Wildwood

Not sure how to title this condition, maybe doesn't even belong in the Ills thread - let me explain.....

On sunny (or muchly sunny days) when I ride my wooded roads with the low sun off my shoulder - the bright, quick flashing on&off of the sunlight from trees along the roadside is problematic. Initially annoying. Then really annoying. Then mesmerizing. And finally, at times, headache inducing or hallucinogenic. Not a show stopper for riding, but a condition I would like to understand better as it takes my concentration off 'holding the while line'. Anyone else experience a similar phenomenon?

This is an early section in my favorite rides and the most problematic stretch of road is about 6 miles.
My favorite sunglasses are not wrap-arounds, but even wrap-arounds only dim the flashing effect.
The brim of my cycling cap cannot be rotated enough to block the flashing.
If it affects me, I wonder how many drivers have a similar distraction (it's a narrow road).
Morning road rides in winter (sun blocked by the mountain) are usually out due to morning icyness.
There are no alternative routes to my favorite destinations without many more miles and lots more climbing.

Also a problem on very late afternoon rides year-round, but I generally start my rides earlier in warmer months, minimizing or eliminating the effect.
Maybe music in my ears would be better to focus on than the flashing at the corner of my eye?


Moving to a different location is out of the question, for the upcoming cycling season at least.

TIA -
Wild(in th)wood


Here in PNW, there are enough full overcast winter days to keep me cycling-happy.

_ForceD_

Do you wear sunglasses when you ride? If not, maybe they would diminish the flashing/strobing affect. Or if you do wear them, maybe a darker lens would work. By the way…I’m not a medical professional, but is this perhaps something you should see a doctor about??? A few times (and I’ve heard this from other cyclists) people will say to me that the blinking of my bike light can trigger epileptic seizures. And speaking of blinking bike lights — I have a white light headlight that I switch on in the late afternoons as the Sun begins to set. I generally set it on blinking mode at first…while there’s still light in the sky…and I can’t actually see the flashing light on the surfaces around me. I feel that at that time of day the blinking light is more noticeable to drivers than a steady beam. But when the Sun goes beneath the horizon, and the ground becomes darker, the flashing becomes more and more noticeable. It doesn’t (or hasn’t yet) caused any of the symptoms that you mentioned about the flashing sunlight through the trees. But, it does become very annoying to me. Then at some point I switch the light to a steady beam because the flashing is such a nuisance. Anyway…maybe the sunglasses might diminish the problems you’re experiencing. Good luck.

Dan

rm -rf

I've noticed the strobing effect from low sun through bare trees, but it was only a little annoying to me, no huge effects. I assume some riders are much more affected, similar to the way flashing videos can cause problems.

I can't think of a good way to block it on a bike. In a car, I see the effect too, but I move the sun visor to the side to counteract it.

canklecat

I haven't experienced that particular effect, but do recall feeling disoriented while driving through the mountains in Colorado. I was never in Colorado long enough to become oriented to the effect so it was always a challenge.

Wildwood

Blinders?
In white?
Moncler Lunettes Diffractor Square Injection Plastic Sunglasses w/ Side Shield Blinders | Neiman Marcus
$585? A medical claim?



Or cheaper this from backcountry.com


but only for the flashing section.

_ForceD_

I was going to mention blinders in my earlier post in this thread, but then I thought that I wouldn’t use them because I’d lose my peripheral vision. But I guess using them only in the area where the flashing bothers you would be prudent.

Dan

staehpj1

I'd suggest it might be worth seeing a neurologist to rule out some underlying condition. The symptom you are experiencing could be a migrane (they are not always headaches) or a mild seizure. You just might benefit from an aniti seizure or migrane med.