The Dark Side of Bike Commuting...
12-03-21, 03:53 PM
#26
El Rayo X
Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: Portland Oregon
Posts: 25
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5 Post(s)
Liked 32 Times
in
14 Posts
Originally Posted by robertorolfo
Isn't "irritating" drivers the whole point? I mean, the non-ordinary nature of a flashing rear light is what gets their attention. And I want their attention. I also want to hold their attention. I want them to have to pay enough attention to that "irritating" flashing red light that they can't simply make a small adjustment to their course and go back to the text they are writing (because if you pay attention, at least every 5th car has a distracted driver these days, if not more. And I'm paying attention).
Likes For Litho dbh:
12-08-21, 12:39 AM
#27
Full Member
Originally Posted by john m flores
Bought my girlfriend a Showers Pass Odyssey jacket for her ride/walk to work. Jacket is dark grey with subtle lighter grey pattern on it (street maps of major cities, actually). But when hit by light, this is what happens.
Potato photo quality from phone but you can see how reflective the jacket is with direct light (phone flash). When light hits it off-axis it's not nearly as reflective. For comparison, the red light is a PDW blinky light and a forward pointing blinkie on the stem. There are passive reflectors on the wheels, pedals, and her boots.
Potato photo quality from phone but you can see how reflective the jacket is with direct light (phone flash). When light hits it off-axis it's not nearly as reflective. For comparison, the red light is a PDW blinky light and a forward pointing blinkie on the stem. There are passive reflectors on the wheels, pedals, and her boots.
Lol.
I own this one, Proviz Switch
https://www.provizsports.com/en-gb/s...eflective.html
Proviz is the popular choice in UK, prices are acceptable as well.
Likes For Schlafen:
12-14-21, 10:05 AM
#28
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Posts: 28,749
Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0
Mentioned: 109 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4980 Post(s)
Liked 3,105 Times
in
2,058 Posts
fwiw - thought of you commuters recently
on my way home from work yesterday, in the dark, driving my car, I briefly spotted a cyclist on the other side so I moved over allowing more room for those cars on their side to move around them. but I only spotted the cyclist briefly. they had 1 small not so bright headlight. a light on their helmet, higher than the cars would have been better. & maybe something brighter
last night I spotted another in a similar situation but their tiny little light blended in with all the others lights in traffic. a 2nd light in flash mode would have helped identify what I was seeing
on my way home from work yesterday, in the dark, driving my car, I briefly spotted a cyclist on the other side so I moved over allowing more room for those cars on their side to move around them. but I only spotted the cyclist briefly. they had 1 small not so bright headlight. a light on their helmet, higher than the cars would have been better. & maybe something brighter
last night I spotted another in a similar situation but their tiny little light blended in with all the others lights in traffic. a 2nd light in flash mode would have helped identify what I was seeing
Likes For rumrunn6:
12-14-21, 04:51 PM
#29
aka Tom Reingold
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New York, NY, USA
Posts: 40,234
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: 498 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7045 Post(s)
Liked 1,880 Times
in
1,137 Posts
A lot of cyclists seem to think their lights are adequate when (I think) they are not. Lights have improved a lot in recent years, so an excellent light is pretty affordable. I don't think maximum power is appropriate but the light should be seen unmistakably.
__________________
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.
Likes For noglider:
12-16-21, 05:33 PM
#30
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Queens, NY for now...
Posts: 1,528
Bikes: 82 Lotus Unique, 86 Lotus Legend, 88 Basso Loto, 88 Basso PR, 89 Basso PR, 96 Bianchi CDI, 2013 Deda Aegis, 2019 Basso Diamante SV
Mentioned: 46 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 939 Post(s)
Liked 156 Times
in
108 Posts
Originally Posted by noglider
A lot of cyclists seem to think their lights are adequate when (I think) they are not. Lights have improved a lot in recent years, so an excellent light is pretty affordable. I don't think maximum power is appropriate but the light should be seen unmistakably.
I think NYC presents a different set of circumstances to many places, even other cities, but I find that a lot of bike headlights that city riders use are too bright/blinding. I have no issue with bright rear lights, but I find it frustrating and dangerous when there are frequent bikes coming in the other direction on two-way paths with blinding lights (such as on the 59th street bridge). The solution could be as simple as angling the light down, as I always make sure to do, but alas...
Last edited by robertorolfo; 12-16-21 at 08:24 PM.
12-16-21, 05:52 PM
#31
Senior Member
"With the blast shield down, how am I supposed to ride?" <<< patented BF signature
Likes For prairiepedaler:
12-16-21, 08:56 PM
#32
aka Tom Reingold
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New York, NY, USA
Posts: 40,234
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: 498 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7045 Post(s)
Liked 1,880 Times
in
1,137 Posts
Yeah that’s annoying but it’s not as self-endangering as riding without adequate lights. We really don’t need super bright lights most of the time in the city. Maybe we need to raise awareness of what we’re doing. I was working in a shop and sold a guy a bright headlight. I told him to be careful how he aimed it, and it was a novel concept to him.
__________________
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.
01-08-22, 01:22 AM
#33
Senior Member
you have pelotas of steel dude. I'd be sporting a hologram brake light that projects another bike rider behind me so he takes the hit.
