Lights too bright??

trevorh

Had a run in with a dog walker last night about the need to be able to see in the dark. I was cycling on a shared bridleway across Epsom downs yesterday, pitch black with no ambient light at all. Had my front light on its highest setting so I can see all that is happening in front. Passed one dog walker who gave way to me kindly and wished me a good evening. Came up behind another dog walker who as I passed (he was walking in the same direction I was going) questioned the need for me to need to be able to see so far ahead of me (using some very colourful language). I answered that I needed to be able to see people like him and not run them over or his dog and just got a very sustained barrage of abuse. Had a similar situation on my road bike with a pedestrian about 3 weeks ago with my light on the flashing setting. I always tilt my light slightly down so not to dazzle people. Anyone else had issues similar? Just don't think there is any need for abusive comment when all I am trying to do is get home.

fenix

If you were a motorist and saw a ped -would you stay on full beam ? I'd dip personally.

Some people do love to argue though so you won't please everyone. He's probably read the DM and heard about maniac killer cyclists.

slc123

If I know there is going to be people/cars around I tend to dip mine and have them on the lowest setting. Generally you should still have a decent amount of light to see in front of you. I only use my on full setting if I'm deep in the woods doing more technical/faster stuff.

Although as mentioned some people just like to argue and be difficult. Even if you rode past him in the dark, he would probably complain that you had no lights!

FishFish

I give far worse than I get and actually don't give a toss.

RockmonkeySC

Flashing front lights may catch attention of drivers but on a really dark road a really bright flashing light is blinding to drivers, pedestrians, cyclists coming through other way and makes it impossible to focus on anything.
I don't use a really bright light on the road, I use two Lezyne Microdrive lights on the lower power setting.
I also like a really big rear light. Lots of cyclists use a tiny led fitted where it's hidden behind a mud guard or something.

02GF74

Do these idiots hurl abuse during the day when the sun is shining??? It is vastly brighter.

Ignore and record any abuse or violence on your camera and report to the police

FishFish

02GF74 wrote:

Do these idiots hurl abuse during the day when the sun is shining???

Yes.

fat daddy

02GF74 wrote:

Do these idiots hurl abuse during the day when the sun is shining??? It is vastly brighter.

I imagine when they look directly at it ... then yes .... nice thing about the sun is other than dawn and dusk its generally out of your line of sight and doesnt blind you

FishFish

02GF74 wrote:

Do these idiots hurl abuse during the day when the sun is shining???

No.

fudgey

Next time run over his dog.

I had some censored in a car last year overtake me then slam on the brakes and nearly took me out to tell me my rear light was illegal and too bright. I basically said did you see me, he said yes and i said its done its job then.
He then drives off and i set off again only for him to do it again and this time tell me my front lights were even worse.

This pissed me off for a second time so i under took him, called him a c*nt then rode down the middle of the narrow road for a mile and half with him right behind me.

That'll learn him.

02GF74

Wow. That's very brave. It wouldn't take much for the censored to give you a nudge. Next thing you know you're in hospital.

RockmonkeySC

I do think there should be some standards for bike lights.
Some of the tiny rear lights are completely inadequate for road use as you can't see them until your about six inches away. An auto dimming feature would be really simple and cheap to add. A low battery warning should be on them as well. I always use two rear lights just in case one dies and I don't know about it.

02GF74

RockmonkeySC wrote:

. A low battery warning should be on them as well. I always use two rear lights just in case one dies and I don't know about it.

My rear light sends me a text message when the battery is low, but this does rely on the phone battery being charged which it is most of the time.

milemuncher1

I use a light array, you can see from space. I’ve learnrd why over many years, and hundreds of thousands of miles. Someone has a go, so what? They’d have more of a go if you had hit them.

fudgey

02GF74 wrote:

Wow. That's very brave. It wouldn't take much for the fool to give you a nudge. Next thing you know you're in hospital.

Tbh with my frame of mind at the moment i couldnt care less, but if they did they better make it count!

FishFish

HaHaHaHaHa.
This is a thread about bike lights ffs.

milemuncher1

FishFish wrote:

HaHaHaHaHa.
This is a thread about bike lights ffs.

The brightest of which would put a HID car headlamp to shame.

Brakeless

milemuncher1 wrote:

I use a light array, you can see from space. I’ve learnrd why over many years, and hundreds of thousands of miles. Someone has a go, so what? They’d have more of a go if you had hit them.

Still at it

RockmonkeySC

Brakeless wrote:

milemuncher1 wrote:

I use a light array, you can see from space. I’ve learnrd why over many years, and billions of miles. Someone has a go, so what? They’d have more of a go if you had hit them.

Still at it

Must have some good batteries in them. And no job if you're riding that many miles at night.

milemuncher1

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Brakeless wrote:

milemuncher1 wrote:

I use a light array, you can see from space. I’ve learnrd why over many years, and billions of miles. Someone has a go, so what? They’d have more of a go if you had hit them.

Still at it

Must have some good batteries in them. And no job if you're riding that many miles at night.

Somebody messing around with my actual post. I don’t know about “Billions” of Miles :roll: but even the last 10 years, at an average of 12000 ( on a bad year ) adds up to 120000 miles, and I’ve been riding a lot longer than that.

Brakeless

milemuncher1 wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Brakeless wrote:

milemuncher1 wrote:

I use a light array, you can see from space. I’ve learnrd why over many years, and billions of miles. Someone has a go, so what? They’d have more of a go if you had hit them.

Still at it

Must have some good batteries in them. And no job if you're riding that many miles at night.

Somebody messing around with my actual post. I don’t know about “Billions” of Miles :roll: but even the last 10 years, at an average of 12000 ( on a bad year ) adds up to 120000 miles, and I’ve been riding a lot longer than that.

Your mileage has been discussed on here before and your double posting of rides on Strava. What are you trying to prove by lieing on a forum ?

FishFish

yet you've still got time to bore us unconscious.

RockmonkeySC

12000 night miles a year? Still seems a bit much unless you're nocturnal.

milemuncher1

RockmonkeySC wrote:

12000 night miles a year? Still seems a bit much unless you're nocturnal.

‘Nocturnal’ is a state of mind man. Do you only use your lights in the dark? I use mine in daylight, and at night. Some people need extra assistance with being able to see cyclists in my experience.

milemuncher1

FishFish wrote:

yet you've still got time to bore us unconscious.

In order to get bored, you must read it, if it’s ‘boring’ why read it?

Odd behaviour is odd.

Brakeless

milemuncher1 wrote:

FishFish wrote:

yet you've still got time to bore us unconscious.

In order to get bored, you must read it, if it’s ‘boring’ why read it?

Odd behaviour is odd.

And you should know !

plugp7

RockmonkeySC wrote:

I do think there should be some standards for bike lights.
Some of the tiny rear lights are completely inadequate for road use as you can't see them until your about six inches away. An auto dimming feature would be really simple and cheap to add. A low battery warning should be on them as well. I always use two rear lights just in case one dies and I don't know about it.

There are standards and regulations. This link is well worth looking at:-

https://www.cyclinguk.org/cyclists-library/regulations/lighting-regulations

For me, lit road sections at night, one steady (lowest setting) and one flashing (at about 90 per min).
At rear and on more or less all the time, 2 big lights, again, one steady and one random flashing leds.

jds_1981

Yes, your lights can be too bright and badly angled.
Get one designed to illuminate the path, not blind oncoming people if you're going to be using shared spaces.

I cycle along a canal path and it can be a nightmare if someone has bought a magic shine style light and angled it straight ahead. With one of those in your eyes it is hard to see anything.

If you are one of those people you are a aunt.

02GF74

jds_1981 wrote:

Yes, your lights can be too bright and badly angled.
Get one designed to illuminate the path, not blind oncoming people if you're going to be using shared spaces.

I cycle along a canal path and it can be a nightmare if someone has bought a magic shine style light and angled it straight ahead. With one of those in your eyes it is hard to see anything.

If you are one of those people you are a aunt.

Assuming you are not disabled has it not occurred to you to rotate your head so that you are not facing the light or partially close your eyes?

It seems some people are looking for an argument.

jds_1981

02GF74 wrote:

jds_1981 wrote:

Yes, your lights can be too bright and badly angled.
Get one designed to illuminate the path, not blind oncoming people if you're going to be using shared spaces.

I cycle along a canal path and it can be a nightmare if someone has bought a magic shine style light and angled it straight ahead. With one of those in your eyes it is hard to see anything.

If you are one of those people you are a aunt.

Assuming you are not disabled has it not occurred to you to rotate your head so that you are not facing the light or partially close your eyes?

It seems some people are looking for an argument.

Neither of those suggestions would solve the problem of not being able to see anything other than the light for the last five to ten metres before passing the person, or the second or two it takes for ones eyes to readjust after passing them.
I can only presume you've not encountered similar situations yourself.

02GF74

Not sure, my lights probably fall into the too bright category, from a distance I can avoid looking directly at the coming lights and when near, the brightness of mine reduce the contrast so my eyes don't need to adjust.