"Turn your ********** light off!"
09-22-14, 11:44 AM
#251
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Modulated headlights are different than flashing headlights, and are permitted for motorcycles by federal regulations.
09-22-14, 12:08 PM
#252
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I was yelled at today on the morning commute. I'd switched my light from steady to flashing since I could see well enough but it was still twilight. My main objective is to not be run over.
So as a car passes me (we're going the same way) the woman driving yells something at me that, as usual, I only heard part of. Then she lays on her horn, for emphasis, I suppose.
I asked my friend who was riding with me what the lady said, but she heard less than me. So I chalked it up to one of those usual times when I wouldn't know what was yelled and there would be no chance for any dialogue.
Except, when we turned left to cut through a parking lot, there from the right, stopped at a red light, was the same woman. She yelled again. So I stopped and yelled back across the lanes of traffic, "I didn't hear what you said". She proceeded to tell me that my "strobe" light was distracting and that it could trigger an epileptic seizure. My light flashes, it's not a strobe, but that's neither hear nor there and wasn't worth bringing up. I think the seizure thing is an old wives tale, and discounted that. Obviously I got her attention with my flashing light. Mission accomplished.
So I told her that I have it flashing so nobody will run me over. That made her mad, I suppose because I wasn't going to do as she instructed. She told me, "Turn the #@!*& strobe off or you'll get run over on purpose." This as she drove off.
I think she crossed the line there into or very close to criminal with her threat and intimidation. And I have no intention of altering my procedures because one if 10,000 drivers has an issue.
Now that I am at work, I looked up the flashing light/seizure thing on Wikipedia and find that there is something called Photosensitive epilepsy (PSE), which is a form of epilepsy in which seizures are triggered by visual stimuli that form patterns in time or space, such as flashing lights, bold, regular patterns, or regular moving patterns.
Sorry if you have PSE but I'm still using my flashing light.
So as a car passes me (we're going the same way) the woman driving yells something at me that, as usual, I only heard part of. Then she lays on her horn, for emphasis, I suppose.
I asked my friend who was riding with me what the lady said, but she heard less than me. So I chalked it up to one of those usual times when I wouldn't know what was yelled and there would be no chance for any dialogue.
Except, when we turned left to cut through a parking lot, there from the right, stopped at a red light, was the same woman. She yelled again. So I stopped and yelled back across the lanes of traffic, "I didn't hear what you said". She proceeded to tell me that my "strobe" light was distracting and that it could trigger an epileptic seizure. My light flashes, it's not a strobe, but that's neither hear nor there and wasn't worth bringing up. I think the seizure thing is an old wives tale, and discounted that. Obviously I got her attention with my flashing light. Mission accomplished.
So I told her that I have it flashing so nobody will run me over. That made her mad, I suppose because I wasn't going to do as she instructed. She told me, "Turn the #@!*& strobe off or you'll get run over on purpose." This as she drove off.
I think she crossed the line there into or very close to criminal with her threat and intimidation. And I have no intention of altering my procedures because one if 10,000 drivers has an issue.
Now that I am at work, I looked up the flashing light/seizure thing on Wikipedia and find that there is something called Photosensitive epilepsy (PSE), which is a form of epilepsy in which seizures are triggered by visual stimuli that form patterns in time or space, such as flashing lights, bold, regular patterns, or regular moving patterns.
Sorry if you have PSE but I'm still using my flashing light.
Maybe I'm seeing this wrong but if someone has such a severe case of this type of Epilepsy that it is triggered by blinking lights I would think there is a very high probability that they don't have a drivers license or have a license that is restricted from driving at night when blinking lights are common. Epileptics often cannot get drivers licenses. The next argument would be that it could trigger an seizure in a passenger, again the solution is simple, for the passenger to simply close their eyes until they have passed. I see a lot of blinking lights when i drive at night, signs advertisements etc.
09-22-14, 12:13 PM
#253
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There seems to be a common theme happening in this thread: those that are arguing the need for courtesy on the road, and those making excuses as to why they don't need to be courteous on the road for their own "safety"
09-22-14, 12:19 PM
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That's a good way to put it. I'm surprised no one has posted a link to the polite light still faintly blinking under the truck that had run over the bicyclist earlier. I think the truck driver was quoted as saying something like "I didn't see her".
09-22-14, 01:01 PM
#256
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I know there are no stats to back it up, but I'd wager than roughly 90% of people who claim they "didn't see him" are lying because most people are too afraid or too cowardly to admit guilt, especially in these kinds of circumstances. The reason the driver "didn't see him" is because they were doing something else instead of paying attention to the road like they should have been.
09-22-14, 01:22 PM
#257
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So then you're cool with others engaging in excessive behavior that has a negative impact on your safety if it makes them feel safer too?
How can anyone be certain that the rare instance over the top lighting actually prevent an incident will offset the rare instance that it can cause cause one? Really its only trading one hazard for another, so why not do it in a way that minimizes the potentially negative aspects?
It's only common sense that if we want folks to "see" us, then we shouldn't force them to look away.
How can anyone be certain that the rare instance over the top lighting actually prevent an incident will offset the rare instance that it can cause cause one? Really its only trading one hazard for another, so why not do it in a way that minimizes the potentially negative aspects?
It's only common sense that if we want folks to "see" us, then we shouldn't force them to look away.
09-22-14, 01:36 PM
#258
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^what he said, bub. Save the 'mic drop' for when you have a better point to make lol. Blinding drivers doesn't make anyone safer.
09-22-14, 01:38 PM
#259
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So then you're cool with others engaging in excessive behavior that has a negative impact on your safety if it makes them feel safer too?
How can anyone be certain that the rare instance over the top lighting actually prevent an incident will offset the rare instance that it can cause cause one? Really its only trading one hazard for another, so why not do it in a way that minimizes the potentially negative aspects?
It's only common sense that if we want folks to "see" us, then we shouldn't force them to look away.
How can anyone be certain that the rare instance over the top lighting actually prevent an incident will offset the rare instance that it can cause cause one? Really its only trading one hazard for another, so why not do it in a way that minimizes the potentially negative aspects?
It's only common sense that if we want folks to "see" us, then we shouldn't force them to look away.
Oh, I wish I was in the land of cotton,
Old times there are not forgotten.
Look away, look away, look away Dixie Land!
I Wish I Was In Dixie Land ( Confederate Anthem ) - YouTube
09-22-14, 01:45 PM
#261
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Up to what point? How much annoyance is acceptable, and how much is too much?
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09-22-14, 01:47 PM
#262
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I don't comprehend German. What happens in this video?
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09-22-14, 01:51 PM
#265
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Actually, I'm more interested in having drivers who hit cyclists see more enforcement.
Until then, being seen is paramount to safety and that may or may not be "annoying". As has been mentioned before, many vehicle drivers are annoyed that cyclists are on the same road as they are (i.e. annoyance is a characteristic with a wide variance and is not entirely rational). Until that changes, and until the penalties for a collision with a cyclist are commensurate with the damage that they do, then I'm erring on the side of being seen and whether that is annoying or not is not in my decision tree at this point. Hopefully that changes but first I think the enforcement and reduction in poor driver behavior needs to happen and it should happen as a first priority.
Bicycle Paper.com :: Articles :: Kill a Cyclist and Get Away With It?
J.
Until then, being seen is paramount to safety and that may or may not be "annoying". As has been mentioned before, many vehicle drivers are annoyed that cyclists are on the same road as they are (i.e. annoyance is a characteristic with a wide variance and is not entirely rational). Until that changes, and until the penalties for a collision with a cyclist are commensurate with the damage that they do, then I'm erring on the side of being seen and whether that is annoying or not is not in my decision tree at this point. Hopefully that changes but first I think the enforcement and reduction in poor driver behavior needs to happen and it should happen as a first priority.
Bicycle Paper.com :: Articles :: Kill a Cyclist and Get Away With It?
J.
09-22-14, 02:13 PM
#267
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I think this whole argument is dumb. Cyclists have to use bright lights for 2 reasons: a) as a headlight to see, b) to not get run over by idiot inattentive motorists. This whole debacle is just another thing for motorists to gripe about in regards to cyclists. If its not one thing then it's another. Anything to get cyclists off the road. Well, tough **** because I ride my bike and I want, no, need, to be seen by motorists who are not on the lookout and are your usual apathetic driver.
But if people are arguing against using bright lights - why can't cyclists say "cars can't use headlights at night! it blinds me while on my bike! They need turn them off while passing a cyclist at night!"
Sounds stupid.
Because it is.
09-22-14, 02:14 PM
#268
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Actually, I'm more interested in having drivers who hit cyclists see more enforcement.
Until then, being seen is paramount to safety and that may or may not be "annoying". As has been mentioned before, many vehicle drivers are annoyed that cyclists are on the same road as they are (i.e. annoyance is a characteristic with a wide variance and is not entirely rational). Until that changes, and until the penalties for a collision with a cyclist are commensurate with the damage that they do, then I'm erring on the side of being seen and whether that is annoying or not is not in my decision tree at this point. Hopefully that changes but first I think the enforcement and reduction in poor driver behavior needs to happen and it should happen as a first priority.
Bicycle Paper.com :: Articles :: Kill a Cyclist and Get Away With It?
J.
Until then, being seen is paramount to safety and that may or may not be "annoying". As has been mentioned before, many vehicle drivers are annoyed that cyclists are on the same road as they are (i.e. annoyance is a characteristic with a wide variance and is not entirely rational). Until that changes, and until the penalties for a collision with a cyclist are commensurate with the damage that they do, then I'm erring on the side of being seen and whether that is annoying or not is not in my decision tree at this point. Hopefully that changes but first I think the enforcement and reduction in poor driver behavior needs to happen and it should happen as a first priority.
Bicycle Paper.com :: Articles :: Kill a Cyclist and Get Away With It?
J.
09-22-14, 02:17 PM
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Yep, and which would be more credible, the driver saying I didn't see the faint light or the driver saying I didn't see the light that's giving people on the internet fits?
09-22-14, 02:17 PM
#270
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I don't have any issues with car headlights because I ride upright (not recumbent) and they have a beam cutoff. Flashing bicycle lights are much more offensive during night riding.
09-22-14, 02:18 PM
#271
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@the sci guy, I agree that we may always face resentment from motorists and mischaracterizations of being trouble makers. But there is a certain amount of light that is inappropriate. I'm asking you what that amount is, in your view.
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09-22-14, 02:24 PM
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Originally Posted by JohnJ80
Ever notice how the only place this ever gets talked about is on a bicycle forum? You don't read about it being a problem in the newspaper and no non cyclist even knows what this would be all about. Might want to think about that for a bit. Maybe (almost certainly) this isn't a problem.
Pardon me. It was front page news in today's paper. There is a protest planned for the state capital to put new legislation on the books banning bright bike lights. And it's the lead story on the network news. It's all our city council is talking about and the dim lights vs bright lights crowd practically came to blows - they had to call in the sheriff.
No, Paul - the only people who even care about this are in this forum. No body else cares. Ride the lights that you want to.
No, Paul - the only people who even care about this are in this forum. No body else cares. Ride the lights that you want to.
You've complained 2 completely different things - first you claim that
- "the only place this ever gets talked about is on a bicycle forum? You don't read about it being a problem in the newspaper" (that and the next one is a direct quote from your post), then you claim
- "It was front page news in today's paper. There is a protest planned for the state capital to put new legislation on the books banning bright bike lights."
You purposefully write 2 contradictory things, then get upset at them. I checked the username to make sure it's the same:
https://www.bikeforums.net/commuting/...l#post17151083
https://www.bikeforums.net/commuting/...l#post17151620
You're either getting very confused, or you're trolling.