Car flashed lights at me
#1
Thread Starter
Bring It!

Joined: Oct 2002
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From: Bay Area, CA
Bikes: Torelli - Trek 520 - GT - and some old Schwinn Thing
Car flashed lights at me
Last night riding home at about 10:30pm, I had a car flash it's lights at me because one of my two bike lights was pointed slightly high. I guess they are pretty bright. I'm using the NiteRider Mini Newt X2.
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Sailing and Cycling make the world go 'round. Quietly Too!
Sailing and Cycling make the world go 'round. Quietly Too!
#2
It makes me grin, when they flash me. That means that they really did see me. You don't want to blind them, though. You just want your lights to be annoying enough not to ignore. You may consider using a dimmer setting, if you are going to point that light at their faces. I point my 130 lumen handlebar light right at eye-height for most drivers, and point my brighter helmet light at the road in front of me. I've had many fewer close calls with people turning in front of me since I set up my bike this way.
#3
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 494
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From: Frankfurt am Main, Germany/Arlington, VA
Bikes: Surly Pugsley, Jamis Renegade, Kona Rove, Salsa Pistola, Raleigh M60, Raleigh Sport Touring Team USA
It makes me grin, when they flash me. That means that they really did see me. You don't want to blind them, though. You just want your lights to be annoying enough not to ignore. You may consider using a dimmer setting, if you are going to point that light at their faces. I point my 130 lumen handlebar light right at eye-height for most drivers, and point my brighter helmet light at the road in front of me. I've had many fewer close calls with people turning in front of me since I set up my bike this way.
#4
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 597
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From: Milwaukee
Bikes: Fred cycles
Long ago, I considered putting European-spec headlights on an American car to replace its standard headlights due to their being worthless for highway speeds. I was impressed with the carefully engineered beam patterns including sharp vertical cutoffs so oncoming drivers were not blinded. Are there no bike headlights engineered to have sharp vertical cutoff?
#5
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 21
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Its actually very dangerous for other cyclists depending on the terrain. I once had a group of high beam cyclists coming towards me and I was going at a fairly high speed on rough terrain. I panicked the way through with one hand on the brakes and one to cover their beam. I'd never want to encounter that again. Please be considerate to other cyclists!
#6
Plays in traffic
Joined: May 2006
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From: Rochester, NY
Bikes: 1996 Litespeed Classic, 2006 Trek Portland, 2013 Ribble Winter/Audax, 2016 Giant Talon 4
#7
Busch & Müller Big Bang will do it. They offer a converter lens if you want to go off road. otherwise it has a very good cut-off.
Way outa my budget though.
https://www.peterwhitecycles.com/bigbang.asp
Way outa my budget though.
https://www.peterwhitecycles.com/bigbang.asp
#8
Wanderer
Joined: Sep 2008
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From: Denver- Wash Park
Bikes: Soma Rush 2010 LTD- 84 Raleigh Marathon- 05 Surly LHT
#9
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Joined: Sep 2005
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From: Michigan
Bikes: Windsor Fens, Giant Seek 0 (2014, Alfine 8 + discs)
It's really too bad there aren't any P7 systems with proper cutoff for road riding. It shouldn't really cost any more than a round beam system. OK, maybe the machining for the case would be a little more complex for a really good system with an LED firing down into a curved reflector, but still, what would that do, push a $90 system to $120? I'd pay it gladly.
Maybe GeoMan can convince MagicShine to put something like this out, it'd be perfect for commuting.
Maybe GeoMan can convince MagicShine to put something like this out, it'd be perfect for commuting.
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Work: the 8 hours that separates bike rides.
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#12
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Joined: Sep 2005
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From: Michigan
Bikes: Windsor Fens, Giant Seek 0 (2014, Alfine 8 + discs)





