Originally Posted by
Leisesturm
You know... it just might be that flashing lights do not allow an approaching or overtaking motorist to accurately judge your speed and direction... it doesn't matter. It does not matter! What matters is that the motorist is made aware of your presence on the road. In the rural conditions under which I ride at night a steady taillight isn't a liability. In a more urban setting... me personally, I'd flash. For the same reason ambulances, fire trucks, police cars, road work vehicles... in fact, just about every vehicle except passenger cars flash their running lights these days. Why do some of you think your brains work better than the collective knowledge base of hundreds of behavioral scientists and lighting tech engineers etc. Flashing gets attention. Period.
Just so you know: ambulance, police etc - all use BOTH flashing and steady lights at night. Period.
Having only blinking lights does make it more difficult for others to judge your speed (and direction). Do you think this is irrelevant, or helpful, or bad?
It does draw attention, however.
My experience has been that cars pulling in from side roads react better and notice more often a strong steady beam, than my other, flashing light. So I often run both, especially when I wish to ride fast.