A couple of years ago I read an article on the net written by a cyclist making his case that lights (especially flashing lights) make a cyclist more prone to being struck by a vehicle due to the moth effect. He went on to say that this effect is more likely to happen on a highway so he recommended that when riding at night on a high-speed road you should turn off all lighting. He cited some very weak data.

I think he is nuts.

There have been several times when I have been motoring at night and an unlit cyclist has startled the hell out of me because I didn't see him until the last second.