Originally Posted by
silmarillion
Informative thread.
I'm of the "Need to see" ilk more than "to be seen"...but I think being visible is a desired benefit of running lights too. On both of the bikes I commute on, I too run a PBSF on the rear, and I have 2, PB 1 watt blaze lights on the front. I also have 2 little "Spock" lamps that are facing to the right and the left. Hopefully so I can bee seen a little better from the sides.
One should be trying to achieve both objectives, i.e. to have a light(s) to see what is in the road ahead of them, as well as having one or more lights so that motorists will see them. I have seen too many cyclists out on the road who while they are at the very least are running head and taillights, they are
VERY dim and not very visible. Making them look as if they are a "ninja."
Originally Posted by
silmarillion
Now those little Blaze lights may not be as bright and fancy as some of the aforementioned lights, but they are bright, cheap, lightweight, and you don't have to worry about where to position them. You can put them just about anywhere with a little imagination. Not only that, but they are easy to move from 1 bike to another, or to remove completely.
I think portability is also something that one should consider, especially when one has several bikes. One doesn't want to have to spend "hours on end" to move the light(s) from one bike to the next.
Originally Posted by
silmarillion
I intentionally aim one of them (set to flash) directly ahead of me. Yep. That's right, I set them to aim into the eyes of oncoming traffic. Not to be obnoxious...to be noticed. Judging by the reflection I can see the light creates on street signs and driveway reflectors in front of me, I can say with confidence that it does what I need it to do for me. The other one I aim downward maybe 5-10 feet in front of me. This is so I can see what's coming in front of me. Has worked wonderfully for me in both urban and rural settings. These lights are bright, but not blinding.
I've noticed my taillights flashing in the distance in street signs "long" after I've headed down the road. I can also usually see my headlights well in street signs well off in the distance before I actually gets too close to the sign(s).
Originally Posted by
silmarillion
Now days, it seems like everyone in cars are running these ultra bright LED headlights. These lights are so bright you would think that they have their high-beams on. Talk about annoying...those darn things are blinding, especially in the rain. I'm wondering how long it will be before that State of Georgia starts limiting the intensity of headlights on cars. The other example would be all the newer cars that have the additional driving lights. In concert with already bright headlights, now that's obnoxious. When it rains, it may make things easier to see, but it blinds oncoming traffic.
Agreed, it seems as if every car that is approaching me have super bright headlights. Add to that that it appears that a number of cars are running lights that have different color temperatures as I have seen headlights in both the red and blue ends of the color spectrum.
Originally Posted by
silmarillion
That being said, I'm not too worried about my little blaze lights being too bright, or improperly positioned, or at risk of causing someone to have a seizure. If you are at such a high risk of having a seizure, you probably shouldn't be driving IMHO.
Agreed, motorists are already doing a hell of a lot more things that endanger other road users lives. I also agree with you that if a person is at such a high risk of having a seizure then they probably shouldn't be driving a car on the pubic roads.
Originally Posted by
silmarillion
One other thing I have noticed, and I would guess that others here have too is... If I'm riding on an unlit road, or dimly lit at that, if I don't have a car coming from behind me, it never fails that an oncoming car will hit their high-beams in my face.
Yes, for those who not just running super bright headlights, but are running with their highs on, it seems like they've forgotten that they're suppose to dim them when they see traffic coming from the opposite direction as well as dimming them when they are coming up from behind someone.
Originally Posted by
silmarillion
For this purpose, I wear a helmet with a visor. That way I can look slightly downward and block the lights coming at me.
I can do the same thing with my mirror.
Originally Posted by
silmarillion
This thread is full of great ideas, but ultimately it's about what works for you in the particular setting you are riding in.
Yes it is, even if we have at least one member who has nothing but negative comments to make.