Get some f*****g lights!!!!

[Rhythm Thief]

I think we need a definition of "Hi Vis". When I say it, I mean something like one of those tabards builders and motorway workers (and lorry drivers) wear, in fluorescent yellow or orance with reflective strips all over them. The reflective strips are the single best aid to cyclist visibility after a good set of lights. I agree with Greg regarding an arrangement of lights, preferably a mix of flashing and constant, at each end, too: a single bright light isn't as good, since there's nothing to help a driver judge distance and it's easily mistaken for many other sources of bright light. F'rinstance, a bright constant front light looks remarkably similar to one of those security lights on the sides of houses; a bright constant rear light can look exactly like a red traffic light. Both real world examples. Flashing lights look like nothing else and mean you're instantly identified as a cyclist. I know there's a school of thought on here which believes that to be a bad thing, but I don't subscribe to that.

Regarding the OP, I'd say that most of the cyclists I "see" at night nowadays have no lights. I'm happy to drive in a way which accommodates such people, but if I ever do squish one - all too easily imaginable on a busy unlit A road in the dead of night - my first priority will be to try not to lose too much sleep over it.

 

[Ticktockmy]

I run two Cateye’s LD150 on the seat post, angled so that they both concentrate the light on a single point abut 12 feet behind the bike, and set to random flash, when I first set them up as a experiment, I tried different flashing modes, and random come our tops for making motorists think.

I find now they hang back as their brains try to work out what the Feck is that, I found out also when I was experimenting looking at the light from led’s bouncing about all over the place was very attention grabbing, having spent a evening riding around the roads and lanes around Charlwood and Rusper and Faygate, I now feel happy that along with the flashing light on my back pack, I am seen. My only concern it could become a game for some motorist to play “guess which led will light next”, as they have 10 to choose from. I do once am back into Crawley, switch one of the Cateye’s off as one is quite bright enough.



And as a bye-line for those in the Horsham/Crawley area..The Dragon at Colegate has opened again

 

[Rhythm Thief]

The problem with the random flash lights that I've seen is that there's only one LED lit up at any one time. Seems a bit daft to have a ten LED light and set it to random mode. Ten LEDs lit up all at once are far more visible.

 

[Moodyman]

From my motoring experience, cyclists with reflective builders' waistcoats & lights stand out more than those with just LED lights. The LEDs are great, but often get mixed in with other urban lights.

So when I cycle commute I also wear a builder's waistcoat to compliment my multiple lights, pedal & pannier reflectors.

Don't think anybody's right or wrong. Just go with whatever you're comfortable with.

And Debian....I agree...that your ninja cyclist should get some fooking lights.

 

[Moodyman]

Ten LEDs lit up all at once are far more visible.

But the batteries don't last as long.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

From my motoring experience, cyclists with reflective builders' waistcoats & lights stand out more than those with just LED lights. The LEDs are great, but often get mixed in with other urban lights.

Yes, that's my experience too. I do a lot of driving at night.

Don't think anybody's right or wrong. Just go with whatever you're comfortable with.

And Debian....I agree...that your ninja cyclist should get some fooking lights.

And I agree with this bit too.

 

[2Loose]

3 rear smarts - 2 flashing, one constant here, but I do think that reflective trim, especially on the legs\feet, identifies a person in the distance in a way that lights just cannot do.

Oh, I also agree with RT - I class HiViz as anything designed to be seen more easily in low light\dark conditions, not just yellow\orange\green, but anything with reflectives too.

 

[BentMikey]

From my motoring experience, cyclists with reflective builders' waistcoats & lights stand out more than those with just LED lights. The LEDs are great, but often get mixed in with other urban lights.

See my response above to Flying Monkey. That might be true with older less bright LEDs, but good lights are the best answer. With good lights your waistcoat will be rendered invisible, in much the same way we no longer notice reflectors on cars that have their lights on.

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

Calm down dear!!

It's not a commercial you know...

 

[ufkacbln]

I dress in black!

My bike is black!

I do have lights though...

My black top is a Foska Bones and my black tights are Altura

 

[Rhythm Thief]

See my response above to Flying Monkey. That might be true with older less bright LEDs, but good lights are the best answer. With good lights your waistcoat will be rendered invisible, in much the same way we no longer notice reflectors on cars that have their lights on.

Not actually true. In the case of car lights it's true because the reflectors are a part of the light cluster. But I certainly notice those reflective triangles which denote a trailer, even on trailers with very bright LEDs fitted. And, regardless of how bright a cyclist's lights are, a hi vis (see my post above for a definition) tabard is noticeable and helps a driver to judge distance in a way that a single light - no matter how bright it is - doesn't.

 

[BlackPanther]

Each to their own. On my bike I have 2 rear flashing led lights, spaced 10 inches apart. I also have a flashing led attached to the helmet. At the front I have 2 led lights spaced 22 inches apart at drivers eye level, and one led light pointing at the road. I dress in a yellow flourescent jacket, and wear a fluorescent orange/hi-viz led tabard, http://cgi.ebay.co.u...=item255ee02663 which has 8 leds front and 8 leds rear flashing away, and is the most effective bit of kit in my arsenal, and well worth 14 quid.

I also have iron on reflective stickers on my clothing, and my bike has diamond grade reflective stickers (like the emergency vehicles have) on the frame, forks, panniers etc. I really have to keep on top of the battery recharging business, and I've just about got it sussed, so I never have any flat batteries.....9 aaa batteries front, 4 aa rear and 2 aa for the vest.

a hi vis (see my post above for a definition) tabard is noticeable and helps a driver to judge distance in a way that a single light - no matter how bright it is - doesn't.

I agree that a tabard is a great idea (especially an led one), but I've also found that dual lights are far more noticeable than single ones....the farer apart the better, and flashing is even better. It's not until I see another cyclist with a similar set up to my own, that I realise just how much difference it makes.


Like I say....each to their own, but I want to make it home from work every night. I don't care if I look like a Xmas tree.

 

[slowmotion]

Each to their own. On my bike I have 2 rear flashing led lights, spaced 10 inches apart. I also have a flashing led attached to the helmet. At the front I have 2 led lights spaced 22 inches apart at drivers eye level, and one led light pointing at the road. I dress in a yellow flourescent jacket, and wear a fluorescent orange/hi-viz led tabard, http://cgi.ebay.co.u...=item255ee02663 which has 8 leds front and 8 leds rear flashing away, and is the most effective bit of kit in my arsenal, and well worth 14 quid. I also have iron on reflective stickers on my clothing, and my bike has diamond grade reflective stickers (like the emergency vehicles have) on the frame, forks, panniers etc. Like I say....each to their own, but I want to make it home from work every night. I don't care if I look like a Xmas tree.

Are you sure you are BlackPanther?

 

[Ticktockmy]

The problem with the random flash lights that I've seen is that there's only one LED lit up at any one time. Seems a bit daft to have a ten LED light and set it to random mode. Ten LEDs lit up all at once are far more visible.

Because it is random, and two diffrent units there are at least two leds alight at a time.. I thought that that myself that all 10 leds alight at once would be effective, but it just becomes a cycle light. Once the light are jumping around it surprising how effective it is as the flash sequence is quite fast.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Because it is random, and two diffrent units there are at least two leds alight at a time.. I thought that that myself that all 10 leds alight at once would be effective, but it just becomes a cycle light. Once the light are jumping around it surprising how effective it is as the flash sequence is quite fast.

Two LEDs are still basically two small pinpricks of light, moving around or not. I've found these to be an awful lot less noticeable than ten LEDs all flashing on and off.