Originally Posted by
christ0ph
In the early days of the web, there was a similar question about an "innovation" in HTML code called the blink tag. It was HTML markup that made text "blink" at about 1 Hz. (that is also an option within the ANSI codes used to format text in Unix terminal windows, so the first text based web browsers were able to implement "blink" easily.)
Should web pages blink? Some people used that blink tag all the time. But it evenually vanished from use because as people grew to spend more time on the web, its use was seen as annoying.
Personally, I think in lights its aggravating but maybe necessary in the most bicycle hostile areas.
No blinking makes sense in an environment where people pay more attention than they do here.
Evidently in Germany blinking tail lights are also prohibited. I think one can't blink LEDs unless you are a police or emergency vehicle.
Hmmmm, but think about it. Cyclist are slow on the road compared to most cars so a blinking tail light would indicate that your a cyclist. It's become universal over here. Neither do bikes really travel at the same speed of the car or ever get tailed by a car so the other car doesn't really need to know when to stop when you do. They usually just over take you and that's that.