were we supposed to discuss, or just agree with you? I'm afraid this sentence isn't clear to me. In my view, there is a difference between what is necessary (and sufficient) and what is prudent under exceptional conditions. For some riding, I like to feel comfortable that I can recover from some failures, on my commuter I have no backups because I'm close to home.

Right now, the only battery light that I would consider using as my primary light is the Phillips. I don't really want to choose between blinding other road users and being able to see, so road optics are of primary importance to me. They concentrate the light where it is most useful to the rider, and don't waste a lot of light in directions that only serve to annoy others.