Bright flashing front bike light in daylight - why?

[Ganymede]

I'll use daytime running lights if it is a bit dull or looks like it may rain but its only usually my secondary light. Not in bright summer daylight though.

@Ganymede they maybe don't realise how blinding it is, could be one for having a quiet word if you get near enough to advise them for everyones benefit.

He goes a lot faster than me

 

[shouldbeinbed]

I know that feeling.

Maybe carry a mirror and reflect his brilliance back at him

 

[MrWill]

You see him, that's the point. He is trying to stay safe as he is a vulnerable road user that can be killed very easily.

Low lying sun, moron drivers, distracted drivers, speeding drivers, smoking drivers all are all problems in the daytime. The chance of them seeing him are greater with the light.

Lot of people wear sunglasses too, possibly making him a little easier to miss.

Really his light is a non issue.

So has anyone got recommendations for flashing noticeable front lights for use in when the suns low?

 

[numbnuts]

recently I've seen a cyclist around our lanes in Kent sporting a searingly bright flashing front light.

.........so it works then

 

[Ganymede]

.........so it works then

Yeah but I see all the others too! C'mon chum, I already said this upthread! I actually hope it doesn't become a common thing because it seems over the top to me, is all.

 

[_aD]

I have a flashing light, front and back, even in the day time. An extra bit of something for blind as bats car drivers to see. I ride on a lot of country roads and go through a lot of tree tunnels which have less light in them.

I use my lights when I know I'll be going through tree tunnels as well. It can get surprisingly dark, and they're usually on the sort of lanes that people thunder through.

 

[Ern1e]

It's like those old Volvo's with the extra bright side lights one would ask why the hell have they got the bl**dy lights on ? Why so that you SAW the the thing ! so imo this is what the guy is attempting to do just be "SEEN"

 

[Ganymede]

I use my lights when I know I'll be going through tree tunnels as well. It can get surprisingly dark, and they're usually on the sort of lanes that people thunder through.

Interestingly we went down several of these tree tunnel roads yesterday (on the way when I was riding shotgun not driving) and I noticed one cyclist - dark hair, dark clothes, dark bike - in one. He was the least visible of all the cyclists we saw and a little flashing light would have helped - I was sort of counting cyclists due to seeing the road race and did not have the burden of driving at the time, but I nearly didn't spot him in the dappled shade. However I saw several other cyclists in tree tunnels on the same trip and saw all of them perfectly easily as they had light bits on their clothing or bikes. Well well, I could ramble on but I think it's got a bit boring now so will stop.

Thanks for all your thoughts dear people.

Happy cycling!

 

[GrumpyGregry]

You see him, that's the point. He is trying to stay safe as he is a vulnerable road user that can be killed very easily.

Low lying sun, moron drivers, distracted drivers, speeding drivers, smoking drivers all are all problems in the daytime. The chance of them seeing him are greater with the light.

Lot of people wear sunglasses too, possibly making him a little easier to miss.

Really his light is a non issue.

So has anyone got recommendations for flashing noticeable front lights for use in when the suns low?

Got any evidence to support that assertion?

 

[Crackle]

Moth to a flame.

 

[MrWill]

Got any evidence to support that assertion?

No lol.

Pretty obvious you are less likely to blend into anything during the day, using a bright light. And are more likely to be seen.

Why things are seen:

• Shape
• Shadow
• Silhouette
• Movement
• Spacing
• Position
• Texture
• Colour
• Noise
• Shine

At night it's a bit different with the really bright lights, regarding blending in with other lights. And overly bright lights at night make it difficult to judge distance and speed.

 

[Cubist]

Back in the spring I was riding into work at half six. It was lovely bright morning, but I still had the XML U2 on (steady, not flashing). At an angled junction I saw a transit van. I could see the driver's head, and as he approached the junction he looked to his right. I was in primary as i always anticipate the bad sightlines at that junction, but at no point did he actually look in my direction. I knew exactly what was going to happen and sure enough he simply cruised into my path. I swerved towards my already planned escape route, braked and screamed "Nooooooooo!," which led him to do a pretty impressive emergency stop.

As I started up again he shouted out of his window " You need f@cking hi viz you stupid c£&t. " I lifted up the bike, shone the light right in his face and told him that if he had looked in the right direction he would have seen the big pretty light. Funnily enough he didn't have an answer to that one.

 

[PaulSecteur]

I usually have some light on, even when its bright.

The reason being that if you are in an area of darkness, such as under trees or bridge you are lost to people that are still in the light area due to the amount of contrast. This is not helped by dusty windsceens after a spell of dry weather.

 

[the_mikey]

My daylight running lights on my car are brighter than my 400 lumen bike light. I have a light and I turn it on when I'm approaching busy junctions, narrow lanes, riding through areas where there is little light, there are a few tunnels around here too...

 

[snorri]

You see him, that's the point. He is trying to stay safe as he is a vulnerable road user that can be killed very easily.

It is most unreasonable and selfish to use measures to ensure your own safety which endanger other people. He would be seen without the blinding light which is distracting and irritating other road users to the detriment of road safety in the vicinity. Unfortunately it is some innocent who is more likely to suffer rather than the culprit with the light.