Cyclist, please "Dip, don't dazzle."

[BlackPanther]

I had my retinas burned this evening on the way home. It's not hard to either turn down the light to a dimmer seting, or just re-angle down as I did. Also helps if you fit a wide angle lens if you use an uber bright MagicShine type light.

Please can we all start dipping our lights on dark cycle paths. Not just for other cyclists, it's also nice not to dazzle peds who are walking the dog s**t gauntlet! Rant over.



View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fy-Tumj5la4&list=UUoZNFZMOsaTfand1uZoVowg

 

[shadow master]

I have to agree modern cycle lights are great,but the positiong of them is crucial, people talk about 1000\2000 lumens,but 200 genuine lumens in the wrong position is blinding.

 

[the_mikey]

I was followed by a cyclist with lights so bright that all I could see was my own dark shadow projected upon the road ahead. My own lights which produced about 400lm each couldn't even compensate, so I pulled over and waited until that twit was long gone, and I continued with only one light set to its minimum of ~150 lm and pointing down at the road ahead.

 

[ianrauk]

Some people really don't have a clue that their lights are angled wrong and are blinding people. That, or they do and they are complete and utter unsociable tosspots.

 

[fossyant]

I have both my Hopes running on setting two but pointed at the verge to my left so even if I get blinded by others I can just pick out the verge. When no-one is coming on goes the high power light, and I can switch it off as soon as I see anyone. It's useful for picking out peds, then switching off.

Despite this, and no complaints, I got one miserable cyclist say they were two bright as I waited for him to get through a set of barriers. He was one of those that use a little twinkle light on the front. Both my lights are angled at the grass about 10 feet ahead and 3 feet to the left. There are plenty with Magicshines and similar on strobe

 

[MontyVeda]

I seem to meet one every night in and around the university campus... it's a shame they don't teach common sense as these cathedrals of knowledge.

 

[dr snuggles]

Some people really don't have a clue that their lights are angled wrong and are blinding people. That, or they do and they are complete and utter unsociable tosspots.

There's a breed who revel in the sheer luminance of their lights regardless of angle, surroundings etc and I'd put them in the unsociable tosspots category. I've had to say something twice to a lad on my homeward commute because I'm literally blinded. If anyone was in front of me I wouldn't know! Worst part is that the area I see him is a fairly well lit cycle path along the banks of the Tyne at Newcastle quayside! No need for the brightness of his light at all.

 

[fossyant]

PS the wide angle lens works great on the Magicshines. If on the MTB I use my magicshine on low pointed just in front. The big Bertha XT40 is switched off when I see anyone in the distance.

 

[mjr]

Few people use legal lights. This is the result.

I've got one BS front and the rest are various European imports. They have shaped beams that don't dazzle (which is illegal, no matter what light) and don't need dipping.

 

[the_mikey]

Few people use legal lights. This is the result.

I've got one BS front and the rest are various European imports. They have shaped beams that don't dazzle (which is illegal, no matter what light) and don't need dipping.

I wouldn't like to use a BS marked light on a canal towpath or riverside path , or offroad on what sustrans fraudulently like to call a national cycling network, avoid low branches and low bridges (these are an issue on the Bristol Bath Railway Path / NCN4 also) and deep water filled muddy ruts.

 

[fossyant]

BS marked lights are crap. Think mjray was referring to the likes of the Philips safe ride and a couple of others.

Thing is the new LEDs are great for off road, but you need to use them responsibly.

 

[summerdays]

I was late leaving today, and discovered that I normally miss the worst offenders, it wasn't actually fully dark, just in the gloaming, on a cycle path (ok not lit - ring road path), . It was almost half that I felt had lights on full and not pointing down with the occasional cyclist managing without due to it not being completely dark.

I admit to getting so annoyed with them that I decided to join in and and shine my hope light on max, not pointing down! Ok I admit I was having a bad day, and anyone with sensible lights got my light readjusted down to the ground. What I wanted was for one of them to ask me to dip mine so I could ask them to do the same but not one of them complained

 

[Drago]

My unfeasibly big mofo Chinese 1800 kiloton search light gets pointed at the tarmac about 8-10 metres ahead of me. It's no use to man nor beast pointed at the North Star or a passing airliner.

It isn't difficult really, which makes it bemusing as to why so many chumps do it.

 

[Katherine]

I had to put my hand up to shield my eyes from a passing cyclist and the so and so thought I was waving to him! The ones on helmets are the worst.
I keep mine pointing down and put my hand over it when I pass cyclists, joggers and dog walkers coming the other way.

 

[fossyant]

Lights on helmets are fine off road, but not on a pitch black shared use path. Yeh great on your own on the rocky stuff, and some would say essential, but on a tarmaced shared path, nope.

The big problem I found is you need some oomph to pick out pedestrians and loose dogs from the dark. Once you spot them I switch the big light off and slow right down especially if there is a dog off lead. There are plenty of us who drop our beams and sheild the lights. Just be careful, you can get your fingers burnt with some of the lights