Properly annoyed a cyclist last night!

Rotor · 12 January 2016 at 1:57PM

Driving down an unlit country road last evening when I met a cyclist going the same way I was. I had full beam on and didn't dip them as , in the past when I've cycled at night, I quite like to have the brief view of the road that a car full beam gives.

This caused the cyclist to wave and gesticulate like a one bladed windmill - proper cross he seemed!

I can only guess this chap had mirrors and so was being dazzled.

So, do you want cars to dip, stay on main or not bothered? from the cyclist I see those with mirrors are a tiny tiny rarity

(I should add it makes little difference to me - I dip for cars, motorcycles etc why not cyclists but i thought i was helping)

Bollotom · 12 January 2016 at 2:00PM

I would dip and give plenty of room. Dazzling a cyclist is as bad as dazzling a motorist. :cool:

Rotor · 12 January 2016 at 2:08PM

Oh yes , I was fully on the other side of the road - always do.

JP08 · 12 January 2016 at 3:39PM

Rotor wrote: »

I can only guess this chap had mirrors and so was being dazzled.

He probably didn't have a mirror ... and would have looked round at the sound of a car approaching from behind. Thus getting a full-on burst of your full beam. So he was probably trying to work out where the road was behind the big bright splotches on his retina by the time you passed him ...

Mirrors are poor on push bikes, the hard suspension makes those on stalks vibrate around too much to see anything in. Those tied into the ends of handlebars tend to be good at getting refection of your own groin or leg, unless the bars are quite wide.

esuhl · 12 January 2016 at 3:53PM

I have a mirror on my handlebars, and I was surprised at how little bright headlights bother me. Maybe it depends on the type and placement of the mirror?

What does annoy me is when an approaching car dips its beam before coming round a corner, realises that they dipped their lights for a cyclist, and flick them to full beam again. It always surprises them when I turn on my bike's full off-road beam, which is far more dazzling than any car headlight.

Johnmcl7 · 12 January 2016 at 4:57PM

JP08 wrote: »

He probably didn't have a mirror ... and would have looked round at the sound of a car approaching from behind. Thus getting a full-on burst of your full beam. So he was probably trying to work out where the road was behind the big bright splotches on his retina by the time you passed him ...

Agreed, when I hear a vehicle I have a quick flick round to see if there is indeed a car behind me (can sometimes be hard to tell if there's a lot of wind noise) and how quickly it's coming up behind me so I'm ready for the car going past.

I can usually gauge whether the car behind is on full beam or not so I know not to look behind but it's easy to get caught out and it's a pain not being able to look behind as well.

John

LeafGreen · 12 January 2016 at 5:29PM

As a regular cyclist I don't mind cars overtaking with full beams on. It gives an indication they are there as I can see my own shadow in front of me, and it does give additional light to the road ahead too, albeit for a short time.

PasturesNew · 12 January 2016 at 5:39PM

With full headlights behind him, he probably completely lost sight of the road in front of his bike as he'd have been casting a massive shadow on the road that his bicycle light couldn't pierce.