The laser "lane marking" was just marketing, with the lines barely visible from a distance. A bright tail light on steady, with a slight downward aim will make a bright pool of red light behind the cyclist. That's way more visible.

I don't ride at night very much anymore, but when I did group rides, I switched my Cygolite 150 from flashing to steady, and dialed the intensity down. With a group, this was good for following riders, and still obvious to cars overtaking.

Reflective ankle straps are very helpful. The group riders that had them were immediately obvious as cyclists even a few hundred yards ahead. That motion really catches my eye.

Yes, the Hypershot 350 is too bright for closely following cyclists, even with sunglasses in the daytime. It does help if it's aimed a bit downward.
My 150 in single flash mode is very visible in bright sunlight and the short, sharp flash has a long battery life. It's eyecatching a quarter mile up the road in bright sunlight. I always have it on when riding.,

I like a flashing taillight for daytime visibility.
Recently bought a Ravemen TR500.
Like it a lot; very bright, rechargeable, compact, and easy to install and remove.

This is how I ride during the day or night, wearing a safety yellow jacket. Plus, a blinking taillight at night.

I stay right on the street providing enough room to the passing cars. I never ride my bikes without wearing a safety yellow jacket that has reflective strips, day or night. The safety yellow jacket makes you more visible than any other thing. Never faced an issue so far.

P.S. I also wear a safety yellow helmet, but I don't think it is really necessary, if you are wearing a safety yellow jacket.

[QUOTE=noglider;23408213]I've heard that said, but I have not heard any stories of that happening. Could it be urban legend?

It's real, and called the "moth effect."


https://www.visualexpert.com/Resources/motheffect.html

It just occurred to me that the perfect person to ask this question does exist: Ian Walker. So I just e-mailed him to ask about it.

I heard back from Ian Walker. He didn't address my question about the moth effect directly. Here's what he said:

Thanks for posting.

On this forum, I have often commented that flashing lights, you can't get any depth perception where you can with constant on lights. But others on this forum have blasted me for saying anything that they perceived to be so stupid. The person you contacted did not specifically agree with my thoughts, word for word, but his comment (pasted):
..
sounds a lot like my thoughts. That is why I often use red rear facing flashers during daytime, and especially in fog or overcast conditions. But at night I only use constant on.

That's what I've adopted: flashing low on the Carback radar hung under my seat with a steady red high on the back of my helmet.

There are steep hills where I live and ride so I'm hoping that high red is the first thing drivers approaching from behind will see as they come over a hilltop I've just crested, then the blinking red lower down the closer they get.

99.9% of the vehicles passing me tend to move well to my left as they pass. The 20% who move into the oncoming traffic lane give me the heebies when they're entirely over the double yellow with no possible way to tell if there's something coming up over the hill in front of us both but in that lane.

I guess this is a favorite topic of mine, apologies If I gather a lot ...

for me, lights send the message: PLEASE DON'T KILL ME

I never worried that the rear lights were too bright. they were off the shelf from a bike store so I expected them to be appropriately powered

in city traffic, a bike flag can be seen above cars, so ppl would know you were there BEFORE they even see you & your lights

I found that drivers would cut back in front of me too soon after passing me. so I added a light to my left drop bar. that made a big difference! it really did. they now wait a little longer before moving back to the right. after they pass the rear light that drop bar light is still in the field of view, which indicates they are NOT done passing me yet


remember you want them to go around leaving 4 feet between you or wait until it is safe to do so


if I'm on a paved bike trail, I will either not turn them off, or use them on steady

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...ffd6c6708c.png

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...5c0fe1bd07.png

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...b9f5ec6bdc.png
think outside the box
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a6e9e1e018.png

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...4b43b85e63.png
was never shy about improvising
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...bf9f5afc20.png

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...bdfbf11ffa.png
remember why you are using them, it's to stand out, not blend in
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...0abcf34e84.png
just like the police & others use. sure we can see them, the lights are a reminder to stay away
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...cba6600938.png

don't want to be lying in a hospital bed thinking what else could I have done to protect myself. gotta stay out of the hospital!
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...74d881ea5e.png

On a rural road, when someone wants to move left to pass me and it is not clear whether oncoming traffic, I will block him if possible. If a vehicle comes from the oncoming direction, the driver passing me has to make a choice: Kill me or be killed. I don't want him to face that decision.

Roughly once a year, I will be on a small rise or hill and I see a car behind me in my helmet mounted mirror that is coming up on me, and I see a car approaching in front, but because of the slope, they can't see each other. When that happens, I get off the road if I can. Alternatively, I have held my left arm straight out with my open hand, palm facing aft. That signals the car behind to wait, and they usually do.

Same here. It never ceases to amaze me how some drivers will risk a blind head-on collision just to save a few seconds waiting behind a cyclist. I’ve had a few close shaves like that as the motorist coming the other way. I’ve even had drivers swerve out to pass a cyclist when they can actually see me coming in the other direction!

I appreciate your input on the Cygolite 350. By all accounts it seems to be a very good light. I also ride reflective ankle straps, day, and night, as well as a reflective green vest.
Here's the thing, there are many MVAs that have occurred in broad daylight, where visibility was not an issue. Simply put, stupid people do stupid things.
I will agree with what others have said, that more visibility does seem to get me more respect on the road, especially at higher speeds.

Bottom line, while increased visibility helps, it's not the be all, end all. ALWAYS maintain situational awareness (whether mirror or radar), and have an exit strategy.

Ride safely!

As a driver, one of the main issue I have with bike lights, is that it's difficult to estimate how far away they are, unlike cars with separate right/left lights, in this case it's the distance between the right and left that immediately gives you a fair approximation of the distance. It's often almost impossible with a bike, until you can see the rider (also bike lights might vary more in intensity, so you can't rely on that either).

Adding reflective bands or tape to the pedals or ankles clearly helps to identify what you are looking at, also gives an idea of the distance, same for a reflective vest.

So maybe a light on the helmet that illuminates the vest would be a good complement to the fixed red rear light... it doesn't need to be very bright since the vest is very close...

In Europe fixed white front light and red rear lights are often required by law, sometimes also reflectors of the same colors, front and rear, as well as on the pedals! many cyclists don't follow these rules, and they are not enforced from what I'm seeing.

I believe German rules are the most advanced for bike lights, but I don't know what exactly is required, except that the lights must be approved (?) maybe someone on this forum lives there?

'S'why I've adopted using both a tail light (Varia radar device affixed behind my seat) and a high-mounted tail light too (secured to my helmet, in a position that puts it facing directly rearward) when I ride, daytime or dusk... I don't intentionally ride in the dark, morning or night. In front it's a white Raveman set to cycle quickly in intensity. Idea is that the high-mounted light will be seen first by vehicles approaching from behind, then the lower once they get closer should there be any inclines between them and myself. The white in front ought to improve recognition of my presence to pedestrians and other vehicle operators as I approach.

I'm a firm believer in making myself readily apparent and visible to others while I'm out and about where others are present.

I really like the Knog Cobber series of lights.
One of the mounting wings is a USB plug built-in for charging.

Then comes the fun part!
Using this USB connection and a PC you can program several modes into the light, controlling flash pattern, rate and brightness.
Then cycle between patterns on the light.

I don’t have to turn off my rear guard light, I just turn it down.

Barry

I wish it was easy to incorporate the modern car tech that has the ability to alert the vehicle operator of a cyclist up ahead. That i think would be a worthwhile install if it could be done without disturbing the existing vehicles electronics....

I have never been there, do not know the rules. But some of my lights meet their requirements. The are constant on, no flashing. Headlight lights up the ground in front of you, not shining into the eyes of oncoming traffic. I think the headlight also has to have a small amount of light directly to both sides, at least my lights do that.

That is a summary of my observations about the German lights I have on my bikes.

My (german) busch+müller Ixon IQ is like this and everytime I encounter someone in the dark I'm glad for the cutoff.
That is not the case for the vast majority of cyclists / e-skateboarders I come upon. I'm usually completely blinded by their round beams and if someone were to be walking on the path beside them, I'd probably run into them.

Yes that's important, LED's can damage retina cells even at powers used for lights at home... I'm also frequently blinded, I try to protect my eyes with my hand, also to show that there is a problem to the cyclist passing me!

And I always turn my front light toward the ground in front of my bike, something like 20-30° maybe, instead of horizontally.