Rear lights on helmets.

[Threevok]

I can't turn my head that much anyway. I use the mirrors

 

[glasgowcyclist]

If you've got a rear mudguard then paint a white patch on the back. It really stands out in the dark.
These are my bikes, the white patches are much more noticable in reallity than in the photograph.

View attachment 381047

Are those metal or plastic mudguards, and what paint did you use?

 

[Ajax Bay]

I clip a second light onto my rear jacket pocket as a backup.

I had a good 0.5w rear light the clip on which failed (fatigue). I now pop it inside the rear pocket of my gilet (translucent material) where it glows/double flashes all the way to the pub, and back. This augments my standard frame fixed light.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Hi to all.
Its only me again and hope you've all had a good day.
This coming winter I'm determined to try and continue to cycle in the dark evenings after work. There's nothing worse than coming home to an empty house and just sitting there all night vegetating in front of the tv. Cycling has been great this summer and its a shame for it to simply end because the dark nights have arrived. The one though that puts me off about night time rides ,is the fear of not being seen by motorists. I'm not concerned about what goes one in front as I feel I have some control if a situation arises. Its more of a fear of will the car behind see me , especially on some fast A roads that I use from time to time. Tonight was a good example when a bus made a close pass scaring me witless. I feel that my lights are plenty bright enough and very noticeable but after tonight,s little scare I'm thinking of upping the Aunty with another rear light.I would be quite happy to dress my bike in an array of christmas light if it were to ease my paranoia of not being seen, but we all know this is not really the right way forward. Looking in my box of bike spares I've dug out a moon comet rear light and it fits rather nicely to my helmet. Would you agree or differ that a rear light on a helmet is a good safe guard to use in conjunction with my seat post mounted light.
All the very best,
Johnny :-)

In my experience, drivers who commit close passes don't do it because they haven't seen you but because they have and don't give a shoot.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

[QUOTE 5020818, member: 9609"]Or they don't have enough room to do so![/QUOTE]

Like I said, they've seen you and don't give a shoot.

 

[ozboz]

Go with it , I have two rear lights on bike and one on lid ,yep still get close passes , but also get those in broad daylight , in winter early mornings are to me the time we are most vulnerable , so the more visibility the better.

 

[steveindenmark]

But there's a difference between looking and actually seeing.

We cannot make people look. But we can at least do our bit.

 

[steveindenmark]

I have 2 steady lights on the bike. A flashing light on the back of my viz vest and a flashing light on my helmet which flashes red to the back and white to the front. I find vehicles from behind give me plenty of space.

But twice this week already, I have had cars overtaking and coming at me head on at speed in broad daylight. I am going to start keeping my lights on during daylight hours from now on.

 

[Chris S]

Are those metal or plastic mudguards, and what paint did you use?

Metal mudguards. The bike on the left is Dutch and came out of the factory like that.
I just used a Poundland aerosol on the other, it's stayed on with just minor touching up for few years.

 

[Chris S]

Way back in 1953 this matter was debated in parliament. From Hansard

LORD LEWELLIN: The comparatively small areas of white surface involved now appear, after experiment, not to give any effective extra safeguard, and I am told that the technical advisers of the Ministry have come to the conclusion that that is an unnecessary provision. If it gives a false sense pf security, it is better repealed rather than that people should be put to the trouble of painting these surfaces white when, in effect, they do no good.​

This was the repeal of the something or other act that required white patches on mudguards. Very useful in the blackout.
View attachment 381051

I suppose it's like hi-viz vests. I've been told that there is no statistical evidence that they reduce accidents but they do make you more noticable.

 

[mjr]

There comes a point where it takes too long affixing everything to the bike & turning it on.

Lights should be bolted on, unless it's a bike you don't ride in the dark much.

I wouldn't notice (I know from experience... I'm happier using two lights.) I'm looking back down the road, not down at the back of the bike.

I find the lack of red reflected light a dead giveaway but maybe it's less obvious for townies. On the dynamo-lit bike, the headlight gets brighter if the tail light goes out, which is also a hint.

I rode through last winter using a flashing see sense, which adapts to flash quicker and brighter when it senses headlights, I wore this attached to the rear of my helmet. I then had a Fibre Flare on constant on one of the downstays on the rear. Both lights emit light more than 180 degrees.

...which is doubly illegal, with a variable flasher as well as vehicle-mounted lights showing a red light to the front: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/1796/regulation/11/made - as I mentioned earlier, you're unlikely to be stopped for the variable flasher unless it strobes (more than 4 flashes a second) but red light to the front may attract police attention if they're doing a crackdown.

Way back in 1953 this matter was debated in parliament. From Hansard

LORD LEWELLIN: The comparatively small areas of white surface involved now appear, after experiment, not to give any effective extra safeguard, and I am told that the technical advisers of the Ministry have come to the conclusion that that is an unnecessary provision. If it gives a false sense pf security, it is better repealed rather than that people should be put to the trouble of painting these surfaces white when, in effect, they do no good.​

Sadly parliamentarians aren't always correct, so was that noble Lord correct (was the technical advice published?), or was he talking out of his woolsack like that one a few years ago who claimed people were being sued for clearing snow off paths near their home?

But twice this week already, I have had cars overtaking and coming at me head on at speed in broad daylight. I am going to start keeping my lights on during daylight hours from now on.

I bet that's not going to work - by increasing your brightness, you decrease your contrast with the background even further and thereby reduce your perceived size - basically, headlights are very slimming. If I was having trouble and really wanted to stop daylight close passes, I'd carry a gun-shaped shotgun case over my back, set high enough that it's obvious to the front.

 

[mjr]

[QUOTE 5020653, member: 9609"]you would love me, bright colour during the day, hi-viz vest after dark and THREE rear flashers, two on the bike one sewn into my wooly hat. I reckon they can spot me from half a mile back, even an avid texter will have looked up 6 times before they goe for the overtake[/QUOTE]
It's not that they don't see you - it's that they don't care about your safety.

Also, only half a mile? Even that 5 LED poundshop light that's often recommended will do that on fresh batteries. Not that you actually need any more, as 30 seconds at 60mph should be plenty of time for a motorist to react.

 

[mjr]

Just by the by, while going through a box of bits at the weekend, I came across a pair of old-style metal cycling trouser clips. But these are special - they have retro-reflectives on them! They must be a collector's item.

Yeah. No. https://www.wilcodirect.co.uk/produ...user-clips-reflective-bands-we-07343/WE-07343

 

[classic33]

It's not that they don't see you - it's that they don't care about your safety.

Also, only half a mile? Even that 5 LED poundshop light that's often recommended will do that on fresh batteries. Not that you actually need any more, as 30 seconds at 60mph should be plenty of time for a motorist to react.

Bit of a problem when the vehicle behind is less than 10 seconds behind you. Then they've to actually slow or stop.

 

[Mugshot]

On the dynamo-lit bike, the headlight gets brighter if the tail light goes out

Back in the days when I had dynamos the front light would get brighter if I pedaled harder.