Why bother?

[AdamBlade]

Having commuted for the last few years with only 1 light on the front and 1 on the back, I thought this year I would increase them. So, now I've got 2 lights on front and back and a hi-viz jacket only for 2 people to try and knock me off this morning!! How visible do I need to make myself? I've even tried putting on weight over Christmas to make myself bigger

 

[ian emmerson]

Same for me,

I recently improved my lighting and hi viz clothing only to find i felt as though more prone to be knocked off, defineatly feel as though motorists are driving more closely to me, particularly overtaking.

Feel that hi viz etc gives some people a target to aim for

 

[fossyant]

Use at least two front and back, just in-case your batteries go flat. As for making folk see you, you are onto a loser !

Even 2 rear 3w magicshines and a Mars 4.0 aren't enough sometimes

 

[John the Monkey]

2 front and back for me as well, partly for redundancy, partly to have one on flashing and one steady (flashing attracts the eye, steady makes it easier to judge speed & distance.

As for drivers "seeing" you, remember that they have to look to do so. Some don't bother.

 

[schlafsack]

Seeing does not equal percieving, lights and hi-viz only help with the first bit.

 

[400bhp]

Having commuted for the last few years with only 1 light on the front and 1 on the back, I thought this year I would increase them. So, now I've got 2 lights on front and back and a hi-viz jacket only for 2 people to try and knock me off this morning!! How visible do I need to make myself? I've even tried putting on weight over Christmas to make myself bigger

Perhaps with only one light front & back they would have knocked you off.

 

[BSRU]

Lights and clothing help reduce problems with motorist who have no intention of knocking you off but either are not paying enough attention to what they are doing, distracted by other things on the road or poor eyesight(apparently 20% of drivers who do not wear corrective glasses need to wear corrective glasses).

My tactic is "confusion", my rear flashers are a Dinotte 400R and two banks of 12v red strobe LED's(meant for emergency vehicles), located, at just below saddle height, either side of my pannier rack giving me a wide rear light profile. Plus on each front fork a 12v HID strobe light, white light forward and red to the rear. Makes me stand out in traffic and confuses drivers as to what I am.

Unfortunately there are some drivers who just do not care unless you have "Police" written across your jacket and blue lights.

 

[gb155]

D-Lock'em

 

[addictfreak]

Two rear and two front (one magicshine) and even front and rear lights on my helmet. They still do seem to see me all the time!

 

[DrSquirrel]

Unfortunately there are some drivers who just do not care unless you have "Police" written across your jacket and blue lights.

There are some drivers that don't even see the emergency services coming!

 

[AdamBlade]

[QUOTE 1281818"]
This is a danger and a vast misconception for those of the 'let's look a Christmas Tree light brigade.'

Adam, whilst I appreciate your need to stay visible - never assume that because you have x amount of lights on your bike that you will be seen because this is simply not the case sometimes.
[/quote]


Don't get me wrong, I would never assume that I will always be seen. I was just simply making an observation that sincve adding extra lights and hi-viz, which I didn't used to wear, I have had an increase in near misses.

My main aim of adding lights was for me to be able to see when I head off main road onto unlit side roads.

 

[cyberknight]

Lights and clothing help reduce problems with motorist who have no intention of knocking you off but either are not paying enough attention to what they are doing, distracted by other things on the road or poor eyesight(apparently 20% of drivers who do not wear corrective glasses need to wear corrective glasses).

My tactic is "confusion", my rear flashers are a Dinotte 400R and two banks of 12v red strobe LED's(meant for emergency vehicles), located, at just below saddle height, either side of my pannier rack giving me a wide rear light profile. Plus on each front fork a 12v HID strobe light, white light forward and red to the rear. Makes me stand out in traffic and confuses drivers as to what I am.

Unfortunately there are some drivers who just do not care unless you have "Police" written across your jacket and blue lights.

Very similar to mine i run a 1/2 watt flasher on each pannier bag + a standard flasher on the back of the rack along with a rear facing helmet flasher and 2 arm bands with LED`s.
On the front i have a 3AAA torch and use the magicshine for about half my commute.

Add to that reflective stickers on my helmet , pannier rack , rear reflector and jacket with reflective stripe.

I generally get a lot of room given to me but a lot of it is down to road positioning, being aware of whats going on and always assuming that an overtake might be close and every car must get a sidewards glance /listening for engine sound to determine closeness etc.

At the end of the day if they are not looking or they are an idiot they will not be looking no matter how shiney you are , you can only minimize the chance that someone will not see you.

 

[XmisterIS]

Unfortunately, some people drive round in their own little bubble.

I had it the other day (in the car) ... I was following someone who stopped her car in the middle of a busy junction of dual-carriageway in Southampton, cue lots of people including me doing an emergency stop ... then she slowly went left ... then stopped ... then slowly went right ... and stopped ... then quickly turned sharp right directly into the path of a bright blue articulated lorry, and narrowly avoided being flattened.

The absolutely jaw-droppingly, eye-poppingly, brain-meltingly unbelievable thing was ... she seemed to have absolutely no idea about the carnage that she had almost caused!!!!! It's people like that who make me really bloody angry! They should have their licenses revoked. They're the kind who drive into a cyclist, carry them 50m down the road - and have no idea that they'd even hit them.

 

[fossyant]

Quite..............

Driving is so far removed from the real world....... we all know that...our cars are mobile sitting rooms.......... nice as it is, but we all need to be aware. Some folk don't though, and that's how they live............

 

[chillyuk]

Lights and clothing help reduce problems with motorist who have no intention of knocking you off but either are not paying enough attention to what they are doing, distracted by other things on the road or poor eyesight(apparently 20% of drivers who do not wear corrective glasses need to wear corrective glasses).

I cannot comment on the 20% poor eyesight figure but wonder if this figure includes cyclists. When it is raining or foggy I often take my glasses off and put them in my pocket. I can see well enough to ride safely but wouldn't be able to read a number plate as per the driving test. I can see better though than trying to see through misted up lenses or lenses running with water.