Cyclists who use strobe lights are...

[Mugshot]

as a driver i have NEVER not been able to judge the distance or speed of a bike bcoz they had a front or rear flashing light. I think this is a bollox excuse from drivers who need an eye test. (that said, I'm yet to see a strobe light so I'll keep you posted)

As to whether it's bollox or not I don't honestly know what the facts are. I have certainly read that it makes it more difficult to judge distances when you have a flashing/strobing light approaching you and from my distant memories of shaking my thang in the night clubs of South Wales I certainly remember how a strobe light would create an impression similar to watching a film with frames missing. It made it difficult to dodge punches.
I don't think that changes the fact that there is only one vehicle which you are likely to see with a flashing/strobing front white light, and that's a bicycle. You as a driver are likely to be thinking as a cyclist, most drivers aren't. Some drivers will see bicycle and think slow or obstacle or insignificant and pull out or carry on regardless as a result. When they see me they see something and they wait. The difference in the behaviour of drivers when I am riding at night to during the day is marked. Approaching junctions or riding through single track lanes I am treated in general with far more respect and caution at night, and I am convinced that the reason for it is that from the front I am not advertising the fact that what is approaching them is a bicycle.

 

[buggi]

As to whether it's bollox or not I don't honestly know what the facts are. I have certainly read that it makes it more difficult to judge distances when you have a flashing/strobing light approaching you and from my distant memories of shaking my thang in the night clubs of South Wales I certainly remember how a strobe light would create an impression similar to watching a film with frames missing. It made it difficult to dodge punches.
I don't think that changes the fact that there is only one vehicle which you are likely to see with a flashing/strobing front white light, and that's a bicycle. You as a driver are likely to be thinking as a cyclist, most drivers aren't. Some drivers will see bicycle and think slow or obstacle or insignificant and pull out or carry on regardless as a result. When they see me they see something and they wait. The difference in the behaviour of drivers when I am riding at night to during the day is marked. Approaching junctions or riding through single track lanes I am treated in general with far more respect and caution at night, and I am convinced that the reason for it is that from the front I am not advertising the fact that what is approaching them is a bicycle.

strobe light maybe but a normal flashing light? If your eyes cant adjust to that then maybe they do need an eyetest! Or, if they cant judge it, they should be more careful until they are within a distance where they can judge it.

 

[Danny Tuff]

...Not very polite and are very anti social.

One oncoming today with a van behind him, I was trying to dodge pot holes, keep out of the door zone and watch what the van was doing whilst doing my best impression of Wiggins but was really distracted by this cyclist with a front on strobe flashing, not just blinking but full on '80s rave style, its a good job I am not epileptic.

Nothing wrong with flashers, its the Hiviz 80s rave style strobe which is s***e.

This can be annoying - As much as the cyclists that point their bright LED lights parallel with the road, thus blinding anything oncoming.

 

[JoeyB]

I had a cyclist behind me on the way home on Monday evening and his front light was just blinding...he was stopped behind me at one point in the queue and I had to adjust my mirrors because it was literally giving me a headache! I hope my lights aren't that blinding when I'm on the bike...I do try and angle the front one down tbf

 

[BlackPanther]

The Blackburn mars 4? That doesn't have a strobe mode :S

D'yknow what mate, you may be right. I've always assumed that strobe just meant a light that flashes quickly. The 4.0 does have a fast flash setting which is what I thought was 'strobe' though I accept that maybe it isn't technically 'strobe'.

Wiki says-
A strobe light or stroboscopic lamp, commonly called a strobe, is a device used to produce regular flashes of light. It is one of a number of devices that can be used as a stroboscope. The word originated from the Greek strobos, meaning "act of whirling."


A typical commercial strobe light has a flash energy in the region of 10 to 150 joules, and discharge times as short as a few milliseconds, often resulting in a flash power of several kilowatts. Larger strobe lights can be used in “continuous” mode, producing extremely intense illumination.


The light source is commonly a xenon flash lamp, or flashtube, which has a complex spectrum and a color temperature of approximately 5,600 kelvins. To obtain colored light, colored gels may be used.

The floors open then, when is a strobe light not a strobe light?

 

[JoeyB]

The floors open then, when is a strobe light not a strobe light?

When its switched off?

 

[AndyPeace]

I use a powerful flashing light, not sure if it's a strobe. I use it approaching roundabouts and other similar circumstances, as well as generally in poor daytime visibility. Personally I think the issue is the angle of the lamp not the flash itself. I have more issue with this (a light incorrectly angled will impare your vision, wether it is flashing or not) Far too many cyclists with spot lights too...if your riding on the road there is little to no need for a spot light on a bike, certainly not as your main/only light. If there is a real issue with flashing lights someone ought to let the authourties know, as they have emergency vehicles using flashing lights and travelling at high speeds!

 

[gaz]

D'yknow what mate, you may be right. I've always assumed that strobe just meant a light that flashes quickly. The 4.0 does have a fast flash setting which is what I thought was 'strobe' though I accept that maybe it isn't technically 'strobe'.

Wiki says-
A strobe light or stroboscopic lamp, commonly called a strobe, is a device used to produce regular flashes of light. It is one of a number of devices that can be used as a stroboscope. The word originated from the Greek strobos, meaning "act of whirling."

A typical commercial strobe light has a flash energy in the region of 10 to 150 joules, and discharge times as short as a few milliseconds, often resulting in a flash power of several kilowatts. Larger strobe lights can be used in “continuous” mode, producing extremely intense illumination.

The light source is commonly a xenon flash lamp, or flashtube, which has a complex spectrum and a color temperature of approximately 5,600 kelvins. To obtain colored light, colored gels may be used.

The floors open then, when is a strobe light not a strobe light?

I explain what a strobe is here -
http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/cyclists-who-use-strobe-lights-are.150172/#post-2938004

 

[CopperBrompton]

Personally I think the issue is the angle of the lamp not the flash itself.

This.

I have Dinotte lights on the trike, as that's mostly ridden on country lanes where I want to be seen from a long way off. Most of my trike riding is in daylight, where you need very bright lights to be seen, and the strobe mode definitely helps. In that case, I have them angled so they face pretty much straight forward and back.

At night, I angle them down significantly, and switch the front one to pulse rather than strobe.

 

[classic33]

I explain what a strobe is here -
http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/cyclists-who-use-strobe-lights-are.150172/#post-2938004

I'll just add this bit:
"We can distinguish LED Strobe Lights and Flashing Lights from the following several aspects:
Definition
The word "strobe" comes from the Greek "strobos," which means "to spin" or "to whirl." The original stroboscope, the forerunner of the modern strobe light, placed a spinning fan blade-like object in front of a light so the light only became visible when openings in the object passed in front of the beam. Rapidly blocking and unblocking the light mimics flashes on and off, but without a change in intensity. Flashing lights, in general, turn on and off due to interrupted power to the light bulb. This means the lamp's filament must repeatedly heat and cool, leading to variations in the light intensity as it fades on and off."

 

[CopperBrompton]

That's not relevant to today's LED lights, though: LEDs are either on or off.

 

[L14M]

That's not relevant to today's LED lights, though: LEDs are either on or off.

Well the voltage does effect their brightness.

 

[young Ed]

mine aren't very bright and i generally have them on strobe or random flashing as i find it catches motorists eyes more than solid ON lights
Cheers Ed

 

[CopperBrompton]

Well the voltage does effect their brightness.

Sure, but for any given voltage the LED switches on and then switches off: there is no fading up or down as with a filament.

 

[MissTillyFlop]

I have one of these deal extreme 1200 lumen jobbies, but I only ever use it on poorly lit roads and then it's pointed at the road to help me see it, rather than people see me (I has a flash and flare for that). (I also use the lower power static light - the Flashing one looks a bit like I imagine the end of days to be)