I live in the city and work in the city. It's been my experience that in the city you need more light not less. Otherwise you just sort of blend into the background lights. Until I learned that lesson, I had just as many close calls with cars as unlit people do.

If you really want to be cheap, go stealth and don't waste your money on those lights. If you really want to be seen, get better ones. That middle ground stuff won't help you either way.