Originally Posted by
Bklyn
Absolutely true. In the rare stretches where there isn't street lighting, the Quadrant is about as useful an illumination device as a cellphone.
It isn't that bad, though it sure as hell isn't good. If there are no cars coming in the other direction, your night vision plus a quadrant will be good for about 8 - 10 mph, and that's about it. The problem is when you are on a dark road, and run into oncoming traffic. The headlights make a hash of your night vision, and even with a quadrant, you are functionally blind for about 1-2 minutes after they pass. That's why a be-seen light like a quadrant is no good. You need a bright light so you can see the road while dealing with headlights.
Originally Posted by
Bklyn
I like everything about this except for one thing: Because of its tight beam, is it visible to other traffic?
For oncoming traffic, definitely. From the side, not so much. However, CT isn't Brooklyn. Streetlights can be few and far between, there are far less side streets where off-axis visibility is necessary, and there are many fairly steep descents where a bright light is damn important. It is not fun to spend an 45 minutes climbing a long incline, only to have to nail the brakes so you don't outrun your light on the downslope.