Originally Posted by
mechBgon
Given that the decent blinking rear lights will get noticed from vast distances even in daylight, I find the hypothetical depth-perception benefit (if it really existed) is a moot point. Getting on the radar early, before they resume looking down at the text message they're composing on their cell phone, is the main concern, and that's best done with blinking mode
Seriously, I have no problem assessing the range of a taillight like a SuperFlash at distances approaching 1/2 mile. I can't see through anyone else's eyes, but is it really a problem for any of you? By the time I'm anywhere close, I've already been watching them for quite a while, it's not like WHOA, ALL OF A SUDDEN HE IS ONLY 100 FEET AWAY, HOW ON EARTH DID HE GET THERE?!?!
Only a small part of my daily commute has sight lines of half a mile. Frankly, on roads that straight, I'd be satisfied with a single tail light plus reflectors, since motorists have so much time to spot and avoid me.
I'm much more concerned with motorists who have only a few hundred feet to see and avoid me, either those turning in behind me at intersections or on winding roads. They don't have much time to accurately identify my position, heading, and speed. I want both blinking for conspicuity and steady for tracking.