm not against cyclists with lights (it's the ones without lights), however, there is a disturbing trend.

Lately I've noticed some with their 'front' light, not attached to the bike but to their bloody head!
Have these dim bright lights not realised that their bloody heads move?

I met one of these idiots as I came round a sharp bend. He obviously thought he was B. Wiggins in full pursuit in the middle of the black night! His head bobbing from his obvious panting, I was blinded from all angles with his head-strapped laserlite one-million candlepower led spotlight 1000 metre beam.

F.... ridiculous!

Mind you, he knew I was there. My hand stuck on the horn for a good minute!

[sticks090460]

It's getting to the point where I'm thinking of fitting one to myself as a pedestrian and directing them straight at any similarly equipped cyclist heading in my direction. But then I am easily irritated.

[TheAllSeeingPie]

Probably to ensure the texting / twittering fkwits on the roads at rush hour can't get out of personal injury claims when they knock you off. Same reasons so many cyclists seem to have helmet cams on now.

[406highlander]

I was walking home from work one day in December when I was nearly knocked down by a cyclist who was:

1) riding on the pavement
2) had no lights fitted at all
3) was wearing dark clothing

AND CRUCIALLY

4) was texting someone on his phone
5) not looking where he was going

What a bloody idiot. Point behind my post is that it's not just cyclists and pedestrians who need to look out for idiots texting and driving; occasionally it's the other way round and drivers and pedestrians need to watch out for idiots on bikes.

[kambites]

I suspect someone who does idiotic things like that while driving will do the same while cycling and vice versa.

[Bushi]

Met one last night with the full strobe effect turned on, I was twitching for a good ten minutes afterwards, utter madness.

Surely the main danger is from behind when cycling? can see no major need for super bright front lights.

[Negative Creep]

Had one sitting behind me the other night with some sort of LED strobe. Suffice to say it is seriously distracting with tht going off in the mirrors

[kambites]

Bushi said:

Surely the main danger is from behind when cycling? can see no major need for super bright front lights.

The main danger certainly, but I think there's also a significant number of accidents where a car pulls out to overtake when there's a cyclist coming the other way.

Also, don't forget that as car lights get brighter, cyclists need brighter lights to see where they're going. If you lose your night vision being passed by something with HiDs (even if it's coming from behind you), it takes a long time to get back to the point where you can see much by the light or a traditional pathetic bike light.

[Sensibleboy]

Cars pulling out of junctions only looking for cars with bright headlights are the problem. Lights on helmets make the cyclist visible above parked cars too which all helps them be seen.

The number of times I've been riding along with two decent front LED lights and because they aren't as bright as a car headlamp the driver has assumed there is nothing there so has continued to pull out of the side road.

[lufbramatt]

I have quite a bright led front light on my commuter bike, but it's on the lowest power setting, and pointed diagonally down at the road. I'm well aware of not dazzling drivers, and tbh it's very useful to be able to see potholes on wet Tarmac roads. I also use a led head torch, but it's not hugely bright. Head torches are great for attracting attention as your head moves around, without resorting to a strobe, which I despise on the front of bikes. Also helps with making eye contact with drivers in side roads as it points where you're looking.

Have 3 rear lights, 2 solid red one flashing, just to cover all angles. I'm always amazed when you see people out with one tiny 2.99 halfords rear light and are mixing it with hgvs on busy roads in the dark.

With a bit of thought it's not hard to be visible without pissing everyone else off!

Edited by lufbramatt on Thursday 5th February 21:20

[anonymous-user]

This thread. While you all sit in your toasty warm rep mobiles, there are people out there who actually do some exercise. They don't have factory installed blinding kits, so must add their own. So either get on a bike yourself or shut up