The situation I write of is perhaps rather unique. There is no vehicular traffic to be dazzled by or to dazzle save for buses on the GBW just other cyclists, runners, joggers, pedestrians and the occasional horse and numerous rabbits. So cycling along, at the end of day, you see in the distance x3 powerful lights set on strobe. They eventually get nearer and the light flashes are piercing bright light and because there are three LED on strobe pointing directly at you it's like flash over load. The riders were I think MAMILS on hybrid bikes although I could be wrong as I couldn't see them as I literally couldn't look at them as the lights were so blinding as they approached. I shouted at them to fecking turn them off. Don't know if they did as they sped past into the distance. There is no way the lights were illuminating their path as one it was no where near dark enough. I didn't have my lights on which were still in my panniers which are for elimination of doubt an Exposure Max D 1200 Lumens and two rear RSP Astriums 1/2W lights. These cyclists were selfish ignorant muppets with no thought of the affect their lights would have on any one else they might shine on.
Now if these nobbers ride with these lights in strobe mode on the roads, in traffic, which I am sure they must do, then it must only be time before they cause an accident. And as always happens it won't be them that gets injured but some poor unfortunate sod that is blinded by them colliding with some thing or some one else.
Car and other vehicle drivers are some times slow to dip main beam headlights and which DO NOT strobe, but the cycle strobe lights I saw last night were something else, a lot stronger and able to temporarily impair vision. The cyclists made no attempt to dip or re-direct them. At best they are a menace and at worst they could be very dangerous on a road with traffic approaching. And then there is also the possibility of these strobe lights being reflected into the eyes of drivers passing them from rear view mirrors. I have a strobe function on my Max D light but have never ever used or felt the need to use the setting. Why front facing bike lights have a strobe/flashing setting I do not know. Strobe lights should be BANNED and made ILLEGAL.
