Do flashing front lights induce fits?

[Matthames]

The link given gives a frequency of 5 times a second, 5 hertz.

According to that website, it cites that 5% of people with photosensitive epilepsy are affected. Which given the number of people with epilepsy that is triggered by flashing lights, it is considerably rare.

One of the tests that they do when diagnosing the condition is to put a flashing light in front of you whilst measuring your brain waves to see if you have photosensitive epilepsy.

One thing I do know is that my epilepsy like a lot of other people with the condition is not triggered by flashing lights.

 

[deckertim]

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 feel nauseous if I am under a flickering flourescent tube. I have also noticed the same effect riding on Sunny days when railings or trees can cause a flickering.

 

[wiggydiggy]

The link given gives a frequency of 5 times a second, 5 hertz.

5 is the minimum though, the full text is:

"What frequency of flashing light is most likely to trigger a seizure? This varies from person to person. Generally, it is between 5 and 30 flashes per second (hertz). While some people are sensitive at higher frequencies, it is uncommon to have photosensitivity below 5 hertz."

It does go on to talk about only 5% of photosensitive epileptics are at risk at that hertz, and it talks about workplaces and fire alarms not bicycle lights.

Lots of things can trigger a seizure but no one is ever going to have a fit from your flashing bike lights unless you tie them down and shine the damn things in their face!

 

[sabian92]

A pedestrian stopped me last night and asked me to switch my fairly ordinary cateye front light to constant because the dazzling and flashing could induce seizures in some epileptics. I replied I'd think about it, but I also want to be seen by drivers, who shouldn't suffer from epilepsy AFAIK.

Anyone else been told off for having their lights ON?

You can drive with epilepsy. My dad has stress induced epilepsy and he's on a 3 year licence - every 3 years he has to get a note from his epileptic specialist to prove he's still fit to drive. He sends it off to the DVLA and they basically just send him a new photocard every 3 years.

If you fit at any time though - instant 12 month ban. It's happened to him twice in 8 years or so, and neither time he was driving.

There's nothing stopping epileptics from driving, unless you actually have a fit while you have a driving licence.