These flashing LED cycle lights are sending out the wrong message

[Freddyflintstone]

When I used to use the flashing LED lights, I had motorists pulling out, cutting me up etc etc
you know the story.
My theorey is when they see flashing LED lights they know its a cyclist and not a fast vehicle
that could do them harm when hit.
So I bought standard filament cycle lamps, replaced the bulbs with a higher wattage bulb.
Fitted a SLA battery (sealed lead acid battery) that could power all my higher power lamps for 10hours on a charge. Wired them all up. The SLA is only the size of 2 fag packets.
Now I appear to look like a vehicle and not a cycle (I even have a spotlight to flash them)
You want to see the looks on their faces when they let me thru and realise I am a cylist.
I know I can't do road racing like this but my commuting feels a bit more secure

 

[Ian H]

Flashing rear lights are okay, so long as you're not in a group, but front flashers are awful things. I've even seen folk riding in unlit roads with just a strobing illumination of what'sahead. Bizaare. You can get powerful steady LED lights now.

 

[gaz]

There are pros and cons to both flashing and steady lights. A mix of both is usually a good idea.

 

[2wd]

I have two 5w Cree on the front

One flashing,one steady

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

I run two lights up front and three at the rear, for redundancy and effect. I doubt I paid more than £35 for the whole lot.

Depending on the circumstances I'll have all steady (country) or all flashing (town) at the front; obviously I fiddle with the rear less so tend to have all three flashing.

The effect of out-of-synch flashing and the different patterns from different manufacturers at the rear is quite discordant; having twin beams and the same irregular pattern from the front is similarly unexpected and therefore attention grabbing.

It is the unusual that gets attention: familiarity breeds contempt, so there may be some mileage in your argument.

It's also why I don't wear hi-viz: everyone does; and I don't just mean cyclists. I wear white shoes & gloves and clothing with reflective trim along the lengths of my arms and legs: my movement whilst cycling causes them to move into and out of the light and drivers' lines of sight, again an attention grabbing effect.

On more than one occasion strangers have remarked on the "wtf" effect of my set-up and I'm generally treated with courtesy by fellow road users.

 

[Dan B]

I run a steady light at the front so that other road users won't assume I am coming towards them at cyclist-snails-pace

I run flashing lights at the back so that other road users won't assume I am going away from them at motorcycle pace. I use more than one rear light on different blink patterns so that there is no dark phase in the flashing.

 

[DCLane]

I run a steady 7w / 5w Cree at the front, plus a basic light's there as back-up.

On the back I have 2 or 3 LED lights - usually 1 steady, 1 flashing and 1 flashing on a different pattern. There's also a Hump hi-viz backpack cover if I'm commuting.

The helmet is a Uvex FP1 in white and dayglo green (although it's dirt and mud coloured atm), which is designed to stand out day and night.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I run one steady and one flashing at the front and the same at the back. My commute is all on lit roads, If I'm on an unlit road I will use both front lights on steady.

 

[gaz]

The helmet is a Uvex FP1 in white and dayglo green (although it's dirt and mud coloured atm), which is designed to stand out day and night.

If you think that stands out any more than a normal helmet at night, then you have been done.

 

[Bicycle]

I'm really sorry... but I thought the title of this thread was a Morse Code joke.

I felt really bad once I'd read the OP, but part of me can't help gigling when I go back to the title.

Sorry...

 

[HLaB]

And I thought this was a thread about 2wd's signature

 

[2wd]

And I thought this was a thread about 2wd's signature

 

[DCLane]

If you think that stands out any more than a normal helmet at night, then you have been done.

Gaz - don't worry, it wasn't about the 'sales patter'! I've got an odd-shaped head and it was the one that fitted best. Also, I like the colour!

 

[Dan_h]

I normally run 2 Cateye LD170-R flashing lights on the rear and one Cateye EL220 flashing light on the front on my commute. The streets are lit and I also wear a Night Vision jacket and have a hump cover on my backpack. I have tried various different configurations of flashing / non flashing lights and I have not noticed much difference in the way traffic treats me.

 

[BSRU]

Flashing light to be noticed and solid light to help with judging my position/distance/speed.

When ever I have seen a cyclist with just a front flasher, it is obvious they are "there" but I cannot tell where "there" actually is or how fast they are moving.