Self Illumination?

[jonny jeez]

A thought occured to me as I was on my way home last night, after encountering the surreal sight of two small bright lights seemingly floating in the air, bobbing about coming towards me on the other side of the road which turned out to be a black-clad cyclist with no reflectives with a light on his handlebars and one on his helmet.

Howabouts having a small light on the handlebars pointing TOWARDS yourself, so other road users can see what you are?

I often find having bright lights seem to suck in the light around them, often making people using them harder to see than easier.

Thoughts?

Spooky, I had the exact same thought about a week ago and was sitting in traffic on my bike wondering if helmets could be designed with LED down lighters just to illuminate the torso of a rider. I find seeing the shape of a rider more helpful than just a light.

But, theres a downside...In the same way that Bent mikey likes to wobble to make drivers steer clear, an "odd" light also makes drivers wary. If i was illuminated too well could drivers choose to cut it close, confident that they can see that they didn't actually hit me I wonder?



But I agree, iluminated riders really do stand out, where as bike lights tend to get lost in the light confusion

 

[BentMikey]

I don't think you want to look too much like a cyclist at night, but more like a big scary dangerous thing that might make big dents in drivers' cars. That's what'll keep them away from you, not lighting yourself up like a muppet puppet.

 

[gaz]

But I agree, iluminated riders really do stand out, where as bike lights tend to get lost in the light confusion

That depends on the light. If you just use a set of knog lights then you are done for, if you are using some of the high power LED's that some of us are starting to use (see below) then you will stand out from cars.

 

[Cubist]

I suggested this about 12 months ago. Use a Micro-led taped to the top tube or stem. If you angle it right it'll illuminate the hi-viz details on your clothing. Set it to strobe and drivers will double take, thus making sure you've been seen. If you don't point it into your face, you won't be blinded by it. If you are teh sort of person who would angle into your face, should you really be riding a bike on your own????

 

[Arch]

I just discussed my earlier post, and the whole idea of self illumination, with some colleagues. I was after thoughts from non-cyclists and cyclists on the topic, the feedback from all was that this is worth further investigation.

What did cause some laughs was the likley glow of my high-vis jacket when viewed from the front. Now consider that I work very near to the Diamond Light Source http://www.diamond.ac.uk/. What sort of responce would I receive if I am seen 'glowing' as I cycle away from the site. I think I will be given more room than ever before.

I have to give this a go!

What you want is something that illuminates you with a glow, but pulses, slowly, preferably to the accompaniament of a low pulsing hum, like the background noise in 2001....

 

[DrSquirrel]

Not as long as it's not pointed into your eyes. That three-way light shown in an earlier post may be good for that.

It's harder than you think.

I have some "button cell" lights that have a clear casing, even when pointing forwards its rather blinding (so have to mount them underneath).

 

[brokenbetty]

I saw a bloke just before Christmas last year who'd wrapped battery powered fairy lights round his bike and helmet. That worked incredibly well in making him visible. I'm considering doing the same myself, like a Winter version of fake flowers round the basket.

(He also had a small model christmas tree glued to his rear mudguard but that didn't really add much to the visibility.)

 

[Bman]

It seems like a good idea. My new commute utilises more dark unlit stretches of road than before. I want to upgrade my front illumination a bit before the snow/ice sets in.

That said, I still think I am quite visible. I have two rear facing lights (one strobe, one constant) and three front facing (all constant, two LED, 1 Xenon) and I wear Hi-Vis. I often get the cars waiting to pull out of side roads, wait for ages as I approach, even though they have plenty of time to clear the junction.

The other concern with these "illuminating the rider" type lights, is you also need to make sure you dont have white lights visible from behind or reds from the front. Im sure that could provoke some strange reactions from drivers. I dont think anyone's mentioned that yet.

 

[atbman]

I used one of those little, single led lights tied to the zip on my jacket. Dangling down, it provided enough light and reflected off the reflective strip on my hi-viz waistcoat quite effectively

 

[buggi]

Try eating Readybrek. Apparently it gives you an orange glow

 

[Flying Dodo]

One of the most effective ways to light yourself up from the rear is to have a Dinotte pointing downwards onto the road. Those things are dangerous to be behind if you look straight at the light, but if they're pointed downwards, it produces an amazing red glow on the road.

 

[ufkacbln]

I find that using very bright front lights makes drivers wait before pulling out, presumably they think it's a motorbike. Think i prefer it that way to removing any doubt.

Doesn't work in Portsmouth

I was told by a Taxi driver who pulled out in front of me at point blank range that he had thought I was a motorbike, and as they have good brakes could have stopped quicker, the fact I almost hit him was because bicycles have poorer brakes.

Not of course that pulling out in front of either is a stupid move!

 

[automatic_jon]

Doesn't work in Portsmouth

I was told by a Taxi driver who pulled out in front of me at point blank range that he had thought I was a motorbike, and as they have good brakes could have stopped quicker, the fact I almost hit him was because bicycles have poorer brakes.

Not of course that pulling out in front of either is a stupid move!

Aqua cars? It's always bloody aqua cars.

 

[jonny jeez]

That depends on the light. If you just use a set of knog lights then you are done for, if you are using some of the high power LED's that some of us are starting to use (see below) then you will stand out from cars.

Putting on my "driver" hat, I can say with confidence, that even the brightest lights are very often confusing to decipher. When a cyclist is riding towards you, with a car behind (them (often with its own high intensity led/zenons) the bike light gets totally lost in the surrounding "Halo". it makes it harder to figure out how far away the bike is (in relation to its following car). None of this is an excuse, Car drivers just need to understand this and take their time to work out what the lights are....problem is, they just dont.

I'd like to see how "self illumination" works in this particular application (whether it also gets lost in the halo of confusion)

In addition, on a dark unlit (or poorly lit road) a bike light is also sometimes hard to work out, I saw a chap on an MTB with two fronts and a helmet light and I honestly (despite having almost identical set up) was confused as to what he was, I mistook him for a work lamp on the traffic island that he was straddling as his main light seemed too "high up" to be a bike. I was shocked that it took me so long to work out he was a cyclist.

If he was self illuminated I know for sure I wouldn’t have been confused.

On this subject, I wonder if consistency is the key and if all bike lights were legally set to a standard height (like cars) and a standard (not common) colour ,,,maybe a coloured tint, would it make it easier to identify a bike at a glance?

 

[Jezston]

I saw a bloke just before Christmas last year who'd wrapped battery powered fairy lights round his bike and helmet. That worked incredibly well in making him visible. I'm considering doing the same myself, like a Winter version of fake flowers round the basket.

(He also had a small model christmas tree glued to his rear mudguard but that didn't really add much to the visibility.)

I am planning of doing just that this year! I also plan to get a big santa hat that can fit over a helmet.

As well as making me more visible, I think that providing some mild amusement to other road users I'm less likely to attract aggression