Drivers seeing red?
Kiblams
Posts: 2,423
So the insurance came through and I now have 2 sets of Cat-eye lights, stuck them on the commuter...
Took a look at how they look from the height of drivers in cars and they just look far too bright! My previous lights semed to be diffused by the lenses to make them very visible but not painful to look at, yet these just seem to pierce my retina :shock:
Am I likely to be angering the drivers around me with lights that are too bright? I am considering putting tissue paper inside to diffuse the light. :?
Took a look at how they look from the height of drivers in cars and they just look far too bright! My previous lights semed to be diffused by the lenses to make them very visible but not painful to look at, yet these just seem to pierce my retina :shock:
Am I likely to be angering the drivers around me with lights that are too bright? I am considering putting tissue paper inside to diffuse the light. :?
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Imagine it on a murky night when its slashing down - brighter is better0
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prj45 wrote:Its illegal to dazzle others with your lights. If you find them too bright (i.e. dazzling) then I reckon you should point them down.
I would do that, but due to the fact that they have zero diffusion they are almost dull unless they are burning your retina...0 -
Better to dazzle drivers a bit than to have them miss you. The maximum intensity is only present when the driver's eye line & light angle are aligned. I wouldn't worry about it. Better that that drivers (we're all drivers too don't forget) have to deal with short-term discomfort rather than piling into you at 40mph because the faint red glow turned out to be a bike light.0
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I'm driving at the moment and have been grateful for the brighter lights on those cycle commuters using them.
As above, it's only very briefly and you really know there is someone there when you see themChunky Cyclists need your love too! :-)
2009 Specialized Tricross Sport
2011 Trek Madone 4.5
2012 Felt F65X
Proud CX Pervert and quiet roadie. 12 mile commuter0 -
when it comes to rear lights on a bike there is no such thing as too bright.0
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Just look at the number of drivers that have their fog lights on with no fog! (It's even worse with no fog and light rain) That must be worse than a bike light that you should be able to pass fairly soon.
-Spider-0 -
Which catetyes are they?
I have the LD1100 and LD610 on the rear of my tricross and am grateful for the light they produceChunky Cyclists need your love too! :-)
2009 Specialized Tricross Sport
2011 Trek Madone 4.5
2012 Felt F65X
Proud CX Pervert and quiet roadie. 12 mile commuter0 -
mrchrispy wrote:when it comes to rear lights on a bike there is no such thing as too bright.
Example piccy
Also bear in mind that the speed of their vehicle means they need time to see you, testing it in your garage by standing a few feet from the back of the bike is nowhere near the same. To compare it get someone else to ride it in busy traffic (so surrounded by lots of other lights) while wearing dark clothing, and you drive a little way behind.Aspire not to have more, but to be more.0 -
It isn't the brightness that bothers me, it is the lack of diffusion, so they are realy only visible from one angle and when you can see them, they are blinding!
This morning I have put a single-ply tissue paper between the lense and the LEDS, now they are just as visible without blinding me and they can be seen from more angles
Kieran_Burns they are the Cateye HL130/TL130 and I have two on the front and 3 on the rear.0 -
You should see the Cateye TL LD610 Rear Light, now thats bright! Have one on my seatpost and it's not only brighter that the last incarnation, but double the battery life.
I also have a TL-LD130 on my bag.
And as far as lights go, I'm in the can't be too bright camp*.
I do however wear dark clothing, just can't stomach hi-viz
:oops:0 -
Kiblams wrote:they are realy only visible from one angle and when you can see them, they are blinding!
Gerraway with you, scamp. Are you looking at it from 6" away or something?
That light is the absolute minimum I'd use for urban night riding. TL600/610 is more like it for commuting, especially on faster roads.Aspire not to have more, but to be more.0 -
After being cut up yesterday and nearly swerved into the day before. I was thinking about putting a light on my helmet that is so bright when I aim it at the driver he'll think he has been stabbed with a lightsaber.
I moan about bright lights on bicycles when I'm cycling but behind the wheel, there is no such thing as a rear bike light being too bright. In fact they all need to be brighter.Food Chain number = 4
A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game0 -
i've a high power led torch strapped to my helmet which is good for shining into cars. am also experimenting with a flashing blue blike light mounted at the end of my right hand handlebar (asda direct do them), not very birght but flashing blue lights do catch people's eyes.vendor of bicycle baskets & other stuff www.tynebicycle.co.uk
www.tynebicycle.co.uk/blog
Kinesis Tripster
Gazelle NY Cab
Surly Steamroller
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The use of blue flashing lights is reserved for the emergency services and it is ILLEGAL for you to use them. For some reason steady blue lights are legal. Yes they are eye catching thats why the emergency services use them.Scott Addict R2 2010
Trek 1.7 compact 2009
Tank race elite 2007
Marin Alpine trail 2007
Specalized Langster 2010
Kona Jake the Snake0 -
dinotte 140L rear here....as I may have mentioned on more than one occasion :-)
it's the daddy or rear lights
8)0 -
Simon, you might want to edit your post as you've put up a library agency picture - we wouldnt want to see the forum get into trouble or debt. :shock:0
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Depending on where you situated your lights, the dazzlingly clean surface may eventually become dirtier from stuff from the road and rain anyway - so the light may not be as bright as first thought. At least that's what i find - i mount my lights on the seatpost, so they tend to collect rubbish throw up from the rear tyre.
but yeah, brighter = safer.Go for the break
Create a chaingang
Make sure you don't break your chain0 -
So the concensus is that an array of 3 (IMO painfully bright) rear lights won't make a driver want to run me down for blinding them?
Maybe I have over sensative eyes? :?0 -
prj45 wrote:Its illegal to dazzle others with your lights. If you find them too bright (i.e. dazzling) then I reckon you should point them down.
If the Police can't deal with the egits who cant turn their front fog lights off when it's not foggy I think you'll be fine.Neil
Help I'm Being Oppressed0 -
Kiblams wrote:So the concensus is that an array of 3 (IMO painfully bright) rear lights won't make a driver want to run me down for blinding them?
Maybe I have over sensative eyes? :?
Your lights ain't that bright sunshine, don't worry.
1w Mars 4.0, RSP Astrum (2x 1/2w LEDS) and a Mars 3.0 on the back of mine, and that's bright.
Looking directly at the Mars 4 or Astrum will have you with spots in your eyesight for a while....
Coupled with 2 Hope Vision 1's on the front (480 lumens max) aimed correctly.... oh and a Knog toad as a backup.
Don't worry..... view them from a distance and then think about it.0 -
downfader wrote:Simon, you might want to edit your post as you've put up a library agency picture - we wouldnt want to see the forum get into trouble or debt. :shock:
Kiblams, try being behind a posh 4x4 with their multi-LED brake lights. Now that's what I call bright.Aspire not to have more, but to be more.0 -
Presumably those of you who advocate dazzling people with bright lights don't mind when oncomming drivers leave their lights on main beam?0
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sounds like i should leave my blue light on steady; what with my lack of pedal reflectors I am asking for trouble......vendor of bicycle baskets & other stuff www.tynebicycle.co.uk
www.tynebicycle.co.uk/blog
Kinesis Tripster
Gazelle NY Cab
Surly Steamroller
Cannondale F1000 -
will3 wrote:Presumably those of you who advocate dazzling people with bright lights don't mind when oncomming drivers leave their lights on main beam?0
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will3 wrote:
enlighten us yerself I thought ALL waveforms dimished exponentially with distance :PChunky Cyclists need your love too! :-)
2009 Specialized Tricross Sport
2011 Trek Madone 4.5
2012 Felt F65X
Proud CX Pervert and quiet roadie. 12 mile commuter0 -
Kieran_Burns wrote:CiB wrote:will3 wrote:Close up the bike lights are v bright esp when viewed straight on, but the light diminishes exponentially with distance, unlike the car headlights.
enlighten me (sorry), why should this be? Cars don't have lasers for headlights!
enlighten us yerself I thought ALL waveforms dimished exponentially with distance :P
only if there's something to dissapate the energy, or if the "beam" is spreading with distance.
For a laser the first will happen, the second less so since the beam has (or can have) extremely low divergence. But this isn't really my area, so don't take it as gospel!0 -
will3 wrote:
Yes they fecking do. In the figurative sense.
I was driving the other day and suddenly the inside of my car lit up. I checked the light in my car and that was off. I then checked myself to see if I was on fire, I wasn't. Then after switching my rear view mirror into the non-dazzle position I realised that the car (old car been modified) behind me had those horrible bright white-white-clear bulbs. Perhaps he was playing starwars I don't know, it was enough to swamp my car. "Red leader was down". I switched my lights off for a second (I know I shouldn't) to see if my lights made a difference to the ilumination ahead of me, they didn't.
This was London, Tooting, there is so much ambient light the sky at night has a hue of orange. I'll never understand why people in London insist on either having their beams on and their lights positioned in the most upright and dazzle position. (Let us leave SMIDSY alone for a second).
To counter the needless use of impossibly bright headlights in London. When I drive to Essex on the other hand there is many a stretch of road around Epping forest that has no lights the World is pitch black yet people only have their beams on when there is no cars approaching them or infront of them and when a car does appear either oncoming or they've caught up to the one infront they dip their lights and turn the beam off.Food Chain number = 4
A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game0 -
will3 wrote:
Now get him to ride your bike towards you from the same distance and tell me that he dazzling effect is the same with a couple of 3v state-of-the-art torches. It won't be. For most of the eternity that it takes him to reach you, you'll observe nothing more than couple of bright points of light.
It's not a single factor, but a combination of power, distance, & size. 2 big 12v halogen headlights on full beam generate a sight more light than your two bike lights. Like it or not, that's what happens.0