I don't have my car headlights on, either, unless rain, fog, low-light situation, same as I would have lights on while riding my bike. Consistency...

With a motorcycle, you have no choice, headlights have been mandated always on in the US since the 70s or so. Maybe the 60s. You can't turn them off.

Actually, no, my experience on motorcycles and that of other riders indicates otherwise...

...as you noted.

I do run lights in low-light situations, and always at night, usually two out back set solid and blinking, one or two up front.

I've been around Europe and in most bike oriented cities such as Amsterdam, Frankfurt, etc, and one thing that always puzzled me was that no-one was wearing a helmet! Acidfast7, is there a helmet law in Germany?

Both in the daylight, and multiple headlights in the dark.

yes, yes, and yes - even when I'm on MUP, I see cars slowing down at street crossings long before I get to the intersection because they see my flashing light

A comment on this very board one time - to the effect that you'd feel really stupid if you got hit by a car with your lights OFF - convinced me to turn them on at all times.

All of the time. Multiple lights front & back. 3 of my bikes have generators & German made head & taillights. I also run battery lights front & rear on those. Even when riding in a pack I run head & taillights & always a helmet light. It has saved me several times from collisions with cars & even a bike on a MUP (during daytime hours).

In Canada all motor vehicles are requred by law to operate with their headlights on. A bicycle is already much much smaller than any motor vehicle, so a cyclist driving with no lights just ups their chances of being invisible in a sea of lights when sharing roads with cars.

So I not only drive with lights - I do my best to make sure they're bright enough to be conspicuous. The human brain tends to pick out the unusual and having the brightest lights on the street WILL get you noticed. After that - driving reasonably and respecting the other drivers on the road will usually get you the same treatment.

Interesting - so you are effectively cycling on the sidewalk - i.e., the sidewalk is a multi-user path. Riding on El Camino here in the Bay area, I sometimes wish this was an option.

Back on topic - on my commute, I don't use lights unless it is foggy/dark/rainy. My commute goes through some low traffic side streets and an MUP (only one busy street, and that has a dedicated bike lane and a mostly unused parking lane to the right of the bike lane) - and the residents have shown themselves to be very bike-aware. So I've never felt the need to run lights in the bright sunshine.

No, only when it's dark.

I run lights all the time on my commuter, which at the moment is my road bike, so pretty much all the time. I figure if I'm carrying the weight, I might as well use them. I blink both during the day, front light goes to full on at night. I recently bought a reflective vest for night riding, and am wearing it all the time for the same reason (might as well if you already have one). When I build my dedicated commuter, the weight weenie in me may not run lights on my road bike anymore during the day, but we'll see.

Front light (minewt 150) I'll turn on in blinky mode during the day. About half the time I'll flip on the rear lights. They are your basic blackburn lights so it is debate as to whether they do any good during the day or not. Really would like something brighter for the back.

Turns out the poll result is just the opposite of what I had expected! The vast majority actually do use lights in daylight! Thanks for the comments and reasoning!

I use a Vis 360, fairly pricey but what would you pay to avoid being hit ?
Here is a link to a video of it. http://vimeo.com/13816464#

Sometimes day and night. When there is no traffic I don't use lights, sometimes at night as well. If the moon is full or street lights supply adequate illumination or even if my eyes adjust and I can trust the surface, I often like the night as is. I think that sometimes lights can impede depth perception when they are too spot-lighty. I use them in daylight to help others see me. When I do use lights at night, I have a front and rear mounted flashers and a steady Lights in Motion Stella on my helmet.

:eek:

I'm willing to bet there is a large selection bias. That is, those of us who use lights are probably more likely to vote.

Cheers,
Charles

I always use a blinking rear light during the day. I often use a blinking front light, but nt always. I relaly don't have a good reason for not using it when I don't. Usually I just don't feel like it and I'm going on a short ride.

I have my lights on blink except when it's dark...then my front light is on steady so I can see where I'm going.

I live in an area with lots of trees - if I'm in a tree shadow, and the motorist coming up behind me is in bright sunlight, they will see my flashing taillight before even my hi-viz shirt.

I often have a small blinkie on the back of my helmet on even if it's daytime. Otherwise, no.

My dynamo powered lights are on most of the time, unless it's a good weather day and it's bright outside.

waiting now for 1600lm magicshine to use it as a flood light when i am alone on the road at night. that one to be switched off when other people are around.

I use my lights day and night. I think it's safer to use them in the daytime, especially one of the front lights on flash; however the primary reason is that it's cool.

I voted and I only use my lights at night or during inclement weather/reduced visibility (unless on my dyno-powered bike where they are on pretty much all the time). I don't ride with the delusion that people can see me, I always assume that they do not and ride accordingly - which is why I am still pretty after all these decades. :D

I agree with this statement. That is the key to safely sharing the road. Sadly, there are those motorists who no matter where we are riding they will harass us.

In answer to the topic question, I didn't use lights during bright daylight in the past but I'm starting to. Just a blinky on the front and rear whereas a blinky and solid light on the front from dusk to dawn.

You want to preserve those looks, wouldn't you?:p