"Turn your ********** light off!"
09-22-14, 02:26 PM
#276
Unlisted member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 6,193
Bikes: Specialized Hardrock
Mentioned: 29 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1376 Post(s)
Liked 432 Times
in
297 Posts
I complained to the chief of police, the mayor and the city council about my neighbor's loud motorcycle. Then end result was the same - he can make as much noise as he wants and they're not going to do anything about it. And I get to keep paying taxes.
What are the cops looking for in the video you posted?
What are the cops looking for in the video you posted?
09-22-14, 02:40 PM
#279
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Posts: 6,432
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 539 Post(s)
Liked 43 Times
in
37 Posts
When emergency vehicles turn on their lights, you're expected to pull over to the side of the road and stop your car. They aren't designed to not be distracting - they're designed to tell you "I'm more important than everyone else on the road, get off the road because I'm coming through".
When you cross the line of not caring how your lighting affects other people, you just end up in an arms race with "who can be the most distracting on the road". You end up with a vegas billboard problem where eventually the slowly increasing arms race means no one can see anything.
09-22-14, 02:44 PM
#280
one life on two wheels
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: St. Petersburg, FL
Posts: 2,556
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 18 Times
in
15 Posts
False dilemma. Shockingly, there are lights that are bright enough without blinding. I wouldn't call them 'faint' or 'dim'
09-22-14, 02:44 PM
#281
Banned
I complained to the chief of police, the mayor and the city council about my neighbor's loud motorcycle. Then end result was the same - he can make as much noise as he wants and they're not going to do anything about it. And I get to keep paying taxes.
What are the cops looking for in the video you posted?
What are the cops looking for in the video you posted?
People drunk riding.
People not in the bike lane (i.e. on sidewalk).
Not stopping for red lights.
At night, checkin for lights and reflectors (even though they are required at all times.)
09-22-14, 02:51 PM
#282
Unlisted member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 6,193
Bikes: Specialized Hardrock
Mentioned: 29 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1376 Post(s)
Liked 432 Times
in
297 Posts
It looked like the people they stopped in the video you posted weren't doing any of that, or did I miss something by not being able to understand German?
09-22-14, 03:07 PM
#283
Banned
They also mention "drunk riding/driving" and trying to become "accident-free."
Last edited by acidfast7; 09-22-14 at 03:10 PM.
09-22-14, 03:12 PM
#284
Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: SW Michigan
Posts: 30
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Maybe I'm seeing this wrong but if someone has such a severe case of this type of Epilepsy that it is triggered by blinking lights I would think there is a very high probability that they don't have a drivers license or have a license that is restricted from driving at night when blinking lights are common. Epileptics often cannot get drivers licenses. The next argument would be that it could trigger an seizure in a passenger, again the solution is simple, for the passenger to simply close their eyes until they have passed. I see a lot of blinking lights when i drive at night, signs advertisements etc.
Believe it or not, they do have places to go and usually not enough money for taxi service. Some places have some kind of van service for the handicapped but that's rather restricting. Many try to lead as normal a life as possible.
Last edited by dwbstr; 09-22-14 at 03:26 PM.
09-22-14, 03:34 PM
#285
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Kent Wa.
Posts: 5,332
Bikes: 2005 Gazelle Golfo, 1935 Raleigh Sport, 1970 Robin Hood sport, 1974 Schwinn Continental, 1984 Ross MTB/porteur, 2013 Flying Piegon path racer, 2014 Gazelle Toer Populair T8
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 396 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times
in
7 Posts
09-22-14, 03:58 PM
#288
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Kent Wa.
Posts: 5,332
Bikes: 2005 Gazelle Golfo, 1935 Raleigh Sport, 1970 Robin Hood sport, 1974 Schwinn Continental, 1984 Ross MTB/porteur, 2013 Flying Piegon path racer, 2014 Gazelle Toer Populair T8
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 396 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times
in
7 Posts
09-22-14, 05:30 PM
#290
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Kent Wa.
Posts: 5,332
Bikes: 2005 Gazelle Golfo, 1935 Raleigh Sport, 1970 Robin Hood sport, 1974 Schwinn Continental, 1984 Ross MTB/porteur, 2013 Flying Piegon path racer, 2014 Gazelle Toer Populair T8
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 396 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times
in
7 Posts
I'm a firm believer in using lighting intelligently and responsibly. Perhaps you haven't read any of my prior posts?
Last edited by kickstart; 09-22-14 at 05:34 PM.
09-22-14, 06:25 PM
#291
bill nyecycles
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Houston TX
Posts: 3,340
Mentioned: 19 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 787 Post(s)
Liked 348 Times
in
189 Posts
@the sci guy, I agree that we may always face resentment from motorists and mischaracterizations of being trouble makers. But there is a certain amount of light that is inappropriate. I'm asking you what that amount is, in your view.
09-22-14, 06:44 PM
#292
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Kent Wa.
Posts: 5,332
Bikes: 2005 Gazelle Golfo, 1935 Raleigh Sport, 1970 Robin Hood sport, 1974 Schwinn Continental, 1984 Ross MTB/porteur, 2013 Flying Piegon path racer, 2014 Gazelle Toer Populair T8
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 396 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times
in
7 Posts
That's reasonable...IF...they are also properly engineered and aimed like a motor vehicle. Unfortunately most bicycle lights aren't.
09-22-14, 06:46 PM
#293
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 121
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 15 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I had a similar experience last winter. I was riding through trees along the Potomac River, which was frozen over. The low sun in my eyes, plus the light reflecting off the ice, was extremely bright and flashing. Even with sunglasses, I started losing my vision and had to stop to recover. A person prone to seizures probably would have had one. Not a very pleasant experience, to say the least.
road being blocked by leaves.I putting out a guess here, but it could have something with our eyes trying to adjust from bright light to a lower intensity over and over.It certain stressed me out.
09-22-14, 06:56 PM
#294
aka Tom Reingold
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Posts: 40,420
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
Mentioned: 503 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7138 Post(s)
Liked 2,086 Times
in
1,240 Posts
I agree. It is reasonable, but it's easy for us to misaim our lights. I know I've done it.
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
09-22-14, 07:23 PM
#295
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 121
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 15 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I think alot of this debate needs alot more research and proven facts before we start jumping to conclusions that a low powered, proper aimed, blinking/flashing light is such a danger on a bicycle
09-22-14, 07:31 PM
#296
24-Speed Machine
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Wash. Grove, MD
Posts: 6,058
Bikes: 2003 Specialized Allez 24-Speed Road Bike
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
I was yelled at today on the morning commute. I'd switched my light from steady to flashing since I could see well enough but it was still twilight. My main objective is to not be run over.
So as a car passes me (we're going the same way) the woman driving yells something at me that, as usual, I only heard part of. Then she lays on her horn, for emphasis, I suppose.
I asked my friend who was riding with me what the lady said, but she heard less than me. So I chalked it up to one of those usual times when I wouldn't know what was yelled and there would be no chance for any dialogue.
Except, when we turned left to cut through a parking lot, there from the right, stopped at a red light, was the same woman. She yelled again. So I stopped and yelled back across the lanes of traffic, "I didn't hear what you said". She proceeded to tell me that my "strobe" light was distracting and that it could trigger an epileptic seizure. My light flashes, it's not a strobe, but that's neither hear nor there and wasn't worth bringing up. I think the seizure thing is an old wives tale, and discounted that. Obviously I got her attention with my flashing light. Mission accomplished.
So I told her that I have it flashing so nobody will run me over. That made her mad, I suppose because I wasn't going to do as she instructed. She told me, "Turn the #@!*& strobe off or you'll get run over on purpose." This as she drove off.
I think she crossed the line there into or very close to criminal with her threat and intimidation. And I have no intention of altering my procedures because one if 10,000 drivers has an issue.
Now that I am at work, I looked up the flashing light/seizure thing on Wikipedia and find that there is something called Photosensitive epilepsy (PSE), which is a form of epilepsy in which seizures are triggered by visual stimuli that form patterns in time or space, such as flashing lights, bold, regular patterns, or regular moving patterns.
Sorry if you have PSE but I'm still using my flashing light.
So as a car passes me (we're going the same way) the woman driving yells something at me that, as usual, I only heard part of. Then she lays on her horn, for emphasis, I suppose.
I asked my friend who was riding with me what the lady said, but she heard less than me. So I chalked it up to one of those usual times when I wouldn't know what was yelled and there would be no chance for any dialogue.
Except, when we turned left to cut through a parking lot, there from the right, stopped at a red light, was the same woman. She yelled again. So I stopped and yelled back across the lanes of traffic, "I didn't hear what you said". She proceeded to tell me that my "strobe" light was distracting and that it could trigger an epileptic seizure. My light flashes, it's not a strobe, but that's neither hear nor there and wasn't worth bringing up. I think the seizure thing is an old wives tale, and discounted that. Obviously I got her attention with my flashing light. Mission accomplished.
So I told her that I have it flashing so nobody will run me over. That made her mad, I suppose because I wasn't going to do as she instructed. She told me, "Turn the #@!*& strobe off or you'll get run over on purpose." This as she drove off.
I think she crossed the line there into or very close to criminal with her threat and intimidation. And I have no intention of altering my procedures because one if 10,000 drivers has an issue.
Now that I am at work, I looked up the flashing light/seizure thing on Wikipedia and find that there is something called Photosensitive epilepsy (PSE), which is a form of epilepsy in which seizures are triggered by visual stimuli that form patterns in time or space, such as flashing lights, bold, regular patterns, or regular moving patterns.
Sorry if you have PSE but I'm still using my flashing light.
But that woman's threat of running you over. Would have made me mad too.
09-22-14, 07:38 PM
#297
Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Central Texas, USA
Posts: 18
Bikes: 2015 Specialized Roubaix SL4
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
[QUOTE=dwbstr;17153368]Just because they're not driving doesn't mean they're not on the road. Many ride bikes or walk. It also doesn't mean since they're not driving that a seizure is not a serious threat to their safety or well being.
I'm not sure I understand your point. There are blinking lights everywhere. Are all blinking lights to be banned to prevent seizures?
I'm not sure I understand your point. There are blinking lights everywhere. Are all blinking lights to be banned to prevent seizures?
09-22-14, 07:44 PM
#298
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 444
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times
in
5 Posts
Recently I started to keep my front and rear lights on steady instead of the various flashing modes. My own observations during my evening commutes with other bikers and I seem to be able to track a solid light more easily than a strobing one. Especially determining speed of the biker. It was easier to see if they are stopped or moving. Just my own thoughts, although I never considered the possiblity that strobing to cause any seizures...
09-22-14, 08:02 PM
#299
Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: SW Michigan
Posts: 30
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
[QUOTE=loosenit2;17154012]
See post #231
Just because they're not driving doesn't mean they're not on the road. Many ride bikes or walk. It also doesn't mean since they're not driving that a seizure is not a serious threat to their safety or well being.
I'm not sure I understand your point. There are blinking lights everywhere. Are all blinking lights to be banned to prevent seizures?
I'm not sure I understand your point. There are blinking lights everywhere. Are all blinking lights to be banned to prevent seizures?
09-22-14, 08:12 PM
#300
Senior Member
As a a prior owner of the Lumina 700, I can tell you the strobe is particularly spastic. I've heard on the internet of things that while strobes catch drivers' attention, they make it more difficult to gague how close you are to them. I've found no issues going to solid all the time on a combination of medium and high, as I'm generally not ridingmore than 2 hours at night.
