Blinding front lights
secretsam
Posts: 5,120
OK, so it was a bit dull this morning at 7.30. Lights made sense.
But not 6 trillion lumen hyper-eyeball blasting searchlights, on full maximum retina-damage mode, angled towards the person coming the other way.
Came across two of these twonks in Hyde Park. Seriously, show some consideration for everyone else :evil:
But not 6 trillion lumen hyper-eyeball blasting searchlights, on full maximum retina-damage mode, angled towards the person coming the other way.
Came across two of these twonks in Hyde Park. Seriously, show some consideration for everyone else :evil:
It's just a hill. Get over it.
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Shout Woooa-wooa-woaaa!!!! cover your eyes and start to zigzag in the front of them: I bet they will re-adjust the lights pretty soon!0
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Shout Woooa-wooa-woaaa!!!! cover your eyes and start to zigzag in the front of them: I bet they will re-adjust the lights pretty soon!
this 0 -
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Doesn't work I'm afraid, or there are so many it makes no impact. Tried this last winter along lea canal. This year I'm going to try hooking up two magic shine so I will at least be able to see what is coming.Shout Woooa-wooa-woaaa!!!! cover your eyes and start to zigzag in the front of them: I bet they will re-adjust the lights pretty soon!FCN 9 || FCN 50 -
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You don't go around them a few times first?I dress up as a moth and cycle straight into themFCN 9 || FCN 50 -
Another one of the bu99ers wrecked my night vision yesterday evening, once again in Hyde Park. Is there some sort of secret sect of idiots that gathers there?
It's just a hill. Get over it.0 -
You don't go around them a few times first?I dress up as a moth and cycle straight into them
sometimes, other times i go to their house first and eat their favourite jumper!www.conjunctivitis.com - a site for sore eyes0 -
Another one of the bu99ers wrecked my night vision yesterday evening, once again in Hyde Park. Is there some sort of secret sect of idiots that gathers there?
Ah but he was safe beacuse YOU SAW HIM. Shame on you if you crash into something else while suffering from full retinal burn 0 -
OK, so it was a bit dull this morning at 7.30. Lights made sense.
But not 6 trillion lumen hyper-eyeball blasting searchlights, on full maximum retina-damage mode, angled towards the person coming the other way.
Came across two of these twonks in Hyde Park. Seriously, show some consideration for everyone else :evil:
So, new to commuting. Working in London means no time for me at weekends - lost my MTB time, so commuting the best way back onto the bike. Not being a natural to London streets, I obviously want to do the right thing. I've seen some excellent posts on here about do's/don'ts, etiquette etc, which is something I see as really important, and is just as applicable in the MTB world as well. (got to the point where I am the only numpty waiting at the lights...)
Off the back of this thread, I'm wondering now whether there is an acceptable Lumen count, light angle, make, model. Any preference to flashing versus full beam? Is there a particular decorum for use of big lights in differing weather conditions?
I want to be seen, very, very clearly, in all conditions, by all road users. To that end, I do everything I can using everything I have. I had the Exposure bad boys from my MTB days, so feel a whole lot more comfortable with 1600 Lumen than with anything less. If that makes me a Twonk, then so be it. If I ever get wiped out, at least on-one will say "never saw him..".Waterloo - White City
Cannondale Quick Carbon 1 2016
Cannondale Scalpel Carbon 3 26" (Lefty)0 -
Make your own mind up on that. I started using a magicshine on London main roads because glare from headlights makes bike lights ineffective. In my case I was taken out by a car pulling and stopping across the bus lane I was cycling along. He had line of sight on me for a good 20 seconds but there was queuing traffic on my right which compounded his ineffectual looks.
Some people around be horrified at using a magic shine on the main roads. My thoughts are that if no lights around use as small a light around as possible. If lots of bright lights then you have to compete.FCN 9 || FCN 50 -
To the two posters above, that's fine, just angle it down towards the road, not at car drivers and cyclists eyes.Bianchi Infinito CV
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why not buy a dozen of the new super bright tiny units supersonic posted and mount them all around your bike creating artificial daytime?Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
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Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.0 -
OK, so it was a bit dull this morning at 7.30. Lights made sense.
But not 6 trillion lumen hyper-eyeball blasting searchlights, on full maximum retina-damage mode, angled towards the person coming the other way.
Came across two of these twonks in Hyde Park. Seriously, show some consideration for everyone else :evil:
So, new to commuting. Working in London means no time for me at weekends - lost my MTB time, so commuting the best way back onto the bike. Not being a natural to London streets, I obviously want to do the right thing. I've seen some excellent posts on here about do's/don'ts, etiquette etc, which is something I see as really important, and is just as applicable in the MTB world as well. (got to the point where I am the only numpty waiting at the lights...)
Off the back of this thread, I'm wondering now whether there is an acceptable Lumen count, light angle, make, model. Any preference to flashing versus full beam? Is there a particular decorum for use of big lights in differing weather conditions?
I want to be seen, very, very clearly, in all conditions, by all road users. To that end, I do everything I can using everything I have. I had the Exposure bad boys from my MTB days, so feel a whole lot more comfortable with 1600 Lumen than with anything less. If that makes me a Twonk, then so be it. If I ever get wiped out, at least on-one will say "never saw him..".
You can cause an accident by reducing other road users' ability to resolve hazards, and then there's target fixation...your bright lights might make you more likely to get hit, not less. Being able to place the blame on the other party is pretty cold comfort when you're laid up with broken bones.- - - - - - - - - -
On Strava.{/url}0 -
This. If a driver runs lights in dipped why can't a cyclist aim the beam down instead of straight at others?To the two posters above, that's fine, just angle it down towards the road, not at car drivers and cyclists eyes.
Should point out that this is generally a minority that grab the attention.0 -
To the two posters above, that's fine, just angle it down towards the road, not at car drivers and cyclists eyes.
The voice of reason. I think it is as simple as that.
I get the 'twonk' thing now - big lights are fine, just be a grown up with themWaterloo - White City
Cannondale Quick Carbon 1 2016
Cannondale Scalpel Carbon 3 26" (Lefty)0 -
To the two posters above, that's fine, just angle it down towards the road, not at car drivers and cyclists eyes.
The voice of reason. I think it is as simple as that.
I get the 'twonk' thing now - big lights are fine, just be a grown up with them
Yes please. I used to pass a guy with badly-aimed big lights on my rural commute. Their were times when I simply had to stop because I had no idea where I was going. Someone in a car behind me might simply flatten me without ever having seen I was there.ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH0 -
You can cause an accident by reducing other road users' ability to resolve hazards, and then there's target fixation...your bright lights might make you more likely to get hit, not less. Being able to place the blame on the other party is pretty cold comfort when you're laid up with broken bones.
I'm not sure how this "target fixation works".
As a driver (and cyclist) if I see an extra light I stop and see what it is rather than pull out.
Now I know that as a cyclist I try to take extra care as a driver around bikes, but even those stupid muppets must realise that a bright light is obviously attached to something!
I concede that judging distance is sometimes difficult, but isn't it better to just wait an extra couple of seconds and see if you are right?0 -
Target fixation is a real phenomenon. For instance, if you're cycling and see a pothole, you're more likely to ride into it if you keep looking at it; the bike will tend to go where you are looking.
No surprises then that the same sort of thing can happen when people are driving, particularly if you're operating on autopilot.
You're making an assumption that most drivers are making 100% conscious decisions when encountering hazards; that is not my experience. To be honest, it's not my experience in most human endeavours; people operate on intuition most of the time.- - - - - - - - - -
On Strava.{/url}0 -
Occasionally when I've been blinded by an oncoming car with lights on main beam, I've lost all appreciation of where the road is, and actually found myself drifting towards the middle of the road and hence dangerously close to the car. It's very unsettling.0
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Occasionally when I've been blinded by an oncoming car with lights on main beam, I've lost all appreciation of where the road is, and actually found myself drifting towards the middle of the road and hence dangerously close to the car. It's very unsettling.
+1
A couple of times in the past I've shoulder checked prior to passing a slower cyclist / obstacle only to be blinded by a 1000 badly aimed lumens from some twunt behind me, then can't see a damn thing for a few seconds & lose sense of where I am in relation to the obstacle I'm trying to pass, and anything else in the vicinity. Had to brake last time because I thought I was about to rear end a slower bike in front - then got a mouthful of abuse for slowing down for "no reason" - from the a*rsehole who'd just blinded me....! Think I may have questioned his parentage rather loudly at that point....CS7
Surrey Hills
What's a Zwift?0 -
I was doing the end of a long walk and was on the road at the time when a car came along with full beams on. Most drivers dipped them even with walkers but this guy didn't. I then realised I had my really bright lights in the rucksack and got them out (head torch so not as bright as bike lights but plenty bright enough). The next driver coming at us without dipping his lights got a full on stare from me along with the head torch set to ful power. I came to realize how dangerous it was because the driver started to snake a bit because he could not see where he was going. Must have looked right into the full beam and lost vision for a while.
I know from experience when you get dazzled by a bright light it can result in you losing control and weaving. It is this effect that annoys me. Fortunately where I commute it is only the rare driver who keeps his full beam lights on. I usually just angle my 300 lumen lights at him if I get the chance and carry on. My preference is to point to the kerb at a suitable distance ahead. That allows me to see what I need the lights for but the worst I can do is dazzle a pedestrian or numptie cyclist riding the pavement (this last one I care nothing about). It is plain common sense to dip your bright headlights. That tops dazzling but does not reduce your visibility IMHO. Mind you most ultra bright lights tend to have narrow beams IMO so perhaps not best for visibility. My preference is one directed high lumens light (in my case 300 is good enough) and one wide beam light to the front. To the rear I have a bright but not excessively so (50 lumens) light that has good 180 degree visibility - Rapid X2 - and one lower lumen light with wide visibility. This gives me enough light to be seen by even if one goes flat battery on me.
AS far as the twonks go we have to live with the dazzling when it happens but if possible look away before the full beam hits you, it may help a bit.0 -
A bit OT, but I did once ride clean off the edge of the road due to being dazzled - by a badly-aimed security floodlight that suddenly blinded me. I am mild-mannered and not much given to mouthing off, but you can imagine the mouthful that the householder got when he came out to complain about me fixing the ensuing puncture in his driveway.0
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I used to try and dazzle the oncoming cars that would not dip their lights, but knowing my luck they would eventually swerve into me!
Instead I now cover my eyes with one hand in a pantomime fashion and possibly give them a hand signal not found in the highway code as they pass.0
