Originally Posted by
Tourist in MSN
You can't get any depth perception on a blinking light, but a constant on light, you can get an idea on how far away it is. I want drivers behind me to be able to estimate where I am. If they are seeing a strobe light, they have no clue where I am. .
Originally Posted by
Chuck M
I put my rear on strobe. When I'm driving, I seem to notice a bike with a strobe sooner.
If they don't see me or think I am a roadside reflector on a mailbox or something, it doesn't matter if they can estimate closing speed ... they won't register me as important anyway, and by the time they realize I am a bike in the road and not a roadside reflector, they are committed to a path which impacts me.
It is harder, not impossible to gauge closing rater with a blinking light, but the light Does appear to be brighter and larger as one approaches. It is not impossible ... it is not even that difficult (I mean, most of drive as well as ride, so we have done this ourselves and know what we find works best to help us identify cyclists as we drive.)
Studies have been done, and it seems blinking lights (as I recall) attract the brain because the blinking itself translates as motion, and our brains care less about stationary objects, at some animal level .... Cops, ambulances, fire trucks, wide-0load two trucks all use blinkers for some reason ...
One thing I recall from some study was that if you really want to be identified by drivers as a bike, wear a pedal or ankle light ... the pattern of motion immediately screams "Bicycle" to drivers, apparently.
But seriously .... if you are Really worried, run one flashing and one solid tail light.