Originally Posted by
genec
Something I have noticed lately, something that can make cyclists stand out better at night. Two lights, vertically spaced.
Seems simple enough, but consider that when looking at various tail lights, most are in a horizontal pattern... based on the width of the vehicle. Cyclists have little width, and quite often tend to put a blinky low, near the saddle. However lately I have seen a few cyclists that are also placing a blinkie or steady light either high on a backpack or on the back of their helmet, and this is a unique thing on the road. One light low and one light high.
This may make you both more visible and easily identifiable as a slower moving object on the road; identifiable as a cyclist. Two red lights or blinkies vertically spaced to be seen from behind.
I have always gone with the idea that more blinkies is better, but I have typically clustered the lights around the saddle/seat stays... so essentially making a cluster of blinking/steady lights. But I have noticed that this vertical pattern is unique.
What do you folks think.
BTW this is a cross post to the same thing I put in A&S. I posted this here as you folks tend to discuss more practical items such as lighting and may yourselves have come to similar conclusions about lighting.
I already do this.
Rearward facing helmet light (PB Blinky helmet light), Mars 4.0 on the seatpost or back of saddlebag, and a Portland Design Works Fenderbot tail light on my rear fender. Similarly the front: my "pot hole spotlight" mounted low on the rack (steady on), a blinky flashlight on the handlebar and a PB Blaze .5W on top of my helmet. They aren't terribly bright, but the ends of my handlebars are illuminated by Soma bar end lights as well. I was running a BikeBrightz on my downtube as well, but sadly it isn't very waterproof.
I ride in hilly terrain and I know that sometimes the helmet lights are the first thing that is visible as either I or the vehicle are cresting hill. The forward facing helmet light is invaluable for a number of reasons, one of which is that it is visible over the tops of parked cars to vehicles pulling out of driveways ahead of me.