Cyclists with dazzling lights

[Cyclone]

I've seen a few in the last couple of weeks. Incredibly dangerous, and mostly to themselves. I don't get it, lights are so cheap.

[El Cid]

I keep mine angled slightly down, I want to be seen (and sometimes being lit up light the sun apparently isn't enough), but I don't want to blind or dazzle anyone.

 

Cars generally travel in a straight line, but a cyclists lights would be all over the place, and be unlikely to be a constant dazzle.

[maccapacca]

Lights designed for offroad use could be pretty dazzling if aimed directly at a car. Most aren't nearly bright enough.

[Cyclone]

Cars generally travel in a straight line, but a cyclists lights would be all over the place, and be unlikely to be a constant dazzle.

 

I can only speak for myself, but I generally travel in a fairly straight line as well.

I certainly don't bounce the front up and down, it moves side to side a little.

[Isabelle]

Whilst I’m not keen on being dazzled, it is preferable to encountering an unlit cyclist.

 

I've seen a few lately, with no or pathetically dim lights. As a lapsed cyclist, it scares me. When driving I do look out for bikes of all kinds, but many don't. I got knocked off my bike even with lights on. You need to make yourself as visible as possible.

I wanted to start a thread myself on this topic actually.

There's a cyclist on my commute along Manchester Road (B6088 ) who has it right, he has three rear lights which are really bright, he's really noticeable from far away.

[Chelle-82]

I'd rather be dazzled by their lights than not see them at all!!

 

Driving down Haggstone Road last night and out of nowhere this cyclist just appeared in front of me.. It was about 6:30pm, it was dark and he was dressed in dark coloured clothes and no lights on his bike at all.. He did have a helmet on though, which is a good job!!! if he gets hit, and he might very well do!! at least his bonce will be OK..

[kckc]

I cycled home this evening, with my front light dipped so it illuminated the ground, and was dazzled by a cyclist with a front light about 50x as bright as mine and pointing up. Hills can make it worse. Dazzling other road users is something cyclists should be mindful of.

There are many creative and cheap ways to stay visible now...lights that create markings of a bike lane on the ground in red, LEDs that illuminate wheels when turning, etc.

[Cycleracer]

The cycle lights that bother me are the super bright flashing ones that are pointed straight forward and not even pointed towards the ground in front of them.

My cycle lights a quite bright but directed towards the ground so I can see the road in front and not dazzle other road users pretty much like car head lights.

 

Why would we point our lights to the ground that would be of no use to anyone.

Bright lights are bright for a reason and that is to be seen by road users and not for my benefit to see where I'm going.

Light's have no use as guiders on dark evening for us cyclist's there more for your benefit

[Dimple]

Why would we point our lights to the ground that would be of no use to anyone.

 

Mine are pointed towards the ground. That way I can see where I am going better. They are of use to me this way and other road users can see me as well. Quite simple really.

If you drive a car, next time your MOT is due be sure to adjust your headlights so they are pointed straight forward then tell the examiner what you have just explained here. See if your car passes.

[ads36]

Cycleracer

 

Why would we point our lights to the ground that would be of no use to anyone.

 

because that's where the things are that i'm interested in seeing...? ( potholes, kerbs, glass, etc. etc.)

 

if you think we mean 'straight down, like a streetlamp' - then something has got lost in translation.

 

my front light is a german B&M, it's quite clever in that it has a lens/mirror inside which produces a very distinct vertical cut-off, it's like a dipped car headlamp. This means more light goes where i want it, not just all over the place. And because my light directs the light where i want it, it's effectively brighter, and projects a further distance along the road (but not up, into peoples' eyes).

 

*REALLY* bright lights don't make much sense to me, they're uncomfortable to look at, and i want people (drivers) to be looking at me so they can see what i'm doing.

 

if you want to be seen/noticed, then don't forget about pedal reflectors - the up/down motion is extremely eye catching, and distinctively 'bike' (i don't have *pedal* reflectors, instead i use hi-viz/reflective ankle straps. not sexy, but they work).

Edited October 30, 2017 by ads36