Rucksack lights-very poor.

[Crankarm]

It ceases to amaze me how many muppets I see with feeble rear lights clipped to their rucksacks which point in every direction except behind them. I saw a nobber yesterday with a rear light on the back or top of his helmet which 98% of the time faced the skies as he looked down at the road as he cycled along. It momentarily shone rear wards as he looked up. And he had a black rucksack on his back hiding his hi-viz scotch lite reflective gilet to vehicles approaching from behind. He wore a black coat so nearly took me down as he stuck his right arm out to suddenly move right as I was about to pass him. He had a helmet mounted front light which dazzled everything he looked at. No lights what so ever on his bike. I hate cyclists.

 

[Tynan]

have come up behind lots of riders in the last few weeks thinking they had no rear light to see it only as I passed, wither clipped to clothes, rucksack or helmet but tipped or turned in the wrong direction, also some rear and front on helmets that although visible did not register as a cyclists and that i saw later because it was not where i expected it to be

On a related point I hate cars with their rear/brake light in trendy positions, usually high on the rear of the car, shouldn't be allowed

 

[ianrauk]

..and tonight I spotted one. Dark clad cyclist (not that I mind dark clothing - as black cycle clothing is all I wear), however all he had was a small blinking light in the mesh pocket on the back of his rucksack. Like @Tynan above, I only saw the light as I got close to him. At a junction I said to him that his light wasn't visible. He said the batteries were dead in his rear light. I just pointed to a local convenience store. I think he got the message. I hope so.

 

[Arfcollins]

I never ride without front and rear lights on. Rechargeable batteries keep the costs down.

Agreed, it's all year for me, day or night.

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

Helps with battery pack life too, using them all year around, keeping the discharge/recharge cycle going

 

[Sore Thumb]

This is what I have in relation being visible.

The bag is a bango brothers cycling rucksac. I have added pockets to the front straps, so I can get my extra merino wool liner gloves etc out without having to stop.

I have also added some iron on silver reflective to these pockets on the front to make my top half visible.
The two silver strips on the rear of the bag were on already as part of the bag. Fully waterproof and visible, I also don't like bright yellow so thought red was a good compromise, you would not see yellow at night anyway. So it has a light and lots of reflective on it.

My front light is a exposure toro with a remote switch, I can change the brightness or to flashing without moving my hand off the bar. Good if you want to reduce brightness when other road user is coming the other way. I need bright light as most of my commute are on unlit roads.

A exposure sirius on the helmet with a red eye also.

A fly6 camera/light and two exposure tracers on my seatpost, on on flash and one on constant.

I think that's enough.

 

[Tynan]

twice this week i have seen riders with a small, i think single led, light that is mounted on the seat tube, yes facing backwards but rather (entirely) hard to see through the rear wheel/rack etc

incredulous is not strong enough for my feelings

 

[ianrauk]

Also spotted one tonight.
Light attached to the helmet, though not at the top but at the bottom so every now and then his jacket covered the light.
I mentioned it to him and he said that some one else had said the same thing.. No.... really?

 

[cyberknight]

Also spotted one tonight.
Light attached to the helmet, though not at the top but at the bottom so every now and then his jacket covered the light.
I mentioned it to him and he said that some one else had said the same thing.. No.... really?

Least he had a light of some sort , nearly got wiped out by another rider coming the other way on a cycle path i have to use as the were barreling along at full pelt with no lights in full ninja mode and the car lights behind him .Had they even had some reflective s at the very least or a little light it would not have been a problem.