TwickenhamCyclist
Guest
terrible... Although my dad’s advice if he ever had a fit in the bath was to save money and chuck the laundry in with him…
Do flashing front lights induce fits?
- Thread starter StopsAtRed
- Start date
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terrible... Although my dad’s advice if he ever had a fit in the bath was to save money and chuck the laundry in with him…
I was once asked to turn my flashing red rear light off before I wheeled my bike onto a station platform. The reason given was that some trains have flashing red rear lights, and train drivers are taught to stop in a hurry if they see such lights first and worry about whether it could be a bicycle on the platform afterwards. Which I think is logical enough and so I always try and remember to turn my lights off before I get to the platform. I have to add that I don't always remember to do this and I only remember being asked to turn the lights off once...
wiggydiggy
Legendary Member
Agree with the rest of it, but what is the average flash rate, does anyone know?
In a highly scientific experiment I started a 5 second countdown on my phone and counted 15-20 flashes in that period from my bike lights or about 4/5 FPS. 15-30 FPS is a very high flash rate, I mean PAL TV is 'only' at 30 FPS.
Chutzpah
Über Member
- Location
- Somerset, UK
Yes, a car driver told me that my rear light was too bright once and to turn it off.
Interlaced with a few swear words.
Incidentally, it was not too bright. He was just a berk in a BMW.
I had the same with a skip BMW, when I turned around I was blinded by the sun reflecting of his very shiny fat head.
)The British Epilepsy Association only cites a single incident, with someone fitting a rear light
Their conclusion was that the intensity, due to the closeness was the trigger
Most photo-epileptics have a very narrow trigger range that is slower than most bike lights. Equally in normal use the intensity is too low.
The Station ban is due to the use of red signal lighting and the chance of confusing a bicycle with a signal
Their conclusion was that the intensity, due to the closeness was the trigger
Most photo-epileptics have a very narrow trigger range that is slower than most bike lights. Equally in normal use the intensity is too low.
The Station ban is due to the use of red signal lighting and the chance of confusing a bicycle with a signal
wiggydiggy
Legendary Member
OP's not been back anyway....pesky anti light brigade coming on here and causing trouble lol 
John the Monkey
Frivolous Cyclist
- Location
- Crewe
IIRC, the light has to fill the visual field - you have to be up close, in other words.
This one gets trotted out by the same people convinced that flashing lights are illegal, usually after you've explained that they aren't.
This one gets trotted out by the same people convinced that flashing lights are illegal, usually after you've explained that they aren't.
StopsAtRed
New Member
OP here...
Thought the guy was talking blox. I think we're all agreed that the flashing is too slow to induce seizures. The other thing he complained about was the dazzling, which is pretty astonishing for a relatively cheap light powered by a single AA battery.
Have we now reached the stage with modern bike lights that we need a dip switch?
Thought the guy was talking blox. I think we're all agreed that the flashing is too slow to induce seizures. The other thing he complained about was the dazzling, which is pretty astonishing for a relatively cheap light powered by a single AA battery.
Have we now reached the stage with modern bike lights that we need a dip switch?
I remember reading about this a while ago and did a bit of reading around.
I found a website where sufferers claimed that they felt ill if they were exposed to things like sunlight flickering through trees whilst driving. Someone even said that flicking through a magazine with shiny pages was enough to make them feel unwell.
I found a website where sufferers claimed that they felt ill if they were exposed to things like sunlight flickering through trees whilst driving. Someone even said that flicking through a magazine with shiny pages was enough to make them feel unwell.
Laser pointers are powered by batteries and are powerful enough to be considered offensive weapons. However, they are highly focused.
My RSP Astrum 2x0.5watt is blinking bright, but no brighter than modern car brake lights.
CharlieB
Junior Walker and the Allstars
- Location
- Therivermeadowatthepileofstones
+1 to that - I've been instructed to do the same.
Chutzpah
Über Member
- Location
- Somerset, UK
I don't think so. Decent rear lights are bright, but only dazzling if you stare straight at them. In my experience it's not different to having a driver of a car in front of you sat at a junction with his or her foot on the brake pedal. If you stare at their brake lights, you get dazzled. If you look anywhere but straight at them, your fine.
In the tale I posted earlier, I think the BMW driver was staring straight at them, purely because he didn't think I should be in his way at the junction I was waiting at (my evidence for this was the fact that he pulled up alongside my lefthand side to moan, then pulled out of the junction at the same time as me and forced me into oncoming traffic as I turned right with him. Nice guy).
