maidenfan

Yeah, I'll agree...a pretty unthoughtful generalization on my part. I'm sure we'll pick up the conversation sometime soon on a more appropriate topic.

jon c. 

always run rear flashing lights on the toolbag and helmet. front light about half the time, depending on where I'm riding.

Telly

Since my bike is German made, it's factory equipped with a dyno-hub and steady lights (front and back) which I always leave on; although I did swap out the front light with a B&M CyoT which has automatic daylight/nighttime mode and can be seen quite clearly even in sunny conditions. Funny thing is that I get ALOT of comments from pedestrians and drivers that I've left my lights on (wasting batteries, etc); which means that at least I'm being seen!

acidfast7

I wouldn't say that Europe is ahead/behind, just different.

I would also point out that those taxes build excellent cycling infrastructure ... so I say keep the taxes high ... make them even higher

cplager

Yeah... Because I like going to restaurants and having them filled with second hand smoke. Yeah Europe.

Yes, health care in (much of) Europe is in a state the I find preferable to that in the US. But it's hardly true that they are "ahead" of us on safety.

Cheers,
Charles

acidfast7

hmmmmm.

most places are designated as smoking with a huge sign on the front window (in Germany it's "Raucherlokal")

https://www.google.de/search?q=rauch...w=1644&bih=920

if you can't understand the sign ... then hmmmmmmmm.

as far as other countries go, the further east you go (depending on what your def of Europe is) then the higher percentage of establishments that allow smoking.

as far as that even being a big deal on a holiday ... all I can say is that you're worrying about the wrong things.

also, i find it hard to believe that as far as cycling goes, this is BF is it not (?), that one can even compare "Europe" and anywhere else on the planet for health/safety while cycling (maybe Japan).

at this turning into a US v. EU thread.

mconlonx

Lights during daytime only in low light situations--rain, fog, solar eclipses...

Versa2nr

Rear blinky, yes. Front blinky, not so much. Route is all back streets and since I have been riding it, I have only encountered a car 2x (4 months riding the same route).

10 Wheels

Front and Rear Lights Day and Night.

cplager

I used to do this too until I thought about it:

* I always drive with my car headlights on.
* Motorcycles always have their headlights on.

Both of these types of vehicles are much easier to see than bicycles (and the most common type of motorcycle accident is to have a car make a left turn in front of a motorcycle that does have a headlight on). Why wasn't I running with "running" lights on my bike? I hadn't really thought about it enough. Now I always do. Flashing headlight in the day. Solid or solid and flashing at night.

Cheers,
Charles

agent pombero

I do.

That sucks. Don't German politicians care about safety? A flashing light is more effective because it catches the attention of drivers.

acidfast7

Yeah, and then the drivers think you're the police or an ambulance and pull over and stop in the bike lane.

The "no flashing law" makes perfect sense when you have separate auto/bike/ped lanes, stop and turn signals.

cplager

You're right. I was being a bit, err, smarky.

I do think that it's not fair to say that Europe is ahead of the states in terms of safety (I think of percentage of riders using helmets, for example). But it's probably not fair to say that the US is ahead either. There are many aspects where the two places do things very differently. And, of course, saying Europe or the states doesn't really clarify things as different countries/states do things very differently.

One question about the German law and flashing lights.

I know that it says that you have to have a solid light. Can you also have a flashing one?

I understand the origins of the law (that only emergency vehicles have flashing lights). I still think it's silly. As far as I know, nobody in the states has ever mistaken an old lady on her bicycle for an ambulance or other emergency vehicle. And just to be fair, there are many many American laws about which I feel the same.

Cheers,
Charles

p.s. Smoking is probably quite off-topic for this forum, but... Labeling a place as smoking does help out the people who are visiting the restaurant to avoid them (assuming there are options that are non-smoking which isn't always the case), but doesn't help out the people working there. As many people don't have a lot of choice where they work, this is a real problem.

kdgrills

Twofish Lockblocks.

Digital_Cowboy

As teachme said, yes, why not? I run both head and taillights both during the day and night.

You should have included a fourth option:

Yes, always

cplager

On one hand, in Germany, one actually needs to know how to drive to get a drivers license. This is not really the case in the US. This could be quite an advantage for German bicyclists...

On the other hand, what percentage of German roads has separate bike lanes?

I have no experience in Germany, but in France and Switzerland, most of the places I've been did not have separate lanes and I found that being seen was, as it is in the US, the most important factor.

Cheers,
Charles

acidfast7

All good points.

The flashing light isn't seen here because all city bikes have dynamos by law (90% of all bikes commuting). The cut-off for the law is 11kg. Over 11kg = must have dynamo and automatic front/rear lights. I would say that maybe 5-7% commuting bieks are MTB/trekking bikes (which I have seen one bike with a blinking front) and the other 3-5% are road/race bikes (i did see a rear blinky once on one road/race bike). I probably see more an equal number recumbents and road/race bikes on the commute.

Most people wouldn't consider a blinking light because why on earth would you buy a bike without a dynamo unless you're going to the mountain/in the peloton. Out of my co-workers that commute, I'm the only one without a dynamo and I get a lot of **** for it. Most people commute on a trekking bike rather than an MTB, if not on a city bike.

So, no one really bikes aftermarket lights.

Digital_Cowboy

The question should be, why not? If one uses rechargeable batteries the cost of running lights day and night isn't expensive.

And flashing lights get attention, why do you think that police cars, ambulances, firetrucks, school buses, railroad crossings, etc. use them?

maidenfan

Thanks!

Digital_Cowboy

Both, as I've said in numerous other posts I have four Cateye Uno headlights on my bike, two are on the handlebars, and two are on the front fork. I have three (three different) Cateye taillights. They are:

a Rapid 3
a TL-5
a TL-3

I also have a Light and Motion Stella 150L headlight mounted to my helmet that is used at night, I also have a PBSF mounted to the rear of my helmet that is on day and night, I also have another red flashing light on my right seat stay, as well as a white Serfas light hanging on the left side of my top bag.

All flashing lights are on day and night, and with the exception of the two lights on the sides of my bike they use either AA or AAA batteries. The other two use two 2032 batteries as do my two bike computers.

I also wear an orange safety vest day and night.

And also given that as I've said before I've only received one negative comment in regards to my lighting.

So why not use lights day and night? Why not wear a safety vest? Why not wear clothing that is as noticeable as possible?

acidfast7

Most people don't commute to work on a "road" per se. They use specialized bike paths. If they live in an urban area of moderate size (100k people and up) then most inner city area will have separated bike lanes until the outskirts are the city. Then you get the US-style lane. But, when you're that far out of the city, there are number bike-only options.

Here's an inner city Frankfurt bike lane


but as you get 5km from city center it's more like this ... this video is good because it starts at the train station and heads out of town.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiteaW_mcRs

Monster Pete

My headlight is permanently wired to my hub dyno, hence it's on whenever I'm riding. The tail light is battery-powered, but I'll switch it on if it's dark or poor visibility.

GP

Only in fog or rain.

cplager

Thanks for the videos. Interesting viewing.

What is clear: More well thought out bike likes => Good!

Cheers,
Charles

acidfast7

i did see a tiny front blinky on an MTB tonight and I rode behind two ninjas both on worn out city bikes