Exposure Joystick for Commuting: too bright?!

[eml1909]

I've started feeling a bit nervous on my commute home recently - no particular reason why, but the combination of the cold, wind and darkness means that I have not felt 100% safe.

So - for peace of mind and for added safety - I decided to splash out on an exposure joystick which I have mounted on my helmet.

The only concern I have is that (even on a lower setting) it is simply TOO bright, which means that it will irritate and upset drivers (and make them even more aggressive than usual!) or, worse still, it will dazzle and daze them, which is dangerous.

Even looking at it 'head on' for a couple of seconds gives me a blinding headache!

Thoughts?

 

[BSRU]

If it's on your helmet then the light is moving around a lot so is never going to blind anyone unless you deliberately do it.

 

[fossyant]

I have 2 Hope 1's that are bar mounted but angled down and I run on one of the lower settings for commuting.

I can see that a high powered light on the helmet could dazzle drivers more. Might be getter with a backup type light up there for road use, and the Joystick on the bars.

Still doesn't stop the idiots pulling out on you.

 

[ianrauk]

No need to mount it on your helmet if your commute is on the streets. Your are right, it can easy dazzle/blind oncoming drivers. Put on your handlebars instead.

 

[MrGrumpy]

What light is on your bars? Nowt wrong with a nice bright front light to get you noticed, as long as its angled so as not to blind fellow road users if its one of those mega bright ones.

 

[MrGrumpy]

I have 2 Hope 1's that are bar mounted but angled down and I run on one of the lower settings for commuting.

I can see that a high powered light on the helmet could dazzle drivers more. Might be getter with a backup type light up there for road use, and the Joystick on the bars.

Still doesn't stop the idiots pulling out on you.

I find with my cateye triple shot that in darkness at junctions, drivers obviously think I`m on a motor bike its that bright!

 

[fizzler]

I commute on unlit rural roads at 5:30am and have have been using a helmet mounted exposure joystick for the last couple of months. I have no issue using it on full power, as i just angle it at my front wheel when a car is approaching me head on. I have since added a set of electrons new terra 2 evo lights and do a similar angle adjustment with them when oncoming traffic is heading my way. I only see a dozen or so cars on my 15 mile commute, so off road lights do me nicely!

 

[eml1909]

I commute on unlit rural roads at 5:30am and have have been using a helmet mounted exposure joystick for the last couple of months. I have no issue using it on full power, as i just angle it at my front wheel when a car is approaching me head on. I have since added a set of electrons new terra 2 evo lights and do a similar angle adjustment with them when oncoming traffic is heading my way. I only see a dozen or so cars on my 15 mile commute, so off road lights do me nicely!

By contrast, my commute home is on main / busy roads from the centre of London, so angling the light each time isn't really an option.

I could mount it on the handlebars, but it is so much more noticeable on the helmet. In particular, I like the fact that you can take a quick look at cars which are joining from side roads so they get a good look at you before pulling out.

But, as I say, I do worry that it is too bright.

The joystick is marketed as a commuter light, not just an "off road" light, but I'm not so sure!

 

[BentMikey]

Too bright? I'm running an Exposure MaXx-D mate, that's four times as much power as your joystick (actually, a bit less than than that if it's a new joystick with the newer LED).

In London, with so much other lighting around, you've got nothing to worry about.

 

[eml1909]

Too bright? I'm running an Exposure MaXx-D mate, that's four times as much power as your joystick (actually, a bit less than than that if it's a new joystick with the newer LED).

In London, with so much other lighting around, you've got nothing to worry about.

On your helmet or your handlebars?

 

[Tynan]

Too bright? I'm running an Exposure MaXx-D mate, that's four times as much power as your joystick (actually, a bit less than than that if it's a new joystick with the newer LED).

In London, with so much other lighting around, you've got nothing to worry about.

I'm really undecided on this, I use a Race, the two cell one, at the mo it's on the side after a repair and I'm using an astrum front more or less horizontal

I get a couple of flashed headlights a day, in daylight so it clearly bothers drivers

But the whole point of it is to catch driver's attention, a very bright light certainly does that, as soon as you start to dip it, it starts to lose it's effect

 

[BentMikey]

On your helmet or your handlebars?

Neither, it's mounted on my bottom bracket, well derailleur post (recumbent). Pointed straight down the road. I rarely get flashed by other drivers, and the few times I do it's usually when the light is on flash mode, rather than when it's on full power.

Flash mode seems to have the most effect on other road users, for example this Merc driver slamming on the brakes after I changed my light from full power to flashing:

[media]
]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDJGTAk1Q3w[/media]

 

[Silver Fox]

I have a Joystick mounted on my helmet ( oh matron ) and it's an ideal commuter light. I wouldn't worry about being flashed by motorists from time to time, it's better to see and be seen.

Don't forget your rearward illuminations, Exposure now do a red eye which fits neatly onto the helmet mounted Joystick, it's very bright.

http://www.exposurelights.com/product/000027/redeye-(short-cable)/

 

[Jezston]

I recall recently being in a night time car journey with my mum and sister commenting on other cyclists seen and what they thought was useful in being seen - both thought bright lights on the helmet were a good idea, and they didn't think being dazzled by them would be an issue.

 

[Norm]

It seems like an obvious one to me, but how about just not looking at the drivers?

Point any torch straight at a driver and they'll notice it (which is exactly why I like a head-mounted torch) but look away from them and it disappears.

I've a Maxx-D on my bars and a Joystick on a head strap (we can have a whole thread about the cons of mounting it on a helmet if you like) along with Flash / Flare on the bike and a couple of Frogs flashing on my helmet and I've never once been flashed.