Front blinkie or no front blinkie?
 

I just got my first front battery pack light and wow, so much nicer to ride in the morning! I was able to clearly see the road hazards at 22 mph. Nice center beam and side flood too. Got a Nightrider Minewt 150 USB. I wanted local support for parts and replacement so I decided against the majicshine (flamesuit on).
I also mounted my Blackburn Flea I use as a front blinkie to my helmet so that I can direct it at waiting traffic etc. So now my question is this:

Should I leave the flea as a front blinkie as an attention getter or run it solid to aim at cars? I think the blinking still gets their attention better than solid even if I shine it towards them.

I ask because an experienced commuter was recommending I get the helmet mount for my bright light as it really gets cars attention when it can be aimed.

That depends. If the ambient light is very bright, then you may need the blinkie mode to make sure people see you. Otherwise, a regular headlight will suffice.

Put the blinkie on. It gets people's attention no matter what the ambient light is like. It might cause someone to have a seizure though.
Incidentally, that is the same blinker(s) I use and so far I love them.

I think it depends. If the flea is bright enough to light up a portion of your commute without being overly obnoxious I would run it on solid. If it really isn't that bright I would keep it on blink.

I always have a front flasher on when commuting then switch on my other light if I need to light my way. I've gotten comments from coworkers that they've noticed my flashing light from blocks away even during daylight. Being noticed is good.

My front light is always blinking unless I need to use to actually see on a street with no lights. In a city like L.A., a solid light just blends in with all the other city lights.

Same here.

EU folks have regulations , so the German made lights, I have, don't blink.

the Helmet blinkie is a good idea, will at least keep aircraft over my head high enough.

I happen to dislike the blinking optional beam on the superflash 1w,
and the steady narrow beam is not as useful

as the messy spread out beam, on an older PB super spot,
when passing thru dark areas, in the rain, at night.

On long commutes, I normally put the most powerful light (running on solid!) on the helmet so I can point it wherever I want. I can aim it far or close if needed. Remember you're still creating enough movement with a light running on solid mounted on your helmet to be clearly noticed by drivers. The blinkie goes on my handlebar just as extra caution and also to be recognized as a cyclist. Given the very powerful lights available in the last few years for bicycles, drivers are completely thrown off wondering if you're a motorcycle. If they see a blinkie somewhere, they know it's a bicycle approaching.

ditto. in a city as ridiculously over-illuminated as chicago, solid lights are of little use, hence my front light is always on blinky. rarely do i ever need illumination on the bike to see where i'm going because of chicago's copious amount of cobra head street lights.

I agree with the consensus opinion. I have also been told that folks notice my blinkie (Road Id - Firefly) from far far away!
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=176502

I put the blinkies in back, under the seat and neck high on the reflecter vest. I use solid headlight for the front(triled), can't stand anything blinking infront of me.

I keep the big triangled reflecter that came with the bike on the front as well. The oncoming cars headlights do the luminating for me. Plus the usual reflec in the spokes and pedals.

This works for where I ride, you will need to asses your area and come up with works there.

3ss

Blinking if it's bright, solid if it's dark.

If you're running your bright light solid, keep the smaller on flash mode. It'll help get attention, but hopefully won't be so bright that it will be a distraction.

It also depends on where you live. I use a Planet Bike One Watt front light and keep it on the flashing mode when I'm around the city or brighter parts of campus. If I'm on a low lit road or cross the bridge out away from downtown, I'll switch it over to solid... especially if there are cars around.

+1 All of the above. The blinkies are always on front and rear night or day. When using the headlight I switch off the front blinky. Otherwise, it's all blinkies all the time.

I have decided recently that if the light is such that some cars do not have their headlights on, that I will be in flash mode. If it's so dark that everyone has the headlights, I'll go solid.

When I am in the city, I always have something flashing.

In fact, minewt on the helmet is always flashing - that way I can look right at people if I have to get their attention.

I'm more worried about the people behind me than in front. I can avoid people in front in most situations, and they're usually on the opposite side of the street. I live in a suburban town though, so there aren't many cars to cut me off taking a left turn.

Thought I should say --

Once, while driving, I passed a cyclist with a rear blinkie, and the pickup truck behind me then passed him, too. We passed him with plenty of time before the stop sign at the end of the block. I had my rear view mirror flipped to night mode already because it was late twilight and the pickup's headlights were pretty bright (probably because its bed was carrying a load).

I checked the mirror to see how far back the cyclist was before getting to the stop sign, and he was completely invisible. I checked the side mirror, and I couldn't see him there, either. The pickup's headlights obliterated any view of the cyclist. I don't like stopping at an intersection in the middle of the street, so I had no idea if it was safe to scoot back to the right.

If he had been using a front light, I would have seen if he was too close.

Also, FWIW, local laws may require using a white headlight while allowing for either a red light or red reflector for the rear. DC's bike laws say as much.

Just do defend my self xD I always ride with a bright front at night, and plan on buying a magicshine when I gather the dimes and nickels. :P

Use the blinky as a backup

Me too. As well, blinkie when overcast and blinkie when foggy.

I always run a front blinkie - PB blaze 2w, day or night. After dark I run my main light to see and my blinkie to enhance driver attention.

That's what I do too.

My two cents worth. As a driver, I hate the blinkie light as I find it too distracting and tend to go towards it to see what it is. As a bicyclist, the flickering makes my eyes ache. A steady light allows me to see while cycling and see cyclists when I'm driving.