Flashers off on the bike paths!
06-06-18, 09:57 PM
#26
Clark W. Griswold
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06-06-18, 10:11 PM
#27
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I don't run bright flashing lights on bike paths or greenways, but ILLEGAL? Where? How so?
Yes, I consider these to be more dangerous than flashing lights! The roadies whizzing by at 20-25 MPH, dodging in and out of slower cyclists, foot traffic and strollers, all the while ignoring the 15 MPH Speed Limit signs all along the MUP.
Yes, I consider these to be more dangerous than flashing lights! The roadies whizzing by at 20-25 MPH, dodging in and out of slower cyclists, foot traffic and strollers, all the while ignoring the 15 MPH Speed Limit signs all along the MUP.
Personally my pet peeves are the ninjas on the MUP -- usually roadies trying to save a few grams of weight while scoring a new personal best or KOM while dodging kids, dogs and grannies on walkers -- and salmon ninjas in my neighborhood. None of whom will ever read this thread or this forum.
Last edited by Rje58; 06-06-18 at 10:20 PM.
06-06-18, 10:56 PM
#28
Clark W. Griswold
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I don't run bright flashing lights on bike paths or greenways, but ILLEGAL? Where? How so?
Yes, I consider these to be more dangerous than flashing lights! The roadies whizzing by at 20-25 MPH, dodging in and out of slower cyclists, foot traffic and strollers, all the while ignoring the 15 MPH Speed Limit signs all along the MUP.
Yes, I consider these to be more dangerous than flashing lights! The roadies whizzing by at 20-25 MPH, dodging in and out of slower cyclists, foot traffic and strollers, all the while ignoring the 15 MPH Speed Limit signs all along the MUP.
06-07-18, 05:32 AM
#30
Tragically Ignorant
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The person who bragged that his light can be seen a half mile away in daylight proved my point as a matter of simple math if you know anything about the inverse square law. There's absolutely no way that a light that can be seen at that distance wouldn't be temporarily blinding at close range. So basically when you have one of these absurdly bright lights on the front of your bike, you're forcing people to turn their head away from you when you get close. If I'm at a few feet and closing from you, you really don't want me to do that. At a minimum, point the damn thing down, and turn off the strobes. Slow blinks pointed down are at least harmless, bright fast strobing hitting at eye level is idiotic.
06-07-18, 05:50 AM
#32
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I run two lights--one solid and one blinking. Some people see the solid better, others see the blinking one better. I cover all bases. And if one petty cyclist/runner thinks it's blinding in broad daylight to see my lights while the other 99 think, good thing he had them lights so I could see him early and position accordingly...
well, get over it.
well, get over it.
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06-07-18, 06:58 AM
#34
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At night I run one solid, one strobing. During the day just one strobing, if I'm on the road. If I'm on a trail or path, I don't use any lights during the day. In my opinion, the lights are only to alert drivers of motor vehicles to my presence. On a bike/walking path, I'm traveling at about the same speed as other cyclists, so it's not like they're going to overtake me at 20-30 MPH faster than my speed and should be aware of my presence. And there's really no need to alert oncoming cyclists or pedestrians of my presence, they should be able to see me.
06-07-18, 07:06 AM
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Agreed. Theres a MTB group ride on one of the trails I ride I frequently see heading the opposite direction of me, twenty plus folks coming down the trail at a good clip all with bright MTB lights flashing. Incredibly distracting, no need for them on trails.
Just off the top of my head? The Netherlands
Just off the top of my head? The Netherlands
06-07-18, 07:12 AM
#36
well hello there
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I think it's more a matter of lumen intensity rather than the flash that's bothersome.
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06-07-18, 07:18 AM
#37
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At night I run one solid, one strobing. During the day just one strobing, if I'm on the road. If I'm on a trail or path, I don't use any lights during the day. In my opinion, the lights are only to alert drivers of motor vehicles to my presence. On a bike/walking path, I'm traveling at about the same speed as other cyclists, so it's not like they're going to overtake me at 20-30 MPH faster than my speed and should be aware of my presence. And there's really no need to alert oncoming cyclists or pedestrians of my presence, they should be able to see me.
06-07-18, 07:22 AM
#38
Fredly Fredster
I use the flash setting on my front head light this time of year for my morning pre-dawn rides. The sun starts to rise around 6am, so there's enough daylight to see... the flash makes it easier for cars to see me. Nobody has ever yelled at me or complained for using the flash.
06-07-18, 07:49 AM
#40
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during the day, on a shared trail, I prefer a hi-viz shirt over lights
06-07-18, 08:32 AM
#41
Senior Member
I'm new to the forums, so forgive me if this has been discussed a lot, but I really think this is a safety issue.
On rail trails and other narrow paths, I'm constantly bothered by oncoming riders who insist on keeping their bright flashers on in broad daylight. I find it extremely disorienting when these lights get shined into my eyes at close range, exactly at the point where judging their location is most critical for safety. Strobe lights are meant for being noticed at a distance, not for passing by closely, and strobes are actually used by military and police to disorient an attacker. The reason for this is obvious, your pupils cannot adjust fast enough to cope with the intermittent brightness. Bikes passing in opposite directions are going to be within a bout 3 feet of each other on a path so anything that makes it more difficult to ascertain the other's position just increases the likelihood they're going to collide.
Long story short, if you must use a light on a bike path, use a solid beam, not a strobe. You need to change the settings when you're coming from the road, it's a completely different situation.
On rail trails and other narrow paths, I'm constantly bothered by oncoming riders who insist on keeping their bright flashers on in broad daylight. I find it extremely disorienting when these lights get shined into my eyes at close range, exactly at the point where judging their location is most critical for safety. Strobe lights are meant for being noticed at a distance, not for passing by closely, and strobes are actually used by military and police to disorient an attacker. The reason for this is obvious, your pupils cannot adjust fast enough to cope with the intermittent brightness. Bikes passing in opposite directions are going to be within a bout 3 feet of each other on a path so anything that makes it more difficult to ascertain the other's position just increases the likelihood they're going to collide.
Long story short, if you must use a light on a bike path, use a solid beam, not a strobe. You need to change the settings when you're coming from the road, it's a completely different situation.
?
06-07-18, 08:34 AM
#42
Senior Member
06-07-18, 08:36 AM
#43
Senior Member
Flashing lights should not exist anywhere! If you are flashing white light and believe you are better seen, you should stand in front of your bike and stare at the light for a while and see if you can see well with a blinding light flashing at you. For me I cannot see well and have to avert my eyes which makes it way more dangerous! I shouldn't have to do that because you want to pretend your bike is a rave or discotheque.
I can understand using a flash or strobe in an absolute emergency but you probably won't be moving at that point and are just using it to flag someone down to help you or a friend or someone else.
I can understand using a flash or strobe in an absolute emergency but you probably won't be moving at that point and are just using it to flag someone down to help you or a friend or someone else.
06-07-18, 08:40 AM
#44
Senior Member
At night I run one solid, one strobing. During the day just one strobing, if I'm on the road. If I'm on a trail or path, I don't use any lights during the day. In my opinion, the lights are only to alert drivers of motor vehicles to my presence. On a bike/walking path, I'm traveling at about the same speed as other cyclists, so it's not like they're going to overtake me at 20-30 MPH faster than my speed and should be aware of my presence. And there's really no need to alert oncoming cyclists or pedestrians of my presence, they should be able to see me.
06-07-18, 10:04 AM
#46
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To those who say they are illegal in the civilized countries. That's right!
But the civilized countries have civilized riders (and pedestrians). People that do not ride as if stoned because the music is blaring in their headphones, transporting them to another universe. Pedestrians that keep walking to the side of the path when they hear the bell. Rather than thinking 'oh listen!... An ice cream truck!...'
If pedestrians, runners and cyclists stop using earphones on the MUPs for a month, I'll turn my blinking light off...
06-07-18, 10:30 AM
#47
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06-07-18, 10:36 AM
#48
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It was a joke, son.
06-07-18, 10:49 AM
#49
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06-07-18, 10:58 AM
#50
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