Rear lights and Cars, an observation
jlloyd
Posts: 131
It's been a bit dank and dreary round my corner of South Wales recently, so have added a rear light to my seat post for my daytime rides, something that I've never really done before.
In the past 2 weeks I've covered over 200 miles on mainly rural roads. The light is cheap and is set on flashing mode. I sometimes have a flouro jacket, but mostly wear a blueish top.
My perception (and it may just be that) is that cars are driving more considerately around me. I seem to have had fewer close passes and drivers seem to sit behind me longer than normal before overtaking (safely)
Just wondering if anyone notices this with a daytime light?
In the past 2 weeks I've covered over 200 miles on mainly rural roads. The light is cheap and is set on flashing mode. I sometimes have a flouro jacket, but mostly wear a blueish top.
My perception (and it may just be that) is that cars are driving more considerately around me. I seem to have had fewer close passes and drivers seem to sit behind me longer than normal before overtaking (safely)
Just wondering if anyone notices this with a daytime light?
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Yes, this echoes my experiences. I now use an Exposure TracerR on pulse and I certainly feel more visible to other road users.Titus Silk Road Ti rigid 29er - Scott Solace 10 disc - Kinesis Crosslight Pro6 disc - Scott CR1 SL - Pinnacle Arkose X 650b - Pinnacle Arkose singlespeed - Specialized Singlecross...& an Ernie Ball Musicman Stingray 4 string...0
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Proof as to why decent lights are required on gloomy day, far less dark ones, is to simply drive behind someone cycling with poor, or no lights.
That simple little thing changed my attitude to lights.
And dark clothing.The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
I am not sure. You have no chance.Veronese68 wrote:PB is the most sensible person on here.0 -
I got a lezyne strip drive which has a mode which puts puts out 100 lumens on a quick double flash but angles it slightly downward.I have never had so much consideration for car users.It certainly seems like most drivers give me plenty of room when I'm using this light at night.0
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I tend to agree. There's probably some psychology at play as well. A "that guy is taking care for his safety, I will give him a wide berth" type thing. Nice to benefit from it even if it begs the question of why a non lighted rider should feel their wrath.....My blog: http://www.roubaixcycling.cc (kit reviews and other musings)
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I tend to agree. There's probably some psychology at play as well. A "that guy is taking care for his safety, I will give him a wide berth" type thing. Nice to benefit from it even if it begs the question of why a non lighted rider should feel their wrath.....
Spot on.
I honestly think this is the kind of thing that goes through the mind of some drivers: "look at that idiot with no helmet* and no lights, I'll pass him really close to teach him a lesson"
They're concerned for your/our safety, but pull off a maneuver that could see you/us dead to prove it.
*I'm pro choice btw.0 -
It's in your head. I'm running the same Stripdrive Pro on that strobe mode and a Moon Comet also on strobe. I've also been sporting an Aeron Softshell with acid orange trim, so basically I look like a rave on two wheels. I'm still getting close passes, cut ups and junction chancers on a daily basis. Same as it ever was.0
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Yes, this echoes my experiences. I now use an Exposure TracerR on pulse and I certainly feel more visible to other road users.
Bought the same light at the beginning of winter for 5.30 am commutes and I'm very impressed. I can almost feel* the drivers hesitating before overtaking.
*I can't really, it's just a figure of speech0 -
I think you're probably expecting to see this and thats whats happened.
I can't say I've noticed it - but I do use a rear light on dull days. I dont understand the cool rapha duded clad all in black. It's not a wise way to ride.0 -
It's been a bit dank and dreary round my corner of South Wales recently...
I find it depends on what corner of Wales your from. Here in Swansea it sometimes feels like the last car that passed me stuck a "hit me for 10 points" sticker on my back.0 -
I've often thought drivers are more considerate when I have a light on the back. I think somewhere it registers that you are making an effort to be safe.0
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I always ride with a rear light flashing (plus one on full at night). I think it does make a difference although you will always get one driver who gets uncomfortably close.0
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Yep - given you can get button cell flashers and arm bands from £1 shops I always stick a couple on my seat post, back pack or helmet. The more sources of light the better, plus if one fails, you've still got the others.
Lidl were doing a set a while back for £2.99 actually rather bright.0 -
A good light will get you seen from further away which gives a good driver more time to plan a safe overtake. At least that’s my observation when in the car. A bad driver will always be just that.
I’ve always got a rear light on as it’s plenty dark or hard to be seen on a grey day, rainy day, riding under tree cover, riding into a low sun, fog, etc.0 -
Yes, this echoes my experiences. I now use an Exposure TracerR on pulse and I certainly feel more visible to other road users.
Bought the same light at the beginning of winter for 5.30 am commutes and I'm very impressed. I can almost feel* the drivers hesitating before overtaking.
*I can't really, it's just a figure of speech
Another happy TraceR user here;certainly seems that with that and two Alpkit Taus on the seatstays plus a small Infini on flash mode on the helmet that traffic is giving me more room on the morning commute(busy-ish A road mostly).
Need to get an Exposure front too'possibly a Strada if funds allow plus a couple of the front Tau lights to go on the forks.Ridley Helium SL (Dura-Ace/Wheelsmith Aero-dimpled 45 wheels)
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I got a lezyne strip drive which has a mode which puts puts out 100 lumens on a quick double flash but angles it slightly downward.I have never had so much consideration for car users.It certainly seems like most drivers give me plenty of room when I'm using this light at night.
I have the Leyne Zecto drive which has the same mode on it, 'daytime flash' I think it's called. Which I always have on when I'm riding solo. The only exception being a very bright summers day where it would make no difference, but we don't get too many of those!0 -
Not just me then.
Been giving a bit of thought - Could the light mark you out as a vunerable road user, in the same way drivers behave more cautiously around women and children? (think there was some sort of study into that). Perhaps the light 'legitamises' the rider in the mind of the driver as a fellow road user.
I'd agree with ipete above, i think the increased visability from a distance allows the driver time to make a better decison.
do you think the rural location could have something do with it? if you are driving in traffic, you would be constantly seeing redlights and the bike light could get lost amongst them
Btw, it's a proper cheap light, have no idea how may lumens it throws0 -
Not just me then.
Been giving a bit of thought - Could the light mark you out as a vunerable road user, in the same way drivers behave more cautiously around women and children? (think there was some sort of study into that). Perhaps the light 'legitamises' the rider in the mind of the driver as a fellow road user.
I'd agree with ipete above, i think the increased visability from a distance allows the driver time to make a better decison.
Btw, it's a proper cheap light, have no idea how may lumens it throws
I know that when I'm driving, especially in slow traffic that seeing a flashing light immediately makes me think 'cyclist'! If that's because I'm also a cyclist or an experience non-cyclist drivers would have too I don't know.0 -
It's been a bit dank and dreary round my corner of South Wales recently...
I find it depends on what corner of Wales your from. Here in Swansea it sometimes feels like the last car that passed me stuck a "hit me for 10 points" sticker on my back.
:-) Carmarthenshire mate,
We're a bit spoilt for good roads down here, got a little bit of everything. I have ridden in Swansea a few times, I think they hand out them stickers with your driving licence0 -
If a driver lands up in front of a judge after hitting a cyclist we know they most often say they did not see the cyclist. If the cyclist has a light then this is hardly credible and I can't see it going well for the driver- I honestly think drivers see the light and make a decision to play it safer.0
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If a driver lands up in front of a judge after hitting a cyclist we know they most often say they did not see the cyclist. If the cyclist has a light then this is hardly credible and I can't see it going well for the driver- I honestly think drivers see the light and make a decision to play it safer.
Doesn't work in practice (the judge/jury bit). Seen so many examples of drivers getting away with (almost) murder the last few years. Doesn't matter a jot if you're lit up like a xmas tree, wearing a helmet and obeying the highway code/cycle training 100% - a sure fire way for a driver to get away with it is the SMIDSY excuse, works at least 90% of the time.
Would a driver really admit to not looking/looking at the phone/speeding/misjudging their manoever when they could end up with jailtime or a few months banned from the road?
No it's not my fault guv, cyclist should've been more visible. Juries lap it up as we all know them cyclists are a menace and jump red lights.
That sadly how it seems to work
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I tend to perceive a cyclist with decent lights as more 'proper' participant of traffic/road user as opposed to a casual hardly visible person who does not care for his/her life enough to cough up monies for a blinker. I would drive equally carefully around both, mind, if seen on time0
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The important part is in red there.I tend to perceive a cyclist with decent lights as more 'proper' participant of traffic/road user as opposed to a casual hardly visible person who does not care for his/her life enough to cough up monies for a blinker. I would drive equally carefully around both, mind, if seen on time
Some people (regardless of mode of transport) think that if they can see, then everyone can see them.
Just as dumb as a two year old hiding by covering their eyes.The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
I am not sure. You have no chance.Veronese68 wrote:PB is the most sensible person on here.0 -
If a driver lands up in front of a judge after hitting a cyclist we know they most often say they did not see the cyclist. If the cyclist has a light then this is hardly credible and I can't see it going well for the driver- I honestly think drivers see the light and make a decision to play it safer.
You're spot on - the judge might come down really hard on him and give him a curfew !
http://www.ctc.org.uk/news/20151207-curfew-seven-second-cyclists-death-careless-driving-case
Or get off scot free - http://www.henleystandard.co.uk/news/news.php?id=13546570 -
As a driver, as well as cyclist, I think a lot of these rear lights that people use are a waste of time as far as visibility is concerned.
The cyclist tends to be seen well before you realise that he has a light on. You then overtake and say to yourself ' Whoooooo isn't that a bright light' even though youve seen the cyclist well before that.
If you are going to use a rear light during the day and expect it to make a difference get a High-end High power rear light, none of this poxy £20 rubbish0 -
Depends on the light. My Smart 0.5W is bloody bright and it was a tenner ? You do need decent batteries in it - but it does make a difference.0
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Maybe this is also in the mind of the cyclist and this affects the driver? What I mean by that is that I often ride with daytime lights now. When I do I tend to feel more confident and with more sense of entitlement to being on the road. With confidence and entitlement, perhaps I tend to ride more in the primary position, indicate my turns with more confidence and follow the rules of the road. I wonder if all this, in turn, makes drivers view me as part of traffic rather than just a hindrance?
Possibly not though, I still nearly got wiped out on a mrbt by a car that didn't look in my direction on Sunday less than 5 minutes after leaving my house with a smile on my face from joking with my wife about me being comically unmissable (given that I was in a bright flouro top/flouro oversocks and with decent front/rear lights). Oh, the irony.0 -
I nearly got wiped out this morning by a van coming up from a side turning who even though I was pretty much alongside him decided he was going to plough on regardless.
Thing is I was in a big bright blue Ford Fiesta with two headlights ablaze, so sometimes it doesn't matter how lit up or big you are
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I nearly got wiped out this morning by a van coming up from a side turning who even though I was pretty much alongside him decided he was going to plough on regardless.
Thing is I was in a big bright blue Ford Fiesta with two headlights ablaze, so sometimes it doesn't matter how lit up or big you are
quite
my bright red car has Xenon high intensity discharge headlights, the amount of times people are completely oblivious to it and just pull out,some people just ignore objects however they are lit, are more likely they just dont give a damn.
and for balance, I had my rear light on this mornings commute ride,as it was officially "dreary" according to my weather app, still didnt stop a police car deciding to close pass me through a pinch point with a pedestrian refuge. :roll:0
