do car headlights overpower LEDs?

[exas]

for front and rear blinkies, are they effective and can be seen by cars? the front blinkie would be white light so can car headlights wash it out and therefore it would be less effective?

[Dchiefransom]

I see the Cateye 250 front blinkie frequently, and it's glaringly obvious on the other side of the road even with oncoming traffic. A bright rear red blinkie should not be overpowered by any lights. The brightest I've got is the Planet Bike Superflash rear blinkie.

[Bruce Rosar]

for front and rear blinkies, are they effective and can be seen by cars?I think they are/can under most conditions, but I also mount reflectors front and rear for those occasions when my bike is lit up by another vehicle's headlight.

[Daily Commute]

A colleague who was driving behind me told me he could see my ANSI Class II lime vest shining brightly. When I asked about my blinkie, he said he didn't notice. I strongly recommend an ANSI compliant vest or shirt as a supplement to a blinkie. If the headlights outshine your blinkie, they will make your vest light up like a Christmas tree.

[banerjek]

A colleague who was driving behind me told me he could see my ANSI Class II lime vest shining brightly. When I asked about my blinkie, he said he didn't notice. I strongly recommend an ANSI compliant vest or shirt as a supplement to a blinkie. If the headlights outshine your blinkie, they will make your vest light up like a Christmas tree.
People who have seen me riding in the dark tell me that my clothing is what really gets me noticed. A blinkie isn't really that visible, though I am told that my NR universal taillight is fairly bright. No light is a substitute for proper reflective gear at night.

[ghettocruiser]

People who have seen me riding in the dark tell me that my clothing is what really gets me noticed.

I'm guessing these people had their headlights on.

Enough cars here don't that I often doubt the value of my reflective gear. Hence, lights have no equal.

[Daily Commute]

I'm guessing these people had their headlights on.

Enough cars here don't that I often doubt the value of my reflective gear. Hence, lights have no equal.
Saying "I don't need reflective gear because I have a blinkie" (or the other way around) is like saying "I don't need a seat belt because I have an airbag." Both a blinkie and a reflective vest/shirt greatly enhances your visiblity in a way that the other doesn't.

[littlewaywelt]

No light is a substitute for proper reflective gear at night.
And similarly, no reflective gear is a substitute for proper active lighting.

[geo8rge]

"And similarly, no reflective gear is a substitute for proper active lighting."

It might be nice if a 'scientific' study were done. If the car has it's headlights on, a proper rear reflector should be better than a blinky. My guess is that even at night a number of cars do not have their lights on, so a blinky might help.

[littlewaywelt]

My point is that both are a must. I see plenty of cars on the road without lights on. A bright blinkie during daylight can be a plus. Plus, how many times have you seen cars with improperly aimed headlights. if they aren't aimed correctly, they won't reflect back to the driver well.

[ghettocruiser]

Saying "I don't need reflective gear because I have a blinkie" (or the other way around) is like saying "I don't need a seat belt because I have an airbag." Both a blinkie and a reflective vest/shirt greatly enhances your visiblity in a way that the other doesn't.

Indeed.

But I question the value of my car's airbags too. And I have had them deploy in an accident. I'm not about to pry them out of the car, I just doubt their value.

[Mr. Underbridge]

"And similarly, no reflective gear is a substitute for proper active lighting."

It might be nice if a 'scientific' study were done. If the car has it's headlights on, a proper rear reflector should be better than a blinky. My guess is that even at night a number of cars do not have their lights on, so a blinky might help.

I'd still go with the "both" answer. Lots of things have reflectors on them - specifially, lots of stationary things like road signs. Seems to me a basic reflector will help, but might get ignored in the wrong circumstances.

I haven't taken the 'riding at night' plunge, but when I do it will be with reflectors, blinkies, and vest.

[littlewaywelt]

I'm going to plug my favorite reflective clothing in the event some ppl aren't aware of it.
www.illuminite.com

[ignominious]

In response to the OP, to the best of my knowledge, LED's emit light at a significantly different wavelength to car type lights (halogen or otherwise). It's a similar situation to daytime running lights versus the sun.

Although, if you think about it a little further, if car lights were strong enough to washout LEDs, then they would be unnecessary as you should be fully visible in their beam.

That said though, death star lighting, nigh radioactive reflective clothing from head to toe, a 120db sound system pumping out Ride of the Valkyries, a full Central African police motorcade running lights and sirens and mounted gun turrets gunning down anyone getting within 100m of you and a brand new set of tireflies still won't stop some motorist swearing up and down that they never saw you, honest guv.

[Daily Commute]

The nice thing about blinkies and reflective clothing is that they are not mutually exclusive. Be safer. Use both. And always pay attention.

[Bushman]

or just get a Dinotte taillight and the drivers move to the next lane. :)