Safer?!

gtvlusso

Okay - This is me:

Front light flashing x 1 - Rear light flashing x 1 + Endura high vis jacket. My seat (Specialized Tri-Trip has reflective bits in the butt area too)!

This is a guy I few past at pace (he was taking it very slow!):

3 x rear lights flashing + 1 on his helmet. 3 x front lights flashing - about 9kg of extra refelectors, high vis jacket, high vis rucksack cover and those tape reflective strips on his frame.....

Should I have more lights? Are more lights just gonna confuse the hell outta people? I really thought I had enough and that as long as I was lit, I was fine - I prefer the simple approach....this guy has clearly shown me my ass when it comes to battery usage.....Whaddya think? Is more the new less?

Is riding slowly better for traffic/being seen? Or is riding like you stole the thing better for being seen?

drewp2008

sometimes looking like a threat can help. i just have enough to stay legal and ive never had any accidents. half the reason why i ride in jeans and t-shirt, helmetless (in the uk, nz doesnt allow it) and fast.

A gas hob is safer than an electric one as you can see the danger.

cougie

cant see that a teeshirt or jeans would help you if the problem is drivers dont notice you ?

Personally I go for two rear LEDS - just in case one fails/dims/falls off - you wont notice until its too late.

Same thing up front - one on flash to get attention, and another so you can see where you are going.

System_1

Who do you think a car driver would have seen first, you with your one light or the other guy with loads of lights? The speed you ride at has nothing at all to do with how easily seen you are.

I'd agree with Cougie and will have no less than 2 rears. What if the battery dies on yours? You're screwed.

Personally I've got 2 cheap flashing fronts to be seen by, backed up by some Ay-Ups to see with, and 2 cheap flashers on the rear with another on steady. There's no need to light yourself up like a christmas tree but more than one is a good idea.

damnedinflames

I passed a guy the other night in what looked like a high vis romper suit :shock:
Matching high vis trousers, jacket, rucksack cover and patches on his helmet. He only had 1 weedy light on the rear - low down on the side of the wheel, looked like it was running off of a dynamo . . . . maybe he's too cheap to buy batteries

Personaly I use a high vis gillet, 2 rear lights on my seat stem + 1 flashing on my backpack, 2 front lights and a helmet light - I have patches on my ride completely unlit so feel like i need a bit more than minimum commuting lighting

chuckcork

Ditto with the backup lights.

Even running a pretty bright dynamo LED light I still carry spare lights just in case, and that is on roads with no street lighting and almost no traffic.

IN an urban area your batteries could be bright when you leave work/home and non-existent by the time you arrive at you destination. Just not worth chancing it.

always_tyred

System wrote:

Who do you think a car driver would have seen first, you with your one light or the other guy with loads of lights? The speed you ride at has nothing at all to do with how easily seen you are.

I'd agree with Cougie and will have no less than 2 rears. What if the battery dies on yours? You're screwed.

Personally I've got 2 cheap flashing fronts to be seen by, backed up by some Ay-Ups to see with, and 2 cheap flashers on the rear with another on steady. There's no need to light yourself up like a christmas tree but more than one is a good idea.

I would have thought that a decent front blinkie and a decent rear blinkie and a yellow jacket would be okay, combined with positive/defensive road positioning etc.. Backup is good, but if you have them all on all of the time, its not really backup is it?

You might want to turn your lights off to go through red lights though gtv, in case someone sees you.

cougie

AT - I think you are missing the point of backup.

If you only have one light - and it fails/falls/dims - you aint got no light.

If you have two and one fails/falls/dies - you still have one working.

I'm guessing that you do at least glance at your lights at journeys end to make sure they are still OK - so it should only be one journey or so you ride with just the one light on ?

percusski

My observations as both cyclist and driver have revealed that high vis jackets etc do very little at night, lights are the only thing for me, daylight is a different matter.

tarquin_foxglove

My observations as both cyclist and driver have revealed that high vis jackets etc do very little at night, lights are the only thing for me, daylight is a different matter.

Agree wholeheartedly, Hi vis is good during the day but needs reflective strips to be any use at night.

I work on the assumption that I haven't been seen until their actions prove otherwise.

cougie

You can get some really nice reflective tape nowadays - all colours - including black - so you can liberally add that to your machine/bag/kit and still look like a ninja til the headlights hit you.

Personally I prefer cycling at night later on - less traffic - so any lights stand out more in the dark.

virtuoso

Saw a guy last night on the Bristol/Bath cycle path that made me chuckle, normally I'm all for good lighting but this guy took it a little too far I feel.

Not completely sure what they were but possibly those Tesco Cree torches, he had 4 on his handlebars and 3 on his helmet, plus hi-viz jacket etc. As I approached him I thought I was having a near death experience and seeing "the light at the end of the tunnel".

always_tyred

cougie wrote:

AT - I think you are missing the point of backup.

If you only have one light - and it fails/falls/dims - you aint got no light.

If you have two and one fails/falls/dies - you still have one working.

I'm guessing that you do at least glance at your lights at journeys end to make sure they are still OK - so it should only be one journey or so you ride with just the one light on ?

Oh, right, so you mean like a backup?

I like to have a spare light that I know has decent battery life in it, but I don't have it running the whole time - I find I lose track of when I changed the batteries and how much life I should have in them if I do that. My dinotte is visible to me while I'm riding (when I shoulder check) and goes to a low battery mode which is brighter than most blinkies before it dies completely. Its overkill for my current commute though.

Assuming common sense and city riding and an alternative form of transport if you really mess up, you are okay with one light.

always_tyred

percusski wrote:

My observations as both cyclist and driver have revealed that high vis jackets etc do very little at night, lights are the only thing for me, daylight is a different matter.

High vis is vital at dawn/dusk, when we often find ourselves commuting.

glebrus

gtvlusso wrote:

Okay - This is me:

Front light flashing x 1 - Rear light flashing x 1 + Endura high vis jacket.

One argument against flashing lights is that the driver is unable to judge the distanse properly. Once it flashed 10 m far and went off, then if flashed 1m far, you get the idea.
I prefer 2 lights each way if flashing. They do not synchronize usually which looks nice.

Second, I use cheap LCD ligts front and back just to mark myself, they often loose contract from vibration; I started using doubles after repeatedly finding that my only rear light wasn't working and I wasn't aware of it. The probability of 2 going off at the same time is much less.

(installing 2 was easier than finding a more reliable alternative)

jackfeeder

As most of my commute is off road (some lit, some pitch black) I have 2 lights on the rear (1 flashing Mars3 and 1 on constant small cateye) wear an Altura night vision jacket, and have 3 on the front to see where I'm going off road (1 halfords commuter light for the on-road bits, 1 nightflux 5w and 1 cateye triple shot for the off road bits). This allows me to ride at normal pace when on unlit paths etc but does mean I have 2 batteries strapped to the frame of my Marin Nail Trail. Not the lightest (weight) set up but it's good training I suppose and necessary to see where the **** I'm going.
I've also got a white/red flashing led for my helmet but haven't used it yet as I will look like a ****, I know cars will see me better but can't quite bring myself to turn it on yet!
One other thing - v.cold toes this morning, can anyone recommend good thermal cycling specific socks - my shoes are vented in the front and today my toes were freezing by the time I got into work.

jjojjas

I have a blackburn flashing on the rear of my seat bag. My R/H pannier has a backup LED flasher hanging off it and my helmet has the same on the rear. If its dark, I put them all on....and thinking about it I haven't changed the batteries in either yet and there nearly 2 years old :shock: .
Front is a steady & flashing blackburn (although I fancy something brighter) and I wear a yellow cycle jacket thats brigt enough to be seen and has some reflective piping etc.
I think I'm easy to spot, but that doesn't mean every one will see me
Highviz isn't as bright as my yellow jacket in daylight either. I know, Iv'e followed my wife wearing both the same jackets.

I think road positioning has a very big part to play in this also.
Jas

macstaffs

oh aye jackfeeder, socks, i have a pair of Defeet Woolibolies for the cold weather wore them last night with a pair of overshoes another important addition, suffered no numb toes for the hour long ride. ;-)

linsen

I have a fenix at the front which I use in the unlit bits (except today mr L has stolen it), plus a flasher
At the back I have two lights - good job as when I got home the other day one had died.
And a boil in the bag nightvision jacket
and some reflective tape on my front forks.
When I got to work in the mist the other day I was somewhat disturbed to find my back lights were completely covered in (what's it called, when it gets all fogged up?), so I was glad of the jacket

AndyManc

A sensible set up is a Desmond .


Two Two ............. Two at the front..... tw.............



I'll get me coat ............... :roll:




Actually I have been tempted to have 3 at the back, one on my seat post, helmet and rucksack.

May try it if it’s foggy

cougie

AT those Dinottes on the rear look fearsome ! I like !

I was cheap and went for the Smart 0.5W tho - and a Cateye. In hindsight - two Smarts would be better - and cheaper than the Cateye.

If you put the Fenix on Strobe - then its very eye catching - and its a fast flash.

Oh and its good to have reflectives on your arms, hands - so motorists can see your signals.

always_tyred

cougie wrote:

AT those Dinottes on the rear look fearsome ! I like !

I was cheap and went for the Smart 0.5W tho - and a Cateye. In hindsight - two Smarts would be better - and cheaper than the Cateye.

If you put the Fenix on Strobe - then its very eye catching - and its a fast flash.

Oh and its good to have reflectives on your arms, hands - so motorists can see your signals.

Yes, its fantastic. I'm not entirely sure that all of the flashing modes are legal (based on the assumption that whatever is most easily seen is liklely to be illegal in the eyes of the donkey that is the law) but it was a good purchase.

I have a smart as my backup.

JGS

glebrus wrote:

One argument against flashing lights is that the driver is unable to judge the distanse properly. Once it flashed 10 m far and went off, then if flashed 1m far, you get the idea.

This is exactly the reason I have two lights on the back one flashing and the other solid, both next to each other. This is so the flashing one gets attention and the static one helps people judge my speed (I'm usually doing 18mph+). On the front I have a resonable beam to see where I am going, and a flashing light as backup and a bit of extra "look at me" effect (Also where it's mounted provides some side on visibility).

None of my gear is "high vis", in fact it's all black and navy, but it does have plenty of reflective stripes and logos on it which I think are more important.

Portrush Philly

My commute is in the pitch dark and starts at 5am, so I like to be able to see and be seen so my set-up may seem a little excessive but you only have to get hit once....

Front: Hope Vision 4 LED on the bars and Hope Vision One helmet mounted

Rear: Cateye LD1100 and Smart 1/2 watt both seatpost mounted, rear reflector also fitted, small flashing £4 Tesco red led on rear of helmet, Rac reflective and flashing led (woolies £3) armbands one on each leg, pedal reflectors, spoke reflectors, reflective panels on my courier bag, and trousers & jacket.

and spare batteries.... of course.

drewp2008

cougie wrote:

cant see that a teeshirt or jeans would help you if the problem is drivers dont notice you ?

Personally I go for two rear LEDS - just in case one fails/dims/falls off - you wont notice until its too late.

Same thing up front - one on flash to get attention, and another so you can see where you are going.

the pr0blem isnt that drivers d0nt n0tice y0u, its that they d0nt give y0u r00m. they have lights, there are street lights m0stly. if they cant see that far ahead 0f them then they sh0uldnt be 0n the r0ad.

wh0 w0uld y0u give m0re r00m, the lit up runner at the side 0f the r0ad, hi-vis and all 0r a gr0up 0f teenagers in dark jeans and t-shirts. w0uld n0 d0ubt be the teenagers as theyd be judged m0re erratic. and y0u w0uld see them.

backed up by 0 accidents 0ver 5ish years with plenty 0f night riding.

jjojjas

what wrong with you O's dude?

dirk_van_gently

virtuoso wrote:

Saw a guy last night on the Bristol/Bath cycle path that made me chuckle, normally I'm all for good lighting but this guy took it a little too far I feel.

Not completely sure what they were but possibly those Tesco Cree torches, he had 4 on his handlebars and 3 on his helmet, plus hi-viz jacket etc. As I approached him I thought I was having a near death experience and seeing "the light at the end of the tunnel".

LOL

Fenix LD20 on the front, plus a Legal front, to keep it real, and a Duracell DIY LED light on Helmet, at the rear it's a Cateye 5 LED (bloody bright, I think that's the official description) and a small LED light attached to my right ankle. I occassionally wear a high vis as well.
I carry spare batteries, just in case.

Mike Healey

/quote] One argument against flashing lights is that the driver is unable to judge the distanse properly. Once it flashed 10 m far and went off, then if flashed 1m far, you get the idea. [/quote]

Have seen this argumentbefore, but never any back-up evidence. I've never been unable to tell how far away a cyclist with blinkies is, either while driving or riding.

For a start, you can always see the rider (dark outline against background at worst). If you can see the rider, you know roughly how far away they are, by their size.

Secondly, if the driver travels 9m between flashes of the average blinkie (unlikely) and he has seen you before he's only 10m away from you, he will be able to judge your distance because of the change in apparent size. If he doesn't see you before he's 10m away, blinkie or not, he's going to hit you.

Have googled to find evidence for your proposition and either it doesn't exist, or I have framed the enquiry properly.

il_principe

Jaysus you lot are serious about lights. I have 2 rear one front. No High viz but reflective strips on my bag. I see loads of people in hi viz, festooned with lights, cycling like morons. IMHO lights are of course vital, but riding skills are just as important. No amount of blinky lights will stop a car hitting you if you time your ridiculous RLJ'ing badly.

Tranced

SELF PRESERVATION & what I look like be dam*ed. If wrapping myself in Xmas lights would help ensure that my daughters "Daddy" will be home later.... I'll do it.