There are cyclists rear lights that are too bright, but then when there are so many half daft and sight impaired drivers about that is why they get used.

Once you have had a few near things when cycling people do tend to improve just how easy they are to be seen in different locations and weathers.

I have 3 different red lights to the rear, vertically.

one on the back of my helmet, one on the bike those are on steady or slow flash and one flashing on my hi viz backpack.

 

I am usually aware of what is all around, but was caught out an hour ago.

I thought i was alone as i adjusted myself, and got a surprise as these 3 appeared.

Edited 19 March, 20188 yr by AwaoffSki

@AwaoffSki - They're coming through the walls man!!

 

Seriously, I think I would find that guy's red LED flasher annoying. The function of rear lights is to make a mobile vehicle stand out from the background, rather than to cast a beam still visible at 30 feet in daylight (look at the footage from his front camera).

Yes annoying like DRL,s,  Cornering foglights in towns,  rear fogs on when not needed, rear white number plate led,s btighter that drl,s to the front.  Bloody annoying being maimed or killed though because someone is not paying attention.  Day off attending a funeral or car park charges at nhs hospitals.

Here's a question, for all the cyclists...

 

CRW assault teams (think SAS, Iranian Embassy stuff) use strobing torches attached to the front of their weapons when breaching a building, precisely because it visually confuses the hostile targets inside!!!

So why on EARTH would you put bright flashing lights on your bike, especially front and rear????!!!!!

 

Because one or 2 or 3 little lights on not flashing can go unseen, by motor vehicle drivers, not by horse riders, or other cyclists maybe,

as can hi-viz, jackets, gloves, helmets.

Some are ridiculously bright though, like Renault DRL's or other Manufacturers Day Time / Day Light Running lights on after lighting up time.

 

There is those that need Front lights that light up just as brightly as dipped beams on cars, vans, motorbikes etc because they need to see where there are potholes 

because they really can be a killer, especially if you do avoid but get wiped out while doing so.

 

Edited 20 March, 20188 yr by AwaoffSki

Not directly related, i've not ever confused DRLs for flashing lights, but see what you mean about them appearing to flash as the car hits ruts in the road. I have however confused those LED headlights especially on new SEATs for being on high beam when they are actually on dipped. Ive had a few coming towards me and flashed thinking they were full beams on, only to get an eye-full of the actual full beams. Drove into a small ditch on a country road as one was coming towards me at speed and I was completely blinded. Even aftermarket HIDs have never caused me any real issues unless very badly adjusted. 

Look out for a Fabia Mk2 Fabia where the DRL unit is the Sidelights but dimmed.  Skoda never gave the cars Front Fog Lights, 

just printed in the Brochures that there were Front Fog Lights.

Police Officers have even stopped Briskoda Members with them on as DRL's or as Sidelights with Dipped Beams on because they thought they were Fog Lights.

They are some of the worst standard manufacturers lights, and on the cars 2010-2014/15.

17 hours ago, AwaoffSki said:

Because one or 2 or 3 little lights on not flashing can go unseen, by motor vehicle drivers, not by horse riders, or other cyclists maybe,

as can hi-viz, jackets, gloves, helmets.

 

If a road user cannot see a dayglo yellow & orange vest with steady lights front and back, they don't belong on the road. The onus should not be on other road users dressing up like Christmas trees just to cater for the blind minority.

 

If you need lights to see where you are going, then fine. Steady lights, properly adjusted.

But to use bright flashing lights that cause more problems with afterimage, that's just begging for trouble as everyone else will still be seeing where you were, not where you are!!

 

Lots of people seemingly  can not see moving vehicles in daytime / daylight so the Governments in the EU still legislated for DRL's.

 

People do often see Day glo,  so much of it on road workers, and others and then the whole thing gets confusing as you approach at 30,40, 50 MPH.

Like the Light things, cars sitting not moving with bright DRL's on, or rear brake lights and the 2" little white or red cyclists light is lost in a sea of brightness.

 

But then that was and is the same with Motor Bikes, which is why the Legislation changed on them with front lights illuminated, 

and it is when a bike surprises you and has no front light that you get to remember how easy it is to miss seeing one.

 

I was taken off my motor bike and my leg amputated by a motorist that never saw me and i had the headlight on, so i am maybe just a little more aware 

of how often some idiot fails to see me or others on bikes or to give space or way to them.

Edited 21 March, 20188 yr by AwaoffSki

@Ttaskmaster @AwaoffSki - People have "not seen" (read as not looked for or SMIDL) or ignored my car with Nightbreaker++ active. More light is not the answer; in particular a probably illegally bright flashing rear light will not help anyone.

What is SMIDL ? 

& which UK Laws are covering the Too Bright Flashing bike lights?

 

To be Illegally bright there will need to be some Legislation on the allowed brightness, so maybe the CE mark is dodgy, or BS standards not worked out,  or only illegal if someone is prosecuted and found to have caused an offence of having done an illegal act, blinding someone, causing an accident or the likes, 

maybe causing someone to collide with them because the persons vision was obscured by the light.

 

I wonder how many are killed when cycling or at the roadside or in motor vehicles because drivers were not ablew to see because of a flashing cycle light compared to those killed because a driver never saw them.

UK bike lights law — steady or flashing, can I be fined, what is legal_ - BikeRadar.mhtml

Edited 21 March, 20188 yr by AwaoffSki

SMIDL - Sorry Mate, I Didn't Look.

Same as SMIDSY.

 

But again, I've seen people slow to a stop, indicating right to turn into the junction on their right, but promptly swing left directly into a big, solid 2-storey high brick wall.

You can only be reasonably expected to go so far, before the fault is SURELY then the responsibility of the idiot that can't see properly in broad daylight and/or doesn't even bother looking?

While I was lucky in that being on a bike probably saved my life in that instance, I've also been hit by someone who had absolutely no excuse for not seeing me - Nothing you can do about them, though, except hope they learn from it or do something that quietly rids the world of their stupidity.

 

And regarding stupidly bright flashing lights - I see those causing problems (not necesarily for the cyclist directly, but also between the vehicles around them) at least twice a week, and usually around the same stretches of road.

Edited 21 March, 20188 yr by Ttaskmaster

Motorist using the Flashing Indicator more often would be good. Amber colour, at the 4 corners of a vehicle.

Usually the same unit as flashes if you put the hazard lights on, some cars even have them come on automatically under hard braking.

 

& it is Just as well that Punto, Polo and other vehicles at least have Cornering Fog lights on daytime / anytime or DRL's that go out as they steer, 

because sometimes that is the only clue to where they are maybe going, maybe not.