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-   -   "Dim your light please"... (https://www.bikeforums.net/commuting/603231-dim-your-light-please.html)

TwoHeadsBrewing 11-24-09 01:49 PM

Geomangear.com is where I got mine. No complaints, and he has a reputation for taking care of his customers. You can save a few bucks going to DealExtreme, but reports of long wait times and absent customer support are common.

Jonahhobbes 11-24-09 02:07 PM

I use an Iblasst which is well up there in brightness, most people are really impressed and not bothered. I find it hilarious that this guy is cycling around hassling people because of the brightness of their lights.

rumrunn6 11-24-09 02:19 PM

Thanks 2heads!

randya 11-24-09 02:30 PM

You need to look no further than this thread for multiple examples of rude, selfish cyclists. Congrats to all of you who worship at the alter of 'brighter is better' and don't give a rip about anyone but yourselves. Please be careful not to hurt your elbows patting yourselves on the back.

:rolleyes:

chipcom 11-24-09 02:32 PM


Originally Posted by randya (Post 10072047)
You need to look no further than this thread for multiple examples of rude, selfish cyclists. Congrats to all of you who worship at the alter of 'brighter is better' and don't give a rip about anyone but yourselves. Please be careful not to hurt your elbows patting yourselves on the back.

:rolleyes:

somebody is grouchy from getting thwacked by the ole ban stick...danged activist mods! :lol:

Jtgyk 11-24-09 02:33 PM

Got my Magic Shine 2 weeks ago and have been having fun vaporizing cats and small dogs on my commute home at night.
tee hee

rumrunn6 11-24-09 02:36 PM

Hey guys, That Magic Shine seems to have 3 settings: 900; 500 & 200 lumens. Is that correct?
http://www.geomangear.com/index.php?...roducts_id=138

This is very impressive considering the NiteRider is $100. but is only 100 lumens!
http://www.niterider.com/prod_minmini.shtml#

Jtgyk 11-24-09 02:39 PM


Originally Posted by randya (Post 10072047)
You need to look no further than this thread for multiple examples of rude, selfish cyclists. Congrats to all of you who worship at the alter of 'brighter is better' and don't give a rip about anyone but yourselves. Please be careful not to hurt your elbows patting yourselves on the back.

:rolleyes:


Originally Posted by chipcom (Post 10072054)
somebody is grouchy from getting thwacked by the ole ban stick...danged activist mods! :lol:

Can't we all just get along**********
Your scaring the kids with your danged earnestness and sincerity....this isn't A&S.:p
Lighten up and join the party.
GEEZE!!!
:lol:

lambo_vt 11-24-09 02:43 PM


Originally Posted by randya (Post 10072047)
You need to look no further than this thread for multiple examples of rude, selfish cyclists. Congrats to all of you who worship at the alter of 'brighter is better' and don't give a rip about anyone but yourselves. Please be careful not to hurt your elbows patting yourselves on the back.

:rolleyes:

Seriously. All you guys should buy $600 dyno lights and listen to what the dude that got banned for crapping all over the forum says about not being rude.

ItsJustMe 11-24-09 02:44 PM


Originally Posted by rumrunn6 (Post 10072082)
Hey guys, That Magic Shine seems to have 3 settings: 900; 500 & 200 lumens. Is that correct?
http://www.geomangear.com/index.php?...roducts_id=138

This is very impressive considering the NiteRider is $100. but is only 100 lumens!
http://www.niterider.com/prod_minmini.shtml#

That may be what it says, but the high has been measured by several people here as more like 500 lumens. It's still a great 500 lumen light for the price.

I have the old one with just high and low, and the current draw on low is 1/3 that on high, so you might guess that it puts out about 170 lumens on low. On low it does seem about the same as my old Dinotte 200L was; maybe a little brighter.

rumrunn6 11-24-09 02:44 PM

I have 2 cats that eat way to much - just ordered mine!

Pinyon 11-24-09 02:48 PM

I've never seen a magic shine come at me before, but have seen some P7 flashlights in action. The bright setting is NOT too bright for riding in well-lit parts of town here with lots of traffic. Are they annoying? Sure, but they are not "blinding" unless you point them DIRECTLY at the oncoming driver's eyes. Most people here with P7s try to use the dim setting in neighborhoods and such.

My philosophy right now is that it is too bright if it REALLY blinds them, or makes them see spots. Lights that are annoying are good, when you are trying not to be dead.

Once my main light dies, I'll be getting a magicshine, though. Motor vehicles turn in front or on-top of me almost every night on my way home from work, and I run with a 80 lumen light on the handlebar that is pointed directly at windshield height, and a 80 lumen flashlight strapped to my helmet that I use to see the road and/or to flash directly in the face of people coming from side-roads and/or driveways. I may replace the helmet light with a Q5/180-200 lumen light sooner than that (takes AA batteries and lasts 2-3 hours on a single charge), since it suddenly started eating even new rechargeable batteries a lot quicker than it used to.


alfonsol 11-24-09 03:19 PM


Originally Posted by reptilezs (Post 10039194)
who cares

The cyclist behind you might want the oncoming rider to be able to see.

randya 11-24-09 03:59 PM


Originally Posted by Jtgyk (Post 10072101)
Can't we all just get along**********
Your scaring the kids with your danged earnestness and sincerity....this isn't A&S.:p
Lighten up and join the party.
GEEZE!!!
:lol:

how about let's play a little game, why don't you review this thread and any other 'brighter is better' light threads and count exactly how many posters actually admit to aiming their lights directly into the eyes of oncoming traffic, claiming that this somehow makes them 'safer' while at the same time expressing lack of concern or disinterest in actually being polite to other road users? I see several on this page alone.

then count the posters that claim any criticism of this rude and inconsiderate behavior is 'crapping on the thread';I see at least one of those on this page as well.

exarkuhn15 11-24-09 04:17 PM


Originally Posted by randya (Post 10072462)
count exactly how many posters actually admit to aiming their lights directly into the eyes of oncoming traffic, claiming that this somehow makes them 'safer' while at the same time expressing lack of concern or disinterest in actually being polite to other road users?

I put my 1 watt headlight straight ahead and level, mounted on my bars. If I point it down in traffic, won't people not be able to see me as well? It's not like one of the rear lights that's visible from the side - it's only visible from the front, as the casing is metal.

Where else would I point my light? My purpose is to be seen!

randya 11-24-09 04:23 PM

although I realize true believers don't usually want to hear contradictory information, I would think not damaging the oncoming traffic's eyesight by temporarily blinding them with your light would be much higher on the list of any cyclist's concerns

people can still see your light even when it's not pointed directly in their eyes, how hard is that to understand?

Mos6502 11-24-09 04:25 PM


Originally Posted by exarkuhn15 (Post 10072558)
Where else would I point my light? My purpose is to be seen!

You'd be seen if you wore one of these:
http://www.foppishdandy.net/wp-conte...berace_fur.jpg



Originally Posted by randya
people can still see your light even when it's not pointed directly in their eyes, how hard is that to understand?

Apparently that concept is immensely hard to grapple. It must be related to the "I shine my flashlight in people's faces when they are talking or else I cannot hear them" syndrome.

exarkuhn15 11-24-09 05:28 PM


Originally Posted by randya (Post 10072582)
although I realize true believers don't usually want to hear contradictory information, I would think not damaging the oncoming traffic's eyesight by temporarily blinding them with your light would be much higher on the list of any cyclist's concerns

people can still see your light even when it's not pointed directly in their eyes, how hard is that to understand?

When I said that before about where else would I point my light if I want to be seen, it was a serious question! I'm the one who started the other thread asking the same thing after all.

It doesn't show up nearly as much when viewed from any kind of an angle. Maybe it's just my light, but that's the way it is.

I'm not trying to blind people (just a 1 watt light, after all), but I want them to see me. I live in the city, and ride in dense traffic. I'm hesitant to sacrifice even a bit of visibility with the aggressive drivers around.

Maybe I just need more reflective tape.

Mos6502 11-24-09 05:36 PM


Originally Posted by exarkuhn15 (Post 10072804)
It doesn't show up nearly as much when viewed from any kind of an angle. Maybe it's just my light, but that's the way it is.

Then you should get a different light, that doesn't sound good at all. Even if you point it straight ahead, that it cannot be seen from many angles means many people aren't going to see it regardless of where you point it.

BarracksSi 11-24-09 05:42 PM

The last time -- and it will remain the last time if I can help it -- I rode on a commuter-heavy MUP around here, I had had enough.

There were plenty of really bright lights that made it hard for me to see where the hell I was going, but the straw that broke the camel's back was a rider that had at least something like a Dinotte 200 on his helmet and God-knows-what HID on the bars. I was so pissed by this point that, instead of covering my face, I raised my hand and flipped him off, probably getting my finger within a foot of his face.

I KNOW he saw it. That's why I did it. And if he's on this forum -- yup, that was me, and yup, you were a prick.

I shouldn't be surprised, though -- this is DC, after all.

bikeguy69 11-24-09 06:59 PM

I don't post much on these boards but I just started biking a few months ago and its kind of funny to read on this thread that some people experience Bike Rage like I experience road rage when I am driving. I thought Biking was supposed to reduce stress.:p

Anyway I would like to do a little biking at night and am looking hard at that magic shine light that everyone here seems to rave about. I bought a Planet Bike 1 watt Blaze and its ok but doesn't quite cut it on the paved trails near my house that have no lighting whatsoever. And I hear what people are saying that it may be obnoxious but I want CARS to see me and I also want to see where I am going on the roads that aren't well lit. I wouldn't point it in the peoples eyes however, I would think the light would better suit me pointing at the road in front of me so I can see where I am going.

Jonahhobbes 11-24-09 07:24 PM


Originally Posted by randya (Post 10072462)
how about let's play a little game, why don't you review this thread and any other 'brighter is better' light threads and count exactly how many posters actually admit to aiming their lights directly into the eyes of oncoming traffic, claiming that this somehow makes them 'safer' while at the same time expressing lack of concern or disinterest in actually being polite to other road users? I see several on this page alone.

then count the posters that claim any criticism of this rude and inconsiderate behavior is 'crapping on the thread';I see at least one of those on this page as well.

I have a unbelievably bright light due to my half my commute being at night in total darkness, I have it on my helmet which I dip i.e. angle it downwards towards the ground when I meet oncoming traffic unless I'm going through a roundabout. The only other times I've aimed it at people is when I had a couple of blokes running at me shouting "get his bike!", it stopped them in their tracks and also I've flashed cars that have pulled out in front of me, having not seen me.

This is despite the hundreds upon hundreds of times SUV's have never dipped their lights when approaching me. It's life on the roads no biggy.

I have noticed the brighter the light the more likely an oncoming car will dip their lights though.

RT 11-24-09 07:25 PM

Another vote here for Magicshine. I had an accident in July involving a very nimble rabbit. I didn't see him, he didn't see me (using my Cat Eye EL320). Needless to say, I have already frightened off a fox as well as a rabbit using the Magicshine.

Jonahhobbes 11-24-09 07:36 PM


Originally Posted by Toddorado (Post 10073218)
Another vote here for Magicshine. I had an accident in July involving a very nimble rabbit. I didn't see him, he didn't see me (using my Cat Eye EL320). Needless to say, I have already frightened off a fox as well as a rabbit using the Magicshine.


1+ Yeah I get suicidal bunnies, and a decent light gives good warning when the are about to go all kamikaze.

RVD72 11-24-09 08:13 PM

I have a Magic Shine. I always point it just a few feet in front of me and I cover the light with my hand whenever someone else comes at me in the opposite direction. Sometimes I will point it further ahead if there is no one else around but I always point it down when I see another cyclist.

RVD.


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