Cyclists blinding drivers
Surf-Matt
Posts: 5,952
I know it's usually the other way round but yesterday on my way to a surf, I was driving down the road in fairly poor light - an MTB/hybrid came the other way and had lights so bright that I temporarily couldn't see properly.
Car headlights have "rules" and are set not to blind people - I think some modern bike lights need similar - some kick out more light than car lights after all.
Car headlights have "rules" and are set not to blind people - I think some modern bike lights need similar - some kick out more light than car lights after all.
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Be a tough one to enforce though.
Common sense being applied would be a good start, 900 lumens is great off road, but on road do you really need it? No probably not, plus using a lower setting will give better battery life
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I reckon it's really dangerous - I think cops should stop bikes with dazzling lights. They are as bad a ones with no lights at all (almost).0
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I won't deny it could be dangerous, but I think the Police have far greater issues than stopping an idiot who doesn't turn his light down so as not to temporarily blind a road user0
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Tis a problem, the ligh can be very concentrated as well. I think it would be very difficult to enforce the direction rules that apply to cars. I also have a sneaky feeling some cyclists do it deliberately to get their own back on the car drivers.It's easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission.
I've bought a new bike....ouch - result
Can I buy a new bike?...No - no result0 -
I usually have my magicshine on low power pointing just in front of the front wheel if I'm on the road.
However, if you carve me up or try and squeeze past, I'm gonna strobe your ass
Epilepsy? Not my problem fool!0 -
I've propped my bike up, and run 20-30 yards away to see how they look head on. They are very, very bright, but not enough to 'blind' a driver.
I'd say they're dimmer than the blue-y headlights on Audi Q7's, Range Rovers and BMW X5s, it's more of a problem with one of those driving behind me, where their lights are at the same height as my rear view mirror.
That's a continuous thing too, at least with bike lights you only see the front ones when you're driving towards them, and after a pretty short time they're gone.
Whilst the lights aren't bright enough to blind a driver so that they actually can't see anything, they are bright enough that drivers coming towards me sometimes seem unsure as to what I am, motorbike and car with one headlight out seem to come before bike. Frankly, I like it as the uncertainty gets me a lot more space on the road, drivers are people, not moths, they're not going to accelerate towards a bright light.
EDIT: The guy on the hybrid should have bought a Hope
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MTB lights are at just the right height to shine through dogger's car windows 0
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Bails - an X5 with xenons was just behind the bike - the bike lights were more blinding.0
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there are rules in place in other countries, notably Germany where for example the Sigma 10W halogen spot is not supposed to be used on the road but the 5W has a shaped reflector so is OK.
However, I don't see it being difficult to enforce; you write (or borrow) a standard and rule that lights must pass that standard to be used, then you fine anyone riding with out a correct standard light. For that matter the current rules may even cover this in the UK, but I'm not clear on what the current rules are.
the light power isn't a problem really, it's the lack of a dip shield or shaped reflector that sends light too high (or indeed a badly adjusted light) into the oncoming traffic's eyes. ofc some see this as a good thing ("make sure they see us etc etc" but a decent dipped LED like I have on my commuter is as good as I can imagine needing and for sure is visible from '0s of meters away. It's not cheap though....Everything in moderation ... except beer
Beer in moderation ... is a waste of beer
If riding an XC race bike is like touching the trail,
then riding a rigid singlespeed is like licking it
... or being punched by it, depending on the day0 -
Surf-Matt wrote:Bails - an X5 with xenons was just behind the bike - the bike lights were more blinding.
But when you're driving towards the car, you're off to one side, and the lights are pointed down. So not a problem driving towards, but when it's right on your bumper it illuminates the whole of the inside of the car, because the lens/reflectors are shaped to stop the light going off the right, and keep it pointing forwards.
If you're in the wrong place, the xenons are probably brighter, but as others have said, the bike light will send light everywhere pretty evenly, great for off road, not so for on road.0 -
Cat With No Tail wrote:I usually have my magicshine on low power pointing just in front of the front wheel if I'm on the road.
However, if you carve me up or try and squeeze past, I'm gonna strobe your ass
Epilepsy? Not my problem fool!
I've never ever ever done that :twisted:0 -
bigbenj_08 wrote:Cat With No Tail wrote:I usually have my magicshine on low power pointing just in front of the front wheel if I'm on the road.
However, if you carve me up or try and squeeze past, I'm gonna strobe your ass
Epilepsy? Not my problem fool!
I've never ever ever done that :twisted:
Also works with drivers who have not noticed it's dark and therefore have neglected to put their lights on.0 -
Nah... Its because I am the law!
Get a red one to flash in unison and you could pull people over 0 -
It is more to do with the angle of the light. as a rule I switch off my off road torches when on the road as they would dazzle. A little commuter 3 led light works fine on road and sometimes a momentary action switch on the ealgletac to flash down an unlit road to get an idea where a coners is when there are no cars works. Just the same way you use full beam on a car, car drivers are much worse leaving full beam on too long. using fogs at night or not adjusting dip beam when the car is loaded are more of a problem.-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
Mongoose Teocali
Giant STP0
Why are MTB economics; spend twice as much as you intended, but only half as much as you wish you could afford? :roll:0 -
*AL* wrote:Surf-Matt wrote:I reckon it's really dangerous - I think cops should stop bikes with dazzling lights.
Good idea !
Now that D&C police have successfully eradicated all speeding/drink driving/uninsured drivers etc it'll give them something 'useful' to do :roll:
No, no, drivers pay road tax, so they own the road, they're allowed to do what they want. Didn't you know that? Duhhh! 0
