Cyclists what's with the strobes?

Nebulous2

They're not strobes as people have said, they're flashing lights and they improve visibility.

This has become a bit of an arms race, driven by poor road infrastructure, and far too many accidents involving cyclists and motor vehicles.

What happens is car hits cyclist. Driver says "Sorry I didn't see you." Cyclists doctor, insurance company, solicitor and ultimately the judge all ask. "Were you wearing a helmet? How many lights did you have? Were you wearing high-viz? Did you have on cycling-specific clothing?

Most people I know are not convinced they need all the visibility stuff they wear, but are convinced they will be 'blamed' for a collision if they aren't wearing it.

In town I have two modest lights, one on solid and one on flash. I have that on both front and back. It has the benefit of giving you back-up if batteries fail. Many cycle lights are not fully waterproof and can be erratic in the rain, so again it give cover.

In the country I have an expensive German light which helps me see where I am going as well as lets people see me. It has 5 power settings and I run it at 4 or 5 in the country and 2 or 3 in the town to reduce its impact. I back it up with a small flashing light as well.

Altarf

usignuolo wrote: »

on a wet night like tonight with the rain causing a lot of reflections, as a motorist I feel quite disoriented

Looks like time for you to post your car keys and licence back to the DVLA.

thescouselander

I have four lights on my bike - two on the front and two on the back with each pair set to have one flashing and one continuous. The front ones are extremely bright too.

As someone else said it is a bit of an arms race with many cars having bright xenon arc headlights - as a cyclist you need to do anything you can to be seen, especially in rush hour traffic.

usignuolo

JUST FOR THE RECORD I posted this thread on both cycling and motoring boards to see the different responses from each side. They are interesting as they are actually pretty different. You can check them out and compare if you like.


(Still waiting to hear from wealdroam the list of threads I have supposedly started and not revisited this month. His attitude is starting to seem like bullying to me.)

CLAPTON

usignuolo wrote: »

OK first of all this is London we are talking about, so very brightly lit, street lamps, lots of other vehicles, lot of cyclists in high vis tops. Often with high vis strips on their back packs and even LEDs on their shoes too. So we are not talkingcyclists on dark unlit country lanes.

From my point of view I can pick up cyclists in town very well from their red flashing lights, which many have on their back or back pack as well as various places on their bikes. I do not find I get any additional information from the strobes, and indeed find them disconcerting and sometimes dazzling.

Why should they be legal on cyclists and not motorcyclists? And it would certainly help if they could be dipped.

(Sometimes my thread gets no response at all, so there is no purpose in replying plus I have been away on holiday in a remote park of the UK for the last 8 days without easy email access. But I was not aware I started 8 threads and in the last month and only replied to 3, I dispute that, want to pm which they are?)

do you cycle in London?

Altarf

CLAPTON wrote: »

do you cycle in London?

Since it appears that they drive around like Mr Magoo finding lights "disconcerting", it would appear not.

frisbeej

peachyprice wrote: »

I'd rather the stupid man I saw the other day had had a flashing light, in fact any light would have done.

What sort of !!!!!! cycles on winding country roads, on a rainy day, wearing all black from head to toe, with no lights?

During the day? A light, even a flashing one, won't make a huge difference during the day, especially a white front one.


Sounds like you were driving too fast for the conditions and the type of road.


Horses, cows and large deer don't have lights...

wealdroam

usignuolo wrote: »

...I was not aware I started 8 threads and in the last month and only replied to 3, I dispute that, want to pm which they are?)

Eight threads this month, and we're still only on day seven.
As requested, PM sent to Usignuolo confirming the facts.

[Deleted User]

esuhl wrote: »

Whaaaaaaat?! You mean there was at least ONE car that overtook you by crossing to the other side of the road...? Wow.

If that happens to me, it makes my week! I almost want to catch up the driver and shake his/her hand!

Anything that gets you noticed will work, people have got the same result by tying balloons to the bike.

aleph_0

usignuolo wrote: »

JUST FOR THE RECORD I posted this thread on both cycling and motoring boards to see the different responses from each side. They are interesting as they are actually pretty different. You can check them out and compare if you like.

Could you elaborate? There is a thread in the motoring board with a title regarding cycle lanes, and a different first post. Is this the one?

So, what you're telling us is you've posted the same underlying post twice in different boards, disguised with other information to see if responses differed. So it wasn't really a genuine question, and your aim was actually just to provoke a response/waste people's time.