Car driver tells me flashing headlight is too distracting
#26
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I try not to be any more annoying than I have to.
If they are not looking they won't see any amount of light.
We have people around here rear end tractors with a dozen halogen lights flashing.
Also having more than one light close together makes you look like a bigger vehicle that is very far away.
If they are not looking they won't see any amount of light.
We have people around here rear end tractors with a dozen halogen lights flashing.
Also having more than one light close together makes you look like a bigger vehicle that is very far away.
#27
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I tend to agree. Last night I observed a cyclist, with a single flashing rear light on his bike, I gauged him to be much closer to me (a good thing) with the type of light that he was using.
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Mission Accomplished....
#29
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Example, if car driver is looking the other way, on the phone, or whatever, with my blinkies, he is going to look up and see what this is. Mission accomplished. I am not out there on an MUP, or dilly dally traffic. I am out there where cars pass me in excess of 50mph, and sometimes don't give me my 3 feet. Also, the car driver is only so-called distracted/annoyed, or whatever for a few seconds. However, the flip side is, he doesn't see you and makes contact.
AGain,. my set up is about 5 to 10 brighter than yours, and I am not changing a darn thing. One thing I do, is have the big two up front aimed at about 20 to 30 feet downward to the ground out front. Not up in drivers eyes.. However, I use my helmet light as a safety factor too. Around curves, and this happened this morning. One car, decided to ignore all the other lights and proceeded to try to take my right of way. Ha, he did a jump back big time, as I aimed that 18650 on my helmet dead at him. He jammed brakes and allowed me to pass. He was coming out a drive way, I am on the road, in my lane doing about 22 mph on the flats.
In summary, I think you need BRIGHTER LIGHTS..
#30
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I run two MagicShines on the front - steady on the bars, and flashing on the helmet. 2-3 flashers and a solid on the back. Frankly, I don't care if I distract or irritate a driver with my lights - at least they can see me. And I still have two right hooks in the past two days...
Couldn't be said any better. Also, in another thread like this, somebody posted that they have teenagers to put through college. Didn't want to lose it out there on a humble! Humble=Something that doesn't have to be..
Glad to see somebody share my exact opinion!!
That distracting a driver and that puts you in danger of being hit by said driver, is the biggest yarn I have heard in a long time!!
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Mission Accomplished.
#32
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OP - was it dark out when the comment was made?
#33
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"You saw my light? Well then it worked--too many cyclists and pedestrians get killed or hurt because drivers 'don't see them'."
I moved my 250 lumen light from my helmet to my handlebars because I was hearing nasty comments from pedestrians...
Two lights, front and rear, brightest on steady, less powerful light set to blinking.
I moved my 250 lumen light from my helmet to my handlebars because I was hearing nasty comments from pedestrians...
Two lights, front and rear, brightest on steady, less powerful light set to blinking.
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I disagree. I believe that the primary function of headlights, both car and bicycle, is to be seen. On a car, brights and fog lights are used to see. Most bicycle lights are only bright enough to be used as "been seen" and not to see.
I do most of my riding during light hours. At these times, I flash both front and back. When it is dark out, I do have a (supposedly) >1000 lumin flash light on front that I turn on solid.
Cheers,
Charles
I do most of my riding during light hours. At these times, I flash both front and back. When it is dark out, I do have a (supposedly) >1000 lumin flash light on front that I turn on solid.
Cheers,
Charles
Headlights are on the opposite side of the road from you... Therefore you don't actually need to see them. If they are turning across your path, then cars at least have turn signals, which you could see. Also regs require headlights on cars to be on the path in front of the car, and not to shine at the vehicles coming in the opposing direction. Which is another indicator that your perception is mistaken...
#35
Banned
Acidfast from Germany asks: re seeing steady lights only
I read about the regulation of bike lights is that they not flash, in Germany.
I have German Export lights, only flashing is the taillight,
in senso mode , when i stop, in the dark .
thoughts?
I have German Export lights, only flashing is the taillight,
in senso mode , when i stop, in the dark .
Last edited by fietsbob; 11-09-12 at 11:13 AM.
#36
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I have yet to see a solid construction warning light or emergency vehicle light. A little flashing from a bike should be manageable for a driver to handle.
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And those lights are not designed to shine at (or anywhere near) the eyes of vehicle operators. I understand it might be subtle to some, but that is a significant difference...
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Theres a difference between noticeable and distracting.
Knee high skirt is noticeable, mid thigh high is distracting.
Knee high skirt is noticeable, mid thigh high is distracting.
#39
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I want to be seen, but I don't want to annoy. I'd take the comment under advisement and see if I could aim so it is less annoying. Thus far I've had drivers tell me that could see me easily, joking that they didn't know what it was coming at them. But they haven't told me it was too much in their eyes. There are a lot of cyclists who ride in my area and I've only seen one flashing headlight set up among many that I thought would be potentially too annoying. (Saw a guy the other day with a solid light that was bright enough that standing at the end of my driveway looking down the road I thought a motorcycle was coming. I was impressed and wish I knew what he was running.)
#40
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Some strobe lights are "attracting" but others have such a low frequency that they leave big gaps of darkness, long enough for a driver to glance, see nothing and pull out in front of you from the side.
Flashing lights can be noticed but it is very difficult to estimate distance, esp it it is so dark, all you can see is the light.
Flashing lights should be used in poor daylight or dusk where you can be seen if someone looks. In the dark, switch to solid beam.
Some people run 2 flashing lights at different frequencies, much too hypnotic. Run one solid and one flashing.
Flashing lights can be noticed but it is very difficult to estimate distance, esp it it is so dark, all you can see is the light.
Flashing lights should be used in poor daylight or dusk where you can be seen if someone looks. In the dark, switch to solid beam.
Some people run 2 flashing lights at different frequencies, much too hypnotic. Run one solid and one flashing.
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I had that happen once, and in hindsight I wish my response was "better annoying than dead"
that said, these days i angle my flashing light slightly to the right and down, so it's not as annoying but still flashing.
that said, these days i angle my flashing light slightly to the right and down, so it's not as annoying but still flashing.
#43
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Solid lights after dark, flashing during the daytime.
It's pretty easy to blind other cyclists and motorists with sub-hundred dollar lights these days. I know people here will preach up and down that a blinded motorist at least saw you and isn't that super cool, but please don't do it. I pass multiple cyclists on a dark commute and the ones using solar flairs, aimed up, and flashing are by far the worst.
It's pretty easy to blind other cyclists and motorists with sub-hundred dollar lights these days. I know people here will preach up and down that a blinded motorist at least saw you and isn't that super cool, but please don't do it. I pass multiple cyclists on a dark commute and the ones using solar flairs, aimed up, and flashing are by far the worst.
#44
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I don't see the point of running the front light on flash. Drivers on the other side of the road aren't going to hit you, and you risk distracting them. It doesn't help you see the road at all.
Is the reasoning for front flash to help prevent people pulling out from side streets? I think a bright headlight would do the same coupled with riding farther away from the curb.
Is the reasoning for front flash to help prevent people pulling out from side streets? I think a bright headlight would do the same coupled with riding farther away from the curb.
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Also, not sure where you are, but I wonder if this driver also has a chat with every person he sees talking on a cell phone, texting, or otherwise driving distracted. It might just be a passive aggressive thing because he's in a car and you're on a bike (might not, but I'd be curious).
#46
The Recumbent Quant
Hi,
Yes, the biggest reason is to let people who are pulling out from side streets that you are there. I find a big difference when I am running a front flashing light in the behavior of drivers. It is also important for cars to see you coming (e.g., an oncoming car needs to pass a stopped car on its side).
Flashing has two reasons here: (1) It makes it more obvious to drivers and (2) it saves battery life. I've been driving with my headlights in the day time since the 80s, so I had to ask myself why I'd ride without a front facing light.
And I agree: riding further away from the curb when approaching side streets is a good strategy regardless of whether you have a light or not.
Cheers,
Charles
I don't see the point of running the front light on flash. Drivers on the other side of the road aren't going to hit you, and you risk distracting them. It doesn't help you see the road at all.
Is the reasoning for front flash to help prevent people pulling out from side streets? I think a bright headlight would do the same coupled with riding farther away from the curb.
Is the reasoning for front flash to help prevent people pulling out from side streets? I think a bright headlight would do the same coupled with riding farther away from the curb.
Flashing has two reasons here: (1) It makes it more obvious to drivers and (2) it saves battery life. I've been driving with my headlights in the day time since the 80s, so I had to ask myself why I'd ride without a front facing light.
And I agree: riding further away from the curb when approaching side streets is a good strategy regardless of whether you have a light or not.
Cheers,
Charles
#47
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I don't see the point of running the front light on flash. Drivers on the other side of the road aren't going to hit you, and you risk distracting them. It doesn't help you see the road at all.
Is the reasoning for front flash to help prevent people pulling out from side streets? I think a bright headlight would do the same coupled with riding farther away from the curb.
Is the reasoning for front flash to help prevent people pulling out from side streets? I think a bright headlight would do the same coupled with riding farther away from the curb.
Funnily enough, in my FB feed this morn:
Dear cyclists, We can see you coming with just a normal light on your bike!!! It is completely unnecessary for you to have a bright flashing strobe light going @ 6 am not only on your bike but on your helmet , you people are going to give some one a freaking seizure with that ****!!!!!
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Regarding emergency vehicle lights, have you ever been pulled over my a cop? Those flashing lights sure got your attention, huh?
On a side note though, and I mean this seriously, I often wonder how many people on this forum spend time behind the wheel of a car as well as on a saddle. I have 2 kids that I have to cart around and I put a bunch on miles on my wife's car doing so. I see cyclists all the time while I am driving and when I see the flashing lights I know it is a cyclist and I treat them accordingly. Never once have I thought, "Gee I wish that prick would stop with the flashing light business". Perhaps the OP's light was pointed a bit higher than needed and was causing an issue with drivers or maybe the driver was being a smart ass with the comment but I know for sure I have never been distracted by a cyclists light flashing. If people get distracted by such a small insignificant thing then I sure don't want them behind the wheel at all. Who knows what might distract them next.
So tonight when I ride home I will turn on my flashing lights and be on my way.
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Dear cyclists, We can see you coming with just a normal light on your bike!!! It is completely unnecessary for you to have a bright flashing strobe light going @ 6 am not only on your bike but on your helmet , you people are going to give some one a freaking seizure with that ****!!!!!:
#50
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In many jurisdictions, flashing (headlights or taillights) are a code violation. Further, as others have mentioned there is some evidence that they increase the likelihood of collision. On top of that, a flashing HEADLIGHT, reduces a headlights primary purpose--to allow one to see ahead of one. Headlights are not, primarily, about being seen, but about seeing.
And I will note, that by your (OP) own admission, the driver was polite and simply conveying what they believed to be relevent information (which as others have pointed out has some factual basis) and your instinctual response was sarcasm? Very civilized behavior/instincts you have.
And I will note, that by your (OP) own admission, the driver was polite and simply conveying what they believed to be relevent information (which as others have pointed out has some factual basis) and your instinctual response was sarcasm? Very civilized behavior/instincts you have.
There are headlights to be seen by, and there are headlights to see by. Two different use cases. Flashies are to be seen by, as anyone who's tried to navigate a busy discotheque by strobe light alone has probably discovered.
I see you also responded sarcastically to OP's initial sarcastic response. In your experience, is answering sarcasm with sarcasm an effective method for addressing the problem, or is it more like to continue in the same vein?
Last edited by truman; 11-09-12 at 01:26 PM. Reason: punctuation