Flashing LED front light?

tiny_pens

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by The Endorser</i>

Honda (who own one of the largest searchlight/optical lensemakers in the world) and the TRRL (as it was then) both did some analysis of motorcycle accident figures in th early 90's.

They actually both found that riding in good conditions with the normal headlight dipped beam on actually made you significantly more likely to get T boned.

Honda delved further and made an interesting discovery - the human brain calculates the velocity of an approacing (or receding) object by observing the rate at which the objects size increases (or decreases) in relation to the background scenery. Having a normal headlamp (instead of a dim/dip or day runing system) breaks up the outline of the rider and machine, making it much harder for a driver waiting to pull out to correctly judge the oncoming bikes speed. Kerpooowww!!!!

I did hope you wouldn't make me type all that!

<i><b>Eating baby elephants since 1969</b></i>
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

I don't suppose you have a link / source to this study do you? Its a theory I haven't come across before and I'm interested to read more about it. The usual reason offered for increased fatalities of riders using visibility increasing equipment (lights, high vis vests etc) is risk compensation.

Cheers Tiny Pens

Hairy Jock

Having seen other cyclists using flashing LED lights in full day light I can say that they do work, even when the sun is shining. The lights are less effective in full sun, but where the cyclist is in the shade and the observer in the sun then LEDs are very effective.

jedster

I have very small flashing lights on the fron (white) and back (red) of my helmet. I use them in dull/grey light conditions. Think they help a bit

baudman

jedster wrote:

I have very small flashing lights on the fron (white) and back (red) of my helmet. I use them in dull/grey light conditions. Think they help a bit

Yep! Love the ABLs (Annoying Blinking Lights). I also have them on the helmet - good for getting the attention of drivers as you look at them. On the bike, I have a (cheap) flashing 5LED on the front (clear) and on the rear (red). I do ride a bit at dusk, and sometimes of an evening when the days are shorter.

Tynancp

thanks for the reflecty ghost pic, rather cool