unterhausen

me too. I used to have my light on a TwoFish lock block, and I could aim it at them if the flashing didn't work

colleen c

The motorist most likely has identified you as an cyclist with the lower power lights. In their mindset, they probably thinking "no need too turn down off their highs", or the thought never even occur to them. They might even be thinking that they will do you a favor by leaving their highs on so that they can "assist" you with some lights or something like that.

I remember when I used to run a small 3 x AAA 4 led light on my handlebar. I get cars turning left into their driveway in the residential in half a heartbeat without any hesitation and sometimes almost hitting me. Clearly they saw I was comming because their eye ball was looking right at me as they cut in front. After the introduction of the MS900 and I bought one, I saw a huge difference as I noticed cars was waiting for me to clear well before I was even close. Sometimes I wanted them to go first because I was peddling in a relax pace.

Funny how this thread pop up beacause I got a courtesy flash two weeks ago to turn down my lights. I was approaching a red light at the intersection and this car that was waiting at the left turn lane in the opposite direction was waiting for his/her green turn signal. I was running things on med or low but it must have been the helmet light that got that car attention. He/her flashed on and off the spotlight on the driver's side door by the mirror. Yeah, upon closer look, it was a city LEO waiting to turn left. I just responded by turn my handle bar to my right and turn my head to avoid blinding him/her. Then the LEO turn on his spotlight in steady on mode and aimed at me shinging me like a christmas tree. Strangely he turn it off right away. He made his left turn without looking at me. It was a moment later that I came to the conclusion that he did not realise intially that I was a cyclist and thought I was a vehicle with either my Highs on or a pickup truck with their lights left on at the top of the roll bar.

I think being seen as another vehicle has it good and bad. It's good as other car will give more respect and dim their headlights and yeild to you, but it also creates other little problems and even piss off some driver.

mconlonx

I've used a few different lights, and it seems that under 300 lumen and cars will usually not dim high beams; over 300, they will dim lights, maybe because they think it's a motorized vehicle of some kind. I'm trying an aux helmet light next week to see if that makes even more of a difference.

Jim from Boston

I've encountered this problem at this time of year in Dover, MA, one of Boston's ritziest suburbs and a bicycling mecca, so you would think the residents are aware. There are no overhead street lights, so one becomes especially dark-accomodated. That strategy of looking right sounds good, and I will try using my hand as a visor. Usually as I recall, since I haven't been in that situation for a couple years, I slow down and keep my head facing the road, ready to immediately visualize it when my eyes recover.

david58

At least they have their lights ON! Folks around here look at their watch to decide whether or not to run with the lights on, not by considering visibility. I'd take brights over parking lights or nothing at all...