I only have a 10 minute commute and when I leave work it's at night. I use those blinking LEDs on the front and back of my bike.

a mirror

ansi 2 vest

superflash on the helmet.

reflective panniers
reflective straps on my limbs

is how I roll all over America.

Besides all the discussions about front and rear lights, reflective vests, etc, I just started using Spokelits on the wheels for active side lighting:

https://www.night-gear.com/p/Manufact...y-Nite-Ize.htm

I've tried the SpokeLit and the HokeySpoke. The HokeySpoke didn't start up to my 19 mile commute, although I did think they were pretty cool. The SpokeLit seem to turn themselves off after a certain amount of time. I'm not exactly sure how long the period is, but it's not very long.

I recently purchased a Down Low Glow from Rock The Bike (https://www.rockthebike.com). I got the single tube. It's a sealed, waterproof neon tube that attaches to the bike and is powered by a rechargable battery. I have a recumbent, so it's on my seat tube, but on a Diamond Frame it would be on your front tube and, if you bought the two-light version, on the seat tube. The thing throws out an excellent light that really improves not only my front and back visibility, but side as well. They're not exactly cheap, but I think they're worth the money.

Other than that, I have a DiNotte 200L on my front and another on my helmet, and SuperFlash on my trunk bag and a regular blinkie on my helmet. My trunk bag is fluorescent green with reflective tape all around. My shoes are reflective. I wear a bright yellow jacket. I have reflective gloves. When I remember to put it on, I also like my SafeTurn light (https://www.safeturn.com/the_product.html).

Like I've said before, if someone hits me, they're aiming.

Presumably you are aware that the Spokelit must be activated. When sold, it is in test mode, and will only stay on for less than about one minute. To activate you need to hold the on switch for about 10 seconds until it starts flashing quickly. There is a yellow sticker on the package that explains it. I myself didn't read the sticker at first and had that problem.

My morning ride yesterday ended in daylight and since it was my first ride with the Spokelit, I forgot to turn it off, and exhausted the battery ;-(

My motto is make myself as visible as possible and assume nobody sees me.

Yep, both mine are activated and run for at least 15 minutes, but by the time I get into work (between 1.75 and 2 hours), they're out. I can hit them again and they'll come on again, so I'm not exhausting the batteries. I suppose that I might be going over a bump or something that turns them off, but considering how hard I have to press to start them, I kind of doubt that.

I put a Spokelit on each wheel a couple weeks ago. I got the 'disco' flavor that cycle between colors while in steady mode (although blinky mode is only red).

So far it seems like they do attract attention, and they throw a fair amount of light. They also seem to unbalance the wheel, but as a practical consideration I don't think it matters. I only notice when I'm spinning the wheel on a repair stand.

As for the battery life, I haven't run out yet, but I did discover that you can get rechargeable lithium-ion coin batteries, using a charger such as this one. Depending on how long the Spokelits last, that may be a good way to go.

Beyond that, I've got an LED blinky in front supplementing an older halogen battery headlight, an LED flashlight and a small red blinky on the helmet, and two red LEDs in the back (older one and a Mars 3.0), and reflective tape on the frame.

I want to be seen.

Just got a cheap Bell (is that redundant?) front mount light that's detachable. On the back, another cheap blinky attached to my helmet (guess they really do have a safety use after all ;-)). Biggest thing I would probably worry about at night is the drunk drivers.

good lights that not only make you visible but light the road so that you can see road hazards. Reflective gear and/or light colored clothing are a must.

Something no one has mentioned and I may get flamed for this (or I would in the A&S forum) but route selection may be something to consider as well. It may be worth it to add a mile or two if it means you are on wider roads with better lighting.

The only problem I have is coming up soon, when I am often mistaken for an Xmas tree.

While we're at it, can anyone explain how it's possible to ride with a blinky as a front light without having a seizure?

A lot of front blinkies don't have enough power to actually show the road in the first place. If you're using something like a DiNotte 600L in blinking mode, in the dark, then that would be pretty brutal, yeah. Although I can certainly think of worse!

I actually see people riding on the local trail -- which leaves city limits, snaking through pitch dark 'burbs and farm country -- with a blinding blinky.

I'm thinking, like, are these people insane or do they enjoy the epileptic brain confusion it creates. Perhaps the experience harkens back to strobe lights and acid days. Yes, that's probably what they are reliving. I imagine when they get home, they must bouce off the walls.

I ride with a front light set on blink often. In the daytime. How would that cause a seizure? I can't even tell the light is on unless I put my hand in front of it to check.

I also use one at night, but not as my primary light. I'll run with perhaps the HID on, then a small 100 lumen LED on blink beside it. It's a "be seen" light. I only do that in adverse conditions (fog, heavy rain, snowstorm, etc). I've checked what it looks like to oncoming drivers, and it's not bad at all.

Close your eyes.

Everyone has you covered for rear lights and reflectors. Rear lights and reflective material do protect you from being involved in someone hitting you from the rear. These types of accidents are a fairly rare event, however.

Being hit from a vehicle turning left in front of you or coming out of a side street are far more common. A mistake that I see all to often is ignoring front lights. Most people think that if they have enough rear light they are safe and they can 'get by' with a cheap and weak front light. The front light serves two purposes. It lights your way, of course, but it also is a signal to drivers on side streets and making left turns that you are there. At a minimum, you should have something along the lines of the Fenix L2D...and yes, you should have more than one...but those are only the starting point. They put out around 180 lumens which isn't much light. 400 lumens is better, 700 lumens is where people start to notice, 1200 lumens is where people start to worry about anal probes and anything above that is just plain showing off (I run around 4600 lumens)

Think of it this way: At 180 lumens, you are saying to the world, "Um, excuse me. Um, I over here. Please don't run over me." At 4600 lumens you are shouting to the world, " Hey Dipsh*t! I'm here. You wanna piece of this!"

Get, or build, as much light as you can afford

I have a 15 mile commute home at night 1/2 of which is 55 mph Highways. So I need to be seen.

I run a Dinotte Rear tail light.

I have run three headlights. 1 Trailtech 30 Watt HID and two multimode flashlights, an Aurora SSC-P7 5 mode on high and a MTE CREE-MC-E 8 mode on high. If you don't see me coming you're blind! If I get a frontal impact it most likely intentional!

I live east of Pittsburgh (Monroeville). Some of the back roads have some blind turns and not much shoulder to work with. I would suggest driving them during the day to check for blind turns, shoulders and road debris. And as the other posters have pointed out the more lights the better. In particular the left hook. I fell victim to this one morning a little over a month ago. Thought I was running with sufficient lights (Blackburn X6) but the driver told the officier "I didn't see him". I had been running with this setup for two years+. So now I run with two Dinotte 200L, a Princeton Tec Switchback 3, and a Blackburn Voyager 4.0 (flash mode). A Cateye 1100 and a Princeton Tec Swerve on the rear.

My single ~160lumen helmet flashlight might make me a bit biased, but I think 180lumens are more than enough - all I have to do approaching intersections is momentarily aim the hotspot in the driver's window and they see me every time. Given the budget I would probably buy a P7, but that's more of a nice-to-have than a "minimum".

I pulled up to the bike shop about a week ago on my "daily driver" commuting bike with the DiNotte 140, a SuperFlash, a BRT-5, the two Trek bar-plug blinkies, my "screaming yellow" Pearl Izumi jacket with my ANSI Class II vest over it, and a SuperFlash on the helmet, plus a helmet light, the Seca 700 headlight and the Dereelight DBS.

A young lady walking by smiled and said, "if anyone were to hit you, it's definitely a case of homocide!"

The point I was making is that you shouldn't have to aim the light to be noticed. And it's the drivers that you forget to aim your light at that will get you I can do the same thing but seldom have too. Mine are so bright that I'm confused for a car running only one head light. It takes a particularly brain dead driver not to notice me

I've run LEDs with 180 lumen output and have had too many motorists pull out in front of me. The lack of illumination (it's getting better) and the restricted directionality are the reasons I don't use LED.

Started wearing this LED vest, PB Superflash, PB 1/2w Blaze (need to upgrade, light gets swallowed up on wet roads without streetlights) and PB 4 LED Sport Spot on helmet. The LED vest fills in the void and doesn't require lights aimed at you. I get wide berths from cars from rear and on-coming cars notice and slow or wait. Maybe they think I'm a bike cop.

I've received so many positive comments since I started using an HID lighting system, plus I can operate at a higher speed with more confidence. The number of lefthooks, crossovers, and pullouts have dropped dramatically when compared to the LED systems that I was previously using.

pffft........

Ditto on this.. I also use these lights. The Fenix sure is a sweet light.