Electronics, Lighting, & Gadgets - How many of you use the strobe function on your FENIX?

Was wondering how may Fenix users out there use the turbo-strobe function. (I was going to ask "how many of you strobe your FENIX, but that sounds wayyyy to kinky...:o)

I'm finding that it's remarkably effective to strobe it for a few seconds before and through busy intersections. It definitely seems to help cars respect me coming on in. Seems like common sense, but just wondering how many others were doing so.

I always use strobe in the day and dawn/dusk. At night I rarely use it though when traffic was really bad I have swtiched it on to get noticed

I seem to recall there being some legal issues with using a strobe in front. Maybe others will have some more info.

I always use strobe in the day and dawn/dusk. At night I rarely use it though when traffic was really bad I have swtiched it on to get noticed

+1 on the dawn/dusk, as well as during daylight (though usually I use my handlebar-mounted DiNotte in strobe mode when riding in daylight).

Regarding legal issues, not here in WA - nothing illegal about a front, white or yellow strobe.

I seem to recall there being some legal issues with using a strobe in front. Maybe others will have some more info.

I don't know anything about legal complications, but I use the strobe at dawn/dusk, as well as later in well-lit, busy intersections.

In Texas the law says that you must have a white light with a steady beam on your bicycle to ride legally at night. A flashing white light is illegal.

I don't see too many strobes though (I think only yellow would be legal because white is reserved for emergency vehicles only). I do see people with flashing white leds in front though. I think most cops don't really care, it's just an excuse to stop you if they think you look suspicious.

I always use strobe in the day and dawn/dusk

+1 It's very effective in getting the attention of distracted drivers.


I seem to recall there being some legal issues with using a strobe in front. Maybe others will have some more info.

I'll take my risks with the law before I'll take risks getting flattened by some cretin in a BWM talking on the phone.

In the day I have a strobe going. At night in well lit parts of town I use the strobe. When in a dark part of town I go steady beam. I'm in CA and I have never been messed with but do this at your own risk. I would say if you get stopped to just use the safety reasoning and hope for the best.

During the day I strobe both of my front facing Fenixes (one on handlebar and one on helmet) along with my Cygolite Tridenx (handlebar mounted), and have both of my Dinotte 140Ls flashing in the rear.

Flashing lights are prohibited on all vehicles in California, except as specifically authorized (there is a long list in the vehicle code). Bicycles are not specifically authorized to use flashing lights, but I haven't had any problems with law enforcement. They can choose which laws they want to enforce (at least as far as infractions and misdemeanors go) and it appears they don't feel like discouraging the use of flashing lights on bicycles where I am.

I've also started using my Fenix L1D in turbo mode when walking or jogging in the city at night. When approaching an intersection or driveway where a cager is oblivious my presence, or fails to yield my right of way, I click my Fenix into strobe mode. That really gets the cager's attention. Whether bicycling, walking, or jogging, I never want to hear a cager give the "I didn't see him" (translated: "I wasn't paying attention") excuse.

No, never use it.

Use the SOS mode going through intersections, don't want to blind on coming cars with the P3D's in strobe mode LOL.

For clarification, in WA there is nothing in the bike laws prohibiting use of a strobe.

RCW 46.61.780 Lamps and other equipment on bicycles.
(1) Every bicycle when in use during the hours of darkness as defined in RCW 46.37.200 shall be equipped with a lamp on the front which shall emit a white light visible from a distance of at least five hundred feet to the front and with a red reflector on the rear of a type approved by the state patrol which shall be visible from all distances from one hundred feet to six hundred feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful lower beams of head lamps on a motor vehicle. A lamp emitting a red light visible from a distance of five hundred feet to the rear may be used in addition to the red reflector. (2) Every bicycle shall be equipped with a brake which will enable the operator to make the braked wheels skid on dry, level, clean pavement.

I have not done an exhaustive search on this, but the Bicycle Alliance of Washington (http://www.bicyclealliance.org/commute/tips_lights.html) recommends using a front strobe during daylight.

I run/bike a lot in LA at night because I have to.

I can say that the strobe blinker is very useful at intersections, and it's NOT too bright. Ok, it would be annoying as heck to leave it on ALL the time, but running through busy Beverly Hills, even the vaunted Fenix strobe function is NOT enough to get more than 80% of motorists' attention. Most of the time, motorists are so worried about beating the LA traffic that peds (evening strobing ones!) get the shaft. This is not a rant - it's true. On every run I do through that area, there is at least one major intersection where the walk signal in my path turns to "Go", yet the car that's literally 5 feet to my left, fails to appreciate my strobing Fenix, and continues to roll right into my path, and then coming to a jolting stop mid-intersection when they finally catch on that there's a person trying to cross, and a strobing one at that. That said, since adopting the Fenix, it's only at less than 20% of the intersections that this occurs at - the frequency used to be above 80% when I used a regular LED headlamp, to the point that the LED flashing headlamp was literally useless in those busy intersections.

I love the strobe to be seen, but I rely on the steady beam to see. I've got quite the dilemma going and there appears to be only one reasonable solution. To buy another fenix. :p

On every run I do through that area, there is at least one major intersection where the walk signal in my path turns to "Go", yet the car that's literally 5 feet to my left, fails to appreciate my strobing Fenix, and continues to roll right into my path, and then coming to a jolting stop mid-intersection when they finally catch on that there's a person trying to cross, and a strobing one at that.A similar thing happened to me as I walked home from the tennis court tonight. I had my Fenix L1D in hand on full turbo as I approched an intersection to cross in the cross walk. I had the green light and walk light. Still a cager who had the red light, rolled through making a right turn in front of me. I blasted him with my Fenix turbo beam. The only effect it had was to cause him to slow down slightly as he ran the red light. He was probably wondering why the Lord had sent him a shaft of bright light from Heaven. Oh well...more times than not, the Fenix on turbo or strobe will alert motorists to your presence. I'll keep using it for sure.

And as "bummer" as it is to keep avoiding getting nearly run-over, I actually don't hold it against the drivers. It simply happens too frequently to have me think it's just "bad drivers" responsible. It's much more likely that in our car-obsessed culture, people simply have forgotten that walking/cycling/running is a viable means of local transportation or working out. I've found for sure that I don't make these driving errors since I've been running/cycling, but I definitely did before that. I do wish that this car-centric culture would broaden a bit and people would start getting out of their vehicles and getting some exercise once in a blue moon. Here in LA, with perfect weather, I can honestly say that 99% people drive to 100% of their local trips, including one block (that's 500 feet) to the video store (that's actually the norm) , even going so far as braving rush hour traffic and horrendous parking just to do so.