Too bright?
 

So, I've happened into a Planet Bike Blaze 2 watt light.

I've always liked the flashing modes on lights because I think these stand out in traffic better and are likely to grab the attention of motorists more than a steady light. The 2 watt version an upgrade from my current PB 1/2 watt version but I was wondering if the flash mode is too bright.

One review I've read said to... stay away from the flash mode except during daylight hours; it’s far too intense to direct into the eyes of oncoming motorists at night.

Another review said... When using the SuperFlash function at dusk (it's been recommended by some that you do *not* use this function after dark, where it might be potentially blinding), on more than one occasion I've actually had motorists *pull over* to the side.

Some of us must have some experience with the PB 2 watt. I'm leaning to using the flashing mode in dark, but I just wondering, is the flash mode just too bright?

I don't see the flashing mode as being a problem when on streets. The light is not even close to being as bright as car headlights so having it in flash mode helps in getting you noticed. But it can be an issue on bike paths where you get much closer to oncoming bicyclists and pedestrians - I'd switch to the steady on mode there.

It will be too annoying, not too bright when you ride at night. At twilight, you'll see the street signs light up. I end up waiting at an intersection just the other side of a rail road crossing some nights, and if I have the lights on flash when it's dark enough there are a lot of reflectors bouncing light back my way.

I've already seen the reflecting off of the signs with the other flashing lights I've used.

I'm only using the streets, if I go on a path I'd move to a steady light. It'd be interesting to see if any cars do pull over (I doubt it) when I use the flash.

Interestingly, when I used my previous "big" light (a 10 watt BLT) a co-worker said when he saw me from a distance, he thought I was on a motorcycle.

I'm not sure if being mistaken for a motorcycle is good or not. Do motorists give cyclists wider berths or do they dismiss them as no threat?

There are lights that are too bright -- but the PB Blaze 2w is not one of them. Think something that puts out 10x as much light, and then maybe ...

It could blind people if aimed right in their eyes, but that's not where it should be aimed anyways -- it should be aimed slightly downwards so the bright spot of the beam is all on the ground in front of you.

I'm also not a fan of flashing modes for my headlight at night -- I want my light to help me see, not just be seen -- but that's probably more of a personal choice. If I did want a flashing headlight, I'd also have a non-flashing headlight in use at the same time to help me see.

I think the times my 30w halogen has been percieved as motorcycle it was a good thing. It usually means they don't cut me off on downhills or 1-lane spots.

Yeah, maybe they'd wait a bit but then again I know some friends who ride hogs and they say they get cut off as much as I do....

The PB 2 has an unusual flashing pattern as well. Seems to be more like some emergency vehicles I've seen.

Depends on the area. Here there are so many hogs that it gets easy to tell the rockets apart. Rocket types(who also don't tend to be as obnoxiously loud) have brighter cast and more speed(typically). At least on a subtype, the hogs get worse treatment than the rockets. Not sure but it could be the noise resentment...

I have a 2W Blaze that I've used in flash mode at dawn/dusk and have had cars flash their highbeams at me. It has pretty hot central spot so in more rural areas I aim it down a bit to make it less blinding. Riding in brightly lit urban and suburban areas where there is a lot of competing lighting it's good.

This is what I'm thinking. I've had some people, at some times say I'm not as visible as I could be (kinda bugs me, because they obviously DO see me).

I'm guessing they couldn't say that with this light.

I rode motorcycles for many years, and people rarely looked for me then. I've used 2 different Magicshines with either a 200ish lumen helemt light or a Hivis360 helmet light for the past few years, and people have mentioned they thought I was a motorcycle on several occasions. It seems to me that the amount of light combined with the lights flashing in the daylight confuse people enough to get them to pay more attention to me - and that's fine by me.

I have the Planet Bike 2W and the reason I don't use the strobe after dusk is that IMO fast strobing lights confuse cars in low light situations. I think drivers associate strobes with police and emergency vehicles. In the daytime it's not a problem but you need a very bright light to get drivers attentions when competing with bright sunshine. As mentioned, if you aim it directly at cars the central beam would seem very bright to cars at night. You can angle it slightly down at night so it isn't pointing directly at nearby cars. My own personal observation is that bikes with slow strobing lights (like twice a second) are best after dusk. Cars will key in on the light, but the flashing is slow enough that nobody will confuse you with an emergency vehicle. I started this thread to find such a light:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...-2X-per-second

... and you think that's a bad thing?

Personally, I'd love to get the respect an emergency vehicle does.

Yes, I want people to be able to identify me as a cyclist as quickly as possible. Not some mystery object at the side of the road with a flashing strobe light. I also turn my Radbot 1000 taillight from strobe to slow flash at dusk for the same reason. I'm also somewhat concerned the police might take exception to a cyclist using a strobe light at night (it may even be illegal.) Just my personal opinion based on watching lots of cyclists riding after dark here in LA. The slow flashing lights are best IMO (and by best I mean safest.)

here's my take - when you use a bright flashlight or similar at dusk or nightime, it mimicks what emergency vehicles may be using.. When I did this, there were times people would see flashing lights and pull over to the side of the road.. I personally would only use a slow flashing light or sos mode at night for this reason.

I'll make sure to mention it if a vehicle pulls over.

That could be a problem if they pull over into the bike lane.

Really? There's a huge difference between a flashing cyclist light (front or back) and the lights found on an ambulance or police car. Let alone the lack of siren. Even if somebody has a handful of flashing lights, they're not going to be confused with an emergency vehicle.

I'm sceptical that anybody thought a cyclist was an emergency vehicle. At best we get confused with a motorcycle if our light is bright enough, which generally isn't a bad thing. Typically, a flashing light simply means "cyclist!" to most motorists around here, which again, isn't a bad thing at all.

Here's a video of the light I have. It flashes really fast. At night, to a driver looking in their rear view mirror, it can very easily appear to be an emergency vehicle (police don't always use their sirens BTW.) Next time you're in your car look in your rear view mirror and see how difficult it is to make anything out at night. I don't think the same thing applies to rear blinkies since cars are approaching from behind have a good view of what is ahead of them. Although I prefer a slow blinking rear light in the dark as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ivf6mEfhfM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86bmS...eature=related

I don't know what police use there, but they use a multitude of lights in their bars, about five feet across. They're generally strobes and are colored red, white and blue. Looks like this (during the day, much more impressive at night when they're actually pursuing somebody or pulling them over) --

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=274743

Looking them up online, typical modern police light bars use about 15-30 amps of power, so that works out to around 200 to 400 watts.

Anybody who confuses a 2w Planet Bike Blaze, whatever the flash pattern, with that is a frickin' idiot. Even if it's in their rear view mirror, it's really foggy and they're drunk. Maybe they were on LSD?

Ambulances use different lights, of course, but they're still way, way brighter and larger than a 2w bike light.

But maybe the police and other emergency vehicles in your area use smaller lights?

That said, I have the light you have. It's a good light. But it's not going to trick anybody into thinking you are an emergency vehicle. It probably won't even fool anybody into thinking you're a motorcycle -- you need a lot more light even for that.

What about the AARP crowd? I'm not saying all cars are going to be pulling over. Even a few is enough for me to avoid that type of light when it's dark out. Use whatever you want mate, it's your life. And I hope you're not accusing socalrider of lying? BTW, the Planet Bike Blaze 2W is actually really bright at night if you're in the narrow field of light. If I had it aimed at driver eye level in strobe mode at night I wouldn't blame them for being annoyed.

Do aim light low enough to not dazzle oncoming drivers,
so blinded, they run over you anyhow..

it's not the oncoming drivers so much (after all, I'm on the opposite side of the road) as the drivers who are going to cross my path (most likely waiting to make a left turn from the opposing lane, or a left or right of of an oncoming side street).

If a light blinds or dazzles a driver before a turn, hopefully the driver has the good sense to make the choice not to drive when they lose sight.

I'm only going to be a second or two and then I'll be gone. Having that small bit of time of hesitation from drivers would be a good thing, no?

Flashing lights on my vehicles seem to generate a WTF response from people around me, where they get confused enough to slow down and pay attention to me. Which is exactly what I want to happen. I used to have a flashing brake light on my first motorcycle (Priority Lights ) and people always gave me extra room the first time they saw those. They didn't annoy people either.

This light is not even close to being as bright as a lot of bicycle lights. I actually use it exclusively for flash mode because it's not bright enough to illuminate my path in total darkness. That being said, will you be using it along with a brighter light? I'm asking because I think it would be terribly annoying to ride with nothing but a flashing light in darkness. It would probably give me a seizure!

As soon as there have been lights that blink or flash, I've used them. I don't use other (steady) lights as I ride in the city with lots of lighting on the streets and I can where I can see where I'm going. I want to be seen and noticed. I don't want to blend in. Flashing lights do this.