Being seen from the side

BentMikey

I want the $2000 TV version and to be able to play LED Movies off an iTouch or something!!!!

itboffin

Simon N wrote:

ride_whenever wrote:

fjellrunner wrote:

http://www.monkeylectric.com/

Awesome

Nothing else needed

+1

Have been running a monkeyelectric light for a few weeks now and its amazing. I do look like a fairground attraction but at least everyone can see me. Below is an example...not me!

WTF that dude has an ear ring?????

Jay dubbleU

I have Schwalb Marathons with reflective sidewalls - brilliant and don't need batteries

attica

itboffin wrote:

WTF that dude has an ear ring?????

Pfft, young people these days.

Oh sorry, wrong thread

dilemna

Why upset the balance or aerodynamics of your wheels by putting these lights in? The reflectors that come supplied with most bikes are crap anyway and have to go as soon as you get a bike. So why re-fit similar? If you really want to be noticed just wear hi-viz scotchlite on your clothing and helmet and get decent front and rear lights. Anyway I think a vehicle including a bike is only supposed to have lights facing front and rear. These are gimmicks and make you look like a chav on a BSO. Blue lights are certainly not legal on anything except police and emergency service vehicles.

BentMikey

dilemna wrote:

Why upset the balance or aerodynamics of your wheels by putting these lights in? The reflectors that come supplied with most bikes are crap anyway and have to go as soon as you get a bike. So why re-fit similar? If you really want to be noticed just wear hi-viz scotchlite on your clothing and helmet and get decent front and rear lights. Anyway I think a vehicle including a bike is only supposed to have lights facing front and rear. These are gimmicks and make you look like a chav on a BSO. Blue lights are certainly not legal on anything except police and emergency service vehicles.

Reflectors are no good if the observer has no lights pointing towards you from near their sightline. For example, the driver in a car at a side road.

Upset the balance or aerodynamics of your wheels? Really clutching at straws there, I think.

No lights facing sideways? I'm not sure that's correct either.

FeynmanC

Sideways lights are encouraged on vehicles...think LGV's with the orange ones all down the side, or a car with repeaters on the wings.

As for upsetting the balance...i'll get another set and put them the opposite side to even them up if you think that would be better?

sarajoy

Oooooo disco lights! Do they change colour as they go? anyone got a nice image of them on and spinning..?

R_T_A

Here you go Sarajoy - not that I'm going "Ooooo - shiny" :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLtbeU8FJW0

sarajoy

Nooo they're monkeylectric! I just want to see the discoey spokelits!

Still very shiny, though...

Coriander

R_T_A wrote:

Here you go Sarajoy - not that I'm going "Ooooo - shiny" :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLtbeU8FJW0

Oh, how fab is that? Want.

But, seriously, does there come a point when your lights are so distracting that you've inadvertently made yourself more susceptible to being hit?

rich_e

Well if they were pulling out of a side road and saw you coming, they would have to want hit you, rather than hanging back because they could see you coming!

nigglenoo

Coriander wrote:

R_T_A wrote:

Here you go Sarajoy - not that I'm going "Ooooo - shiny" :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLtbeU8FJW0

Oh, how fab is that? Want.

But, seriously, does there come a point when your lights are so distracting that you've inadvertently made yourself more susceptible to being hit?

I heard of a state in the US where they were increasingly concerned by the number of times their highway patrol vehicles were being hit by other vehicles whilst parked on the road with all lights flashing, after further increasing the number and intensity of lights the problem got worse but then after decreasing right down to two single one colour flashing lights there was a measurable improvement. It seems that visual confusion can cause some drivers to not know what they are looking at or where to go to avoid hitting it.

R_T_A

nigglenoo wrote:

Coriander wrote:

R_T_A wrote:

Here you go Sarajoy - not that I'm going "Ooooo - shiny" :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLtbeU8FJW0

Oh, how fab is that? Want.

But, seriously, does there come a point when your lights are so distracting that you've inadvertently made yourself more susceptible to being hit?

I heard of a state in the US where they were increasingly concerned by the number of times their highway patrol vehicles were being hit by other vehicles whilst parked on the road with all lights flashing, after further increasing the number and intensity of lights the problem got worse but then after decreasing right down to two single one colour flashing lights there was a measurable improvement. It seems that visual confusion can cause some drivers to not know what they are looking at or where to go to avoid hitting it.

Yeah - I've got to the point if I add any more I'll only need to put a fairy on top next month

Still............Shiny

BentMikey

...target fixation

Have you seen the size of the hydraulic crash bumpers on the rear of motorway signal vehicles, the ones with the big flashing yellow arrows?

nigglenoo

BentMikey wrote:

...target fixation

is probably a better explanation...

BentMikey wrote:

Have you seen the size of the hydraulic crash bumpers on the rear of motorway signal vehicles, the ones with the big flashing yellow arrows?

Yes I have noticed them before. Seem fairly sensible really.

Jay dubbleU

sarajoy wrote:

Nooo they're monkeylectric! I just want to see the discoey spokelits!

Still very shiny, though...

We still remember the previous spokey-doke anarchy incident Sara, - hate to think of the result if you got your hands on these

sarajoy

Bwahahaha, I'd forgotten about the spokey dokeys (I have none on my bike at the moment, pulled them off while I was walking the bike a mile or so with a friend, they're annoying at slow speeds!) - maybe I should start the guerilla attachments again...

Get the feeling I might actually like to keep these to myself though - do they screw on?

jpm5555

Has anyone tried the spokelits on a bike fitted with Crud Raceguards? I find the sphere containing the batteries and bulb catches the stay on the mudguard...

CdrJake

Coriander wrote:

R_T_A wrote:

Here you go Sarajoy - not that I'm going "Ooooo - shiny" :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLtbeU8FJW0

Oh, how fab is that? Want.

But, seriously, does there come a point when your lights are so distracting that you've inadvertently made yourself more susceptible to being hit?

Not my kind of thing personally, I'd rather not look like a cycling 80s Disco.

Although any motorist who hits you from the side with those on your wheels and then claims they didn't see you should be taken off the road sharpish.

Right up someone else street however

sarajoy

Whhooooops, there we go, my finger slipped, looks like I just bought two 'disco' spokelits...

UndercoverElephant

jpm5555 wrote:

Has anyone tried the spokelits on a bike fitted with Crud Raceguards? I find the sphere containing the batteries and bulb catches the stay on the mudguard...

I do, I found that I needed to move them further away from the rim slightly. They're attached with cable ties though so aren't coming off.

Sara, here's a video, they're all quite slow though ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_0ad2oOKis ), try to spot the people who haven't got them on. That's why I have them.

FeynmanC

jpm5555 wrote:

Has anyone tried the spokelits on a bike fitted with Crud Raceguards? I find the sphere containing the batteries and bulb catches the stay on the mudguard...

Mine did on the front one. I just twisted the fitting on the front fork outwards a little forcing the guard stays a little wider. Problem solved.

FeynmanC

sarajoy wrote:

Whhooooops, there we go, my finger slipped, looks like I just bought two 'disco' spokelits...

Yay

We'll have to go and get bristol boogieing with our mobile disco now

flashflight

A post from another thread that is relevant here regarding the SpokeLit product, images of the product in action and where to buy. Plus a discount for Bike Radar members.

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... 4#15710824

Cheers!

shouldbeinbed

Rich_E wrote:

Well if they were pulling out of a side road and saw you coming, they would have to want hit you, rather than hanging back because they could see you coming!

but these spokelights are facing almost directly sideways, you'd have to be pretty much directly in front of someone on a sideroad for them to see them. decent visible clothing and front facing lights so that the driver sees you when (hopefully ) they are looking right and left before pulling out would be much more effective.

I have a few of the reflective snaparound bands (£3 for 2 pack from tesco) wrapped around the tubes on my bike. TBH if I've not been spotted in broad dyalight or at night until I'm directly in front of a sideroad then I'm pretty well doomed to a crash with a mega SMIDSY, pretty coloured spoke toys or not

FeynmanC

The whole thing glows and its easily visible from an fairly large angle off of perpendicular to the wheel.

I'll try and get some video at some point as that's the only downside, you can't really see the effect when you're riding

fnegroni

I was nearly side swept on my commute back last night (7.15 PM)

Ironically, it was only a couple of miles from home, when the rain had stopped, and at a roundabout with excellent all round visibility, and even lamp post illuminated.

Fact is, the dozy cow didn't see any of my reflective trim nor front flashing light which spills to the side.

I approached the roundabout with care, checked traffic from both sides, only when I was already on it, fortunately turning right, and holding primary, she arrived from the left.

She wasn't even going that fast, she just didn't register I was there.

I shouted and braked just in time for her to stop and me take evasive action without skidding.

Now, would have these helped me get noticed more in that situation of excellent visibility?

Maybe worth a try?

How long do the batteries last though?

woodford2barbican

Simon N wrote:

ride_whenever wrote:

fjellrunner wrote:

http://www.monkeylectric.com/

Awesome

Nothing else needed

+1

Have been running a monkeyelectric light for a few weeks now and its amazing. I do look like a fairground attraction but at least everyone can see me. Below is an example...not me!

he might be bright in the lighting dept. but not in the brains dept. - he's got no brakes

Simon N

woodford2barbican wrote:

he might be bright in the lighting dept. but not in the brains dept. - he's got no brakes

Sorry was this a discussion on brakes?