Dear Ninjas

[subaqua]

theres one fakenger i always see in leytonstone. when he finally started to stop at the traffic lights after months of screaming through them i said " why don't you get some lights" he told me to FO and then added in " I bet you get off on telling cyclists what to do" , then told me to ride away from him or he would sort me out !!

there are some eejit riders on the road.

 

[gambatte]

I use Smarts, can't remember what model the two on the front are, but the rear two are the superflash. Roads I'm on are generally all lit, so I need them to be seen, not to see with. All 4 are on flash.
IMO having pairs of the same light works as I can see a direct comparison when the batteries in one start to die.

 

[Hip Priest]

I've Smart Lumix front and back. I'm thinking of doubling up with my girlfriend's Cateyes.

 

[gentlegreen]

I've had DIY rechargeable lights for 20 years now, so I forget what it's like to rely on expensive disposable batteries.

I'm getting the strong impression that on the Bristol to Bath railway path, some of the ninjas and some of the ones who use their front lights on strobe are trying to save their batteries - at least I hope they have proper lights for the roads before they hit the path. Hopefully one evening I'll find myself in town at a suitable time to witness their antics.

I see quite a few ninjas on pavements out in the suburbs ...

I ride through an unlit wooded park every evening and following storms there are sometimes large branches or whole trees on the ground - not to mention unlit dog-walkers and random dogs, and several times last winter this guy would come through at speed with only a flashing amber light on the front.

If I'd spotted anything in particular, I would tell him so as he passed, but I have to assume he simply had amazing night vision.

 

[MickL]

I forgot to add to my post, that my rear light decided to bounce of its bracket this morning on busy Island after hitting slight bump in the road, back to halfords as this is the 2nd time its happened, going to use my old cat eye and some light Ive had for years thats nice a bright.

 

[NormanD]

I've Smart Lumix front and back. I'm thinking of doubling up with my girlfriend's Cateyes.

Your Girlfriend has cateyes? ... it's marvelous what modern surgery can do these days

 

[The Horse's Mouth]

Two lights is good practice, ime - have one on flash, and one on constant.

Agreed. exactly what I have. Dont have to worry so much if a battery goes either

 

[Nebulous]

Two lights is good practice, ime - have one on flash, and one on constant.

Oh I have two -I'm thinking of going to three! I have a cateye on the rear stay and a revolution 180 on the seatpost. I'm thinking of adding something on the other stay.

I've gone from being a bit dismissive of lights to wanting to look like a Christmas tree.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Oh I have two -I'm thinking of going to three! I have a cateye on the rear stay and a revolution 180 on the seatpost. I'm thinking of adding something on the other stay.

I've gone from being a bit dismissive of lights to wanting to look like a Christmas tree.

Generally have three on the rear and two up front but my mantra is still "No matter what you do, if they ain't looking they wont see you."

 

[doog]

My front isnt an issue, an Exposure Joystick..worth every penny.
On the rear I have a smart lunar 1/2 watt - great light. Managed to find another 1/2 watt super cheap so thought I would have the two but the second jumped out of its bracket . (didnt press it home)

Needless to say I am also seeing commuters on my commute with poor excuses for lights but this has always been the case hasnt it!!

Ive been reading some US cycling forums and they are all for being lit up like an Xmas tree.

 

[Dave 123]

I ride around Cambridge thinking that with the standard of riding and lack of lights on riders that it's a 24 carat miracle how there are not more accidents.
Drove my lad into work at 5.30 last Friday, along Queens road a bike with lights was weaving all over. I pointed this out to Thomas and we stayed back until there was room to overtake. As we went by he was eyes down texting. How can a text message be that important?

 

[NormanD]

How can a text message be that important?

It was a text saying ... "You're going to have an accident reading this"

 

[Matthew_T]

Argh! You have no idea how annoyed I got at 2 ninjas on Monday night.

The first one was on my outward leg of my journey. I was approaching a one way system with a traffic island about 0.1 of a mile ahead. I was approaching a cyclist who had no lights on but I could see him fine as the road was well lit. I had a car behind me and prepared myself to overtake the cyclist (I knew the car behind wasnt going to overtake as it was a narrow road and I was already in primary position). Just as the cyclist passed a side road, I car arrived at it and to the cyclists good will, pulled into the primary position to avoid the car. To my dismay, he pulled out without looking and caused me to rethink my overtake manouvre. I then accellerated and passed him quickly. The car behind me patiently waited behind him until they went through the pinch point.

Second, I was on my homeward journey and had jumped onto a shared use path as I always do (I dont really need to but have just got used to it). I had a difficult situation approaching: a cyclist on the left side of the path cycling straight towards a pedestrian. When I was just about to overtake the cyclist, he decided to pull out rapidly to avoid the ped. I only saw him at the last second and jammed on the brakes. He then remained in the middle of the path preventing me from getting past. In the end I just squeezed past and gave him a grueling look.

I do hate it when ninjas just decide to pull into your path.

 

[John the Monkey]

Oh I have two -I'm thinking of going to three! I have a cateye on the rear stay and a revolution 180 on the seatpost. I'm thinking of adding something on the other stay.

I've gone from being a bit dismissive of lights to wanting to look like a Christmas tree.

Redundancy at the back is important, as the lights aren't in your line of vision (although I can look down & see whether my seat stay mounted Superflash is still going pretty easily. for the front, I'm happy with two - a torch type thing on steady, and an £12 electron doodah I obtained recently which is on flash. I carry enough charged batteries to replace at least those in one light if necessary.

Once my dynohub wheel is built, I hope to run a Cyo RT at the fork crown, possibly a mudguard mounted seculite at the back, and just one battery flasher front & back.

 

[Arch]

Pulling out onto the main road yesterday on the way home, waited for a girl to ride by, no front light, and a rear flasher mounted on her seatpost, which was visible briefly as she rode past and then was completely obscured from the rear by her dangling large shoulder bag.

Luckily I caught up with her at some lights and let her know about the rear. Didn't get round to mentioning the lack of a front.