How many lights?

byke68

Yet again, another near miss whilst commuting to work. This time a white van tw*t pulling out in front of me at a roundabout. Is one bright flashing front light, reflective leg band and reflective trim on my jacket not enough for motorist's in lit-up areas? And it was my right of way!
Should cyclists have 2 lights on their bike? maybe a helmet light as well? What the heck, I'll wrap some battery powered xmas lights around me or a glitter ball on my head!
Any other BRIGHT ideas to make us commuters safer on our bikes? :roll:

Clairep

You definitely need a brighter light and more hi viz - I don't think cyclists are as visible in streetlights compared to total darkness where the car lights flash up the reflective stuff and the lights stand out more .. strange as it seems ..

Twostage

I have two front and back, hi viz top with reflective strips and flashing light.
With it being white van man it is entirely possible that he did actually see you but pulled out anyway. :evil:

downfader

byke68 wrote:

Yet again, another near miss whilst commuting to work. This time a white van tw*t pulling out in front of me at a roundabout. Is one bright flashing front light, reflective leg band and reflective trim on my jacket not enough for motorist's in lit-up areas? And it was my right of way!
Should cyclists have 2 lights on their bike? maybe a helmet light as well? What the heck, I'll wrap some battery powered xmas lights around me or a glitter ball on my head!
Any other BRIGHT ideas to make us commuters safer on our bikes? :roll:

Reflectives dont tend to work too well on traffic waiting at junctions like rabs due to the angle of the light they emit. Wearing brighter colours may help.

What light(s) have you been using?

In winter I will always have 2 front, 2 back. One steady and one flashing/strobe. I choose one light rear and front to have side projection, and one rear and front to light outwards (so I can see where I'm going, or to produce a spot of light on the ground behind me)

I don't like helmet lights, myself. Another rider nodded at me on friday and nearly blinded me with his.

crossborderreiver

The benefit of a flashing helmet light is that you can direct the flashing beam at cars as you approach junctions simply by by turning your head and looking towards them. A flashing light is more eyecatching than a steady light. You don't need a major eyeball burning light to do this just something small like the little Smart ones. You would still need decent lights front and back on the bike for seeing and being seen with.

veronese68

I have one flashing and one steady front and back. Flashing to attract attention and steady to judge distance by.

ToeKnee

Reflective strips on the ankles works well as that's where the headlights shine ... and they're often flying up and down - drawing drivers' attention to you ... that said I have them on the wrists too for indicating (fingers crossed drivers can see them). I also have reflective strips hanging off my rack bag.

I use 2 bright front, 2 bright back, 2 LEDs on the seat stays - rechargeable ... and 1 LED on the rack and 2 bar end lights - battery. I only have the latter ones on in bad visibility.

Gussio

Two on the front (Cateye flashing and Fenix LD20 steady) and two on the back (Mars Blackburn 3 and a Smart 1/2 Watt). Sometimes put a third rear in my backpack cover.

Counted 7 people between Richmond and Victoria this morning who were riding with no lights. It was pitch black. They are insane, have a deathwish or are just plain stupid. My guess is on the latter.

ads2k

I do look like a Xmas tree having a party myself

I have 2 front - Exposure Race Mk5 (main) a Smart one (flashing) and another Exposure Spark on my helmet. 2 rears - Exposure Flare and Cateye LD600 and flashing reflective led strips on both arms and legs and my parents bought me some of the led wheel reflectors for Xmas just encase I didn't already have enough. My tyres also have a reflective strip round them (Conti Cityride from memory). Reflective strips on clothing/panniers/overshoes etc..

I've decided that it's better to have 'too' many lights so maybe I make people laugh/take to pi$$ but so what at least I've done all I can to make myself seen.

Wallace1492

3 on bar, 1 flash one steady, one smaller one. One small flasher on front forks and a helment light. You can never have too much. One light is simply not good enough, especially if it is on flash, he could have glanced at you and looked away while the light was "off". Never count on cars giving you the right of way, wear bright stuff as well as reflective.

pete54

I used to have one flashing light on the front because I thought that this was more visible than a steady beam. Recently, however, I've noticed that as a pedestrian I find it a lot harder to spot cyclists with flashing lights when I cross the road. Maybe something to do with judging distances?

I have now purchased a very bright Cateye Nanoshot and use it on its own on constant beam. I seem to be much more visible to motorists and pedestrians than I used to be and feel a lot safer.

gbsahne001

Front : 2 lights (200 lumens allegedly), 1 small flashy, through town I have the flashy on and one of the big lights on low plus a head torch set on low. On the unlit roads, then flashy off (makes me want to hurl) and the two main lights on full.

Rear: LD1100 on constant + 610 in Cyclon / Knightrider mode, 1 smart rear as back up plus a mudguard reflector / pea light.

Reflectives: not a lot on me but the bike currently has reflective wheel trims, the panniers both have large reflective surfaces and the bike is covered in reflective tape.

Twostage

Forgot I have a flashing light on my helmet also.

bails87

In the dark I wouldn't want to be relying on a flashing light. I'd want, as others have said, a flashing one to grab attention and a steady to be seen properly.

I'm currently using a Magicshine Mj872 on the front (steady), when I'm in traffic I put a small knog frog strobe on flash, just to help people notice me as I'm overtaking them.

SimonAH

Knog Gekko triple LED front and rear, both set to flash and a Magicshine 1600 lumen light cannon on the handlebars for when I want to see where I'm going.

However,

I reckon that absolutely the best thing you can put on your bike are the 3M spoke straws that sometimes appear in Lidl (but can always be found in Halfrauds). Put one on each spoke and your wheels are just masshoof disks of light from almost any angle - astonishingly bright.

davmaggs

Changed commutes a couple of months back to some roads that have far less lighting and started to get a few cars doing daft things. I was going to invest in a Philips light as they are more like a headlight, but don't need external battery packs.

However watching the pennies I decided to trial putting back an older always on LED cateye light along side the existing Cateye flashing unit and the combination seems to have done the trick.

I also bought some decent rechargeable batteries (and a smart charger) because LED lights have a flaw in that they can be very bright for a few minutes (long enough for the pre-bike departure check) and then go far dimmer without you realising part way into the journey. Having good batteries, a few spare ones and a decent charger now results in me changing them far more often rather than waiting until it is really obvious that they need doing.


edit; meant to say that reflective gear only works well with light shining at it. If the vans was in a side road then its headlights wouldn't have been lighting you up.

SimonAH

I think that this makes the point;



Best thing is that that total weight is about that of half a slice of dry toast :-D

Cafewanda

+1 for the spokes getup.

I have two lights at the front: 1 flashing and 1 constant, three at the back: two flashing and 1 constant. I've just remembered I also have spoke lits, just need to get some batteries. Yay

SimonAH

Cafewanda wrote:

+1 for the spokes getup.

I have two lights at the front: 1 flashing and 1 constant, three at the back: two flashing and 1 constant. I've just remembered I also have spoke lits, just need to get some batteries. Yay

The problem that you have Wanda is that you're below mirror level for all cars except for low slung sportscars aren't you? :-D I would have thought that a flagpole with a flashing light at the top would be the best solution for you!

Cafewanda

Simon, have I told you lately that I hate you? :P

That flagpole idea is not a bad one though

mudcow007

2 front (Moon X Power 300 & Chinese copy of Magicshine 1600 lumens)

2 rear (Smart R1 & Smart R2)

Aldi Spoke straws

king_jeffers

What about the pedestrians walking on unlit, shared use paths dressed in black! You need some sort thermal imager to pick up those ninjas.

SimonAH

Exactly why I bought the MagicShine. I was using a 150Lumen MiNewt, but some path rides scared me silly because you really can't see the sods.

Switch on the light cannon though and not only can you see them, but they scatter into the hedges with hands over their eyes....

bails87

SimonAH wrote:

Exactly why I bought the MagicShine. I was using a 150Lumen MiNewt, but some path rides scared me silly because you really can't see the sods.

Switch on the light cannon though and not only can you see them, but they scatter into the hedges with hands over their eyes....

Get close enough and they'll burst into flames!

porlyworly

Nearly got nailed by some a$$h01e in a white van this morning, was cycling along main road as he pulled out of side street whilst frantically trying to demist his still frozen windscreen with his sleeve. Ordered a front light off dealextreme but not heard from them for a while and the tracking is knackered on the website, they're also not responding to queries

king_jeffers

PorlyWorly wrote:

Nearly got nailed by some a$$h01e in a white van this morning, was cycling along main road as he pulled out of side street whilst frantically trying to demist his still frozen windscreen with his sleeve. Ordered a front light off dealextreme but not heard from them for a while and the tracking is knackered on the website, they're also not responding to queries

Same here, I purchased a P7 900-Lumen torch + bracket for the bike just before Christmas and still nothing. Going to be light mornings/nights by the time it arrives.

downfader

King Jeffers wrote:

PorlyWorly wrote:

Nearly got nailed by some a$$h01e in a white van this morning, was cycling along main road as he pulled out of side street whilst frantically trying to demist his still frozen windscreen with his sleeve. Ordered a front light off dealextreme but not heard from them for a while and the tracking is knackered on the website, they're also not responding to queries

Same here, I purchased a P7 900-Lumen torch + bracket for the bike just before Christmas and still nothing. Going to be light mornings/nights by the time it arrives.

Cotswold outdoor were doing a deal on LED Lenser lights recently. I think it was 25% off for CTC members. Cant remember full price though.

bails87

downfader wrote:

King Jeffers wrote:

PorlyWorly wrote:

Nearly got nailed by some a$$h01e in a white van this morning, was cycling along main road as he pulled out of side street whilst frantically trying to demist his still frozen windscreen with his sleeve. Ordered a front light off dealextreme but not heard from them for a while and the tracking is knackered on the website, they're also not responding to queries

Same here, I purchased a P7 900-Lumen torch + bracket for the bike just before Christmas and still nothing. Going to be light mornings/nights by the time it arrives.

Cotswold outdoor were doing a deal on LED Lenser lights recently. I think it was 25% off for CTC members. Cant remember full price though.

Don't fall for Lenser's con.

The "LED Lenser P7" hasn't, oddly enough, got a P7 LED in it. A bit like Audi selling the "R8 V10" with the 4 cylinder engine from a 1993 Metro inside.

There are plenty of UK based sellers (Dealextreme included!) to buy from who will deliver quickly.

clarkey cat

you're not safe unless you've got one of these.

Kieran_Burns

Surely l+1 applies here?

downfader

bails87 wrote:

downfader wrote:

King Jeffers wrote:

PorlyWorly wrote:

Nearly got nailed by some a$$h01e in a white van this morning, was cycling along main road as he pulled out of side street whilst frantically trying to demist his still frozen windscreen with his sleeve. Ordered a front light off dealextreme but not heard from them for a while and the tracking is knackered on the website, they're also not responding to queries

Same here, I purchased a P7 900-Lumen torch + bracket for the bike just before Christmas and still nothing. Going to be light mornings/nights by the time it arrives.

Cotswold outdoor were doing a deal on LED Lenser lights recently. I think it was 25% off for CTC members. Cant remember full price though.

Don't fall for Lenser's con.

The "LED Lenser P7" hasn't, oddly enough, got a P7 LED in it. A bit like Audi selling the "R8 V10" with the 4 cylinder engine from a 1993 Metro inside.

There are plenty of UK based sellers (Dealextreme included!) to buy from who will deliver quickly.

The Lenser is only rated at something like 180 lumens. I'm not sure thats where they get the P7 bit from, anyway. Point is, perfectly good for commuting