Originally Posted by
cyccommute
On any road wide enough for 2 cars, rumrun6’s point is still valid. The separation between bicycles in that case make the problem you describe minimal unless the rider is a salmon.
However, I avoid riding MUPs at night but not for the reason you put forth. You may have a problem with a helmet light on a MUP but think of what a pedestrian has a problem with. Many pedestrians aren’t using lights and are night adapted. A bicyclists passing with any kind of light is going to ruin that night adaption for several minutes. In other words, your passing with lights is going to plunge the pedestrian into darkness.
Your “night vision” is ruined because you are running lights. Light from another source may be a bit dazzling but doesn’t have the same effect as going from no light to bright light to no light again.
I do not have in practice other choice than using a multiuse path along the particular route. The only other nominal option is a road with rapid traffic and lacking a cycling lane. Whatever you do around other people is a compromise. My lights are all with upper cutoff and hitting the ground close enough that they avoid eyes of the pedestrians. Incidentally, around my area those walking dogs will often have reflective elements and runners are likely to have blinkies and, at times, LED strings. There are street lights here and there or illumination in front of houses, so my lights are not particularly standoffish. Yet a bright helmet light shone into your face disables you. From time to time, of course, you encounter cyclists with bright lights mounted on handlebars that aim too high and blind you too.