Anyone on these forums use lights all the time? Day or night.

[fossyant]

Commuting in not so good conditions I did.

Having a twin 1250 lumen lamp on pulse did not stop a driver turning right across me in daylight, despite the lights lighting up his car.... ended up with a trip to hospital for 6 1/2 weeks for me. If they don't look you are snookered.

Don't rely on them.

 

[andrew_s]

My lights are dynamo, and on senso all the time.
That means they can be on all day on a dull winter day, and generally come on about an hour before sunset at this time of year even if it's fairly bright, as well as under trees etc.
The only time I override to manual on (which just covers over the light sensor) is for daytime shallow fog. Any other time (heavy rain etc), the lights come on by themselves.

 

[biking_fox]

Reelights here, permanently attached, without any switches. They're always on.

 

[Prometheus]

Not wishing to do a Bradley, I fitted A flashing Daylight running light 160 Lu.
In daylight you can see me coming at over 200Mts

A noticeable difference from car drivers, they give that extra second look to judge my speed.
Then ether stop, or pull out of my way with tires squealing.
So far no one as pulled right out in front of me, like the old days!

 

[Flying Dodo]

I run a Smart R1 1 Watt rear that cost me £6 and a Planet X Jobsworth Asterion USB 400 Lumen Rechargeable Front Light which is basically a Moon Meteor copy and I picked up for under a tenner.

Anyone else use lights all the time?

In bright sunlight, those sort of bike lights don't show up at all.

 

[Alltalk]

No. Why look like a Volvo twat?

For the simple reason that I want people to see me and I don't have a ton of metal surrounding me. Is that such a hard concept to grasp?

Seems to be on this thread. By fellow cyclists. Many new cars have auto lights nowadays. I always use my rear light. Battery cost is negligble.

Anything to draw attention to me and keep cars a safe distance is good IMO. If the infrastructure was like Europe and Scandinavia and the attitude to cyclists was similar...

It's never going to change in this country. Largely in part to moronic, entitled cyclists and idiot bike riders.

You read any news website and there are incredibly angry ill informed morons getting livid with cyclists. I honestly believe if the motorists I read about had a choice of a hit and run between a paedo or a cyclist the cyclist would win every time!

There is actually no reason not to use a rear light at all times IMO.

Thankfully I am seeing more sensible riders doing this recently. A few people on here have common sense. And try to do everything they can to avoid getting hit by a motorist. That a lot of the time willl be concentrating on social media.

And then there are the people that think they are entitled. Enjoy wearing ridiculous high viz get ups, without really understanding the highway code.

Thankfully it's the more experienced and sensible cyclists that have the right attitude to cycling.

 

[winjim]

You can avoid getting hit by a motorist by concentrating on social media?

 

[steveindenmark]

In Denmark you need your lights on motor vehicles wherever the engine is turned on. They usually come on automatically when you put the key in the ignition.

Some of my bikes are dynamo and the lights are always on. But I am always well lit up in Winter.

Pat, its nice and sunny in Denmark as I write this and a guy has just ridden by in a dayglow jacket. There are lots of them around in Denmark. Its really funny, but on this site helmets and vis vests are often a cause for debate, arguement, ridicule. But nobody has ever mentioned either to me in Denmark. You wear what you want and nobody cares. Isnt that refreshing?

I consider lights, helmets and vis vests all part of cycling safety. I dont use them all the time, but that is my choice. But I would never discourage anyone else from wearing them, if thats what they wanted to do. Why would you encourage to stop doing something that made them feel safe? whats it got to do with anyone what someone else looks like.

 

[Ajax Bay]

On a motorbike - different again; the rare occasions I ride, it's with lights on.

Given your rationale for not switching lights on at all in daylight, why do you have you your motorbike lights on when riding that?

For my part I keep lights fixed to my bike and, in daylight, switch the rear one on when it's gloomy or when I'm on roads that are wide enough for cars not to worry about traffic coming the other way (ie wider than 'narrow'). In urban areas I'll have the front on, on flashing, in the hope than left and right turners will notice me earlier/with greater assurance, but as others have said above, I don't trust them to.
Oh, and I run lights on always in the car.

 

[sackville d]

Seems to be on this thread. By fellow cyclists. Many new cars have auto lights nowadays.

It's never going to change in this country. Largely in part to moronic, entitled cyclists and idiot bike riders.

You read any news website and there are incredibly angry ill informed morons getting livid with cyclists. I honestly believe if the motorists I read about had a choice of a hit and run between a paedo or a cyclist the cyclist would win every time!

Thankfully I am seeing more sensible riders doing this recently. A few people on here have common sense. And try to do everything they can to avoid getting hit by a motorist. That a lot of the time willl be concentrating on social media.

And then there are the people that think they are entitled. Enjoy wearing ridiculous high viz get ups, without really understanding the highway code.

Edited highlights from post of the week from the OP.I just can`t stop looking at it. A thing of wonder right there!

 

[winjim]

Edited highlights from post of the week from the OP.I just can`t stop looking at it. A thing of wonder right there!

It's beautiful isn't it?

 

[sackville d]

It's beautiful isn't it?

I should be out riding but I`m just transfixed!

 

[growingvegetables]

Given your rationale for not switching lights on at all in daylight, why do you have you your motorbike lights on when riding that?

I'm not sure I know - this is kind of working backwards to rationalise. But I think it's because

- the motorbike has a much bigger light source, and is (probably) moving a lot faster; the lights catch my eye first.
- whereas with a cyclist, I see the cyclist first ....... and only later spot the pinprick light, and think "Oh - he's running lights."

 

[Tim Hall]

You don't often see stream of consciousness with full stops.

IF YOU READ IT LIKE A TELEGRAM STOP ITS MORE ENTERTAINING STOP AND ONLY MARGINALLY LESS COMPREHENSIBLE STOP

 

[winjim]

You don't often see stream of consciousness with full stops.

Bullet points would have worked better.