Flashing lights

[vickster]

I've seen these advertised, seem like a great idea. But why do you need a flashing one on the front. The back makes sense as there is traffic coming from behind, but the front, there is no oncoming traffic in your way (hopefully!). I reckon more drivers are compromised than the number of cyclists that benefit.

So they see you coming rather than pulling out in front of you. Otherwise why do you need a front light at all on well lit roads

 

[Andywinds]

not trying to be pedantic but the very fact you are here complaining about the flashing light proves that the light has done the job of getting the cyclist noticed although i do agree that the light should be pointed more to the road surface so not to dazzle other road users.

Lol, I saw the cyclists anyway as it wasn't completely dark. I just had the added feeling of being annoyed. A good front light is seen whether it is flashing or not. And its on the other side of the road anyway.

 

[Andywinds]

So they see you coming rather than pulling out in front of you. Otherwise why do you need a front light at all on well lit roads

I'm all up for lights, just don't think a flashing light makes a difference. Maybe there have been proper tests conducted.

 

[KneesUp]

There is flashing and then there is F*L*A*S*H*I*N*G*

Before it was stolen I had one of those eBay T6 eye-burners, and the flash on that was too much - too fast and too bright.

My current light is not as bright and flashes more slowly, which is much better: I only used the flash on the old light if the battery was failing.

 

[Andywinds]

There is flashing and then there is F*L*A*S*H*I*N*G*

Before it was stolen I had one of those eBay T6 eye-burners, and the flash on that was too much - too fast and too bright.

My current light is not as bright and flashes more slowly, which is much better: I only used the flash on the old light if the battery was failing.

Maybe that is it, slower flashing and pointing down lol. Ah well at least I've been educated.

 

[vickster]

I'm all up for lights, just don't think a flashing light makes a difference. Maybe there have been proper tests conducted.

Do you ride in a busy well lit environment where there is lots of traffic and then lots of different light sources?

I agree on quiet country roads where you need to see well, but not in the busy urban areas I ride where you are competing with all sorts of traffic, street lighting, shops etc etc

 

[Deleted member 35268]

I use a front flashing light and a rear flashing light during daylight hours. I also use a 400 lumens light on the front in the winter. I had a lovely Audi driver beep his horn at me a few months back, obviously he was blinded. Frankly, I'd rather be seen and beeped than dead.
Why do these lights have a flashing setting ? Are they all wrong?
I find a lot of modern car lights are crazy bright and seem to have allsorts of weird glare points that are blinding too.

 

[Andywinds]

Do you ride in a busy well lit environment where there is lots of traffic and then lots of different light sources?

I agree on quiet country roads where you need to see well, but not in the busy urban areas I ride where you are competing with all sorts of traffic, street lighting, shops etc etc

Yes where I live there are lots of cars, street lights etc, but nothing like inner cities. Listening to the points here I can see that it might help, just as long as they are not blinding divers, but saying that some constant lights are sometimes too high.

 

[Andywinds]

I use a front flashing light and a rear flashing light during daylight hours. I also use a 400 lumens light on the front in the winter. I had a lovely Audi driver beep his horn at me a few months back, obviously he was blinded. Frankly, I'd rather be seen and beeped than dead.
Why do these lights have a flashing setting ? Are they all wrong?
I find a lot of modern car lights are crazy bright and seem to have allsorts of weird glare points that are blinding too.

So you think blinding someone driving 1.5 tons of car towards you is safe? Yes there are loads of idiot drivers out there, that will never change.

 

[summerdays]

I've seen these advertised, seem like a great idea. But why do you need a flashing one on the front. The back makes sense as there is traffic coming from behind, but the front, there is no oncoming traffic in your way (hopefully!). I reckon more drivers are compromised than the number of cyclists that benefit.

The advantage of flashing front lights is filtering in my opinion, if I'm in the car and a cyclist is filtering past a line of cars, it makes it far easier to pick out from the car headlights and then you can adjust your position to let them pass or not left/right hook them. However it doesn't need to be incredibly high powered, just enough to be seen. The mistake is having poorly adjusted, very high powered front lights.

 

[Racing roadkill]

I've seen these advertised, seem like a great idea. But why do you need a flashing one on the front. The back makes sense as there is traffic coming from behind, but the front, there is no oncoming traffic in your way (hopefully!). I reckon more drivers are compromised than the number of cyclists that benefit.

The front one helps with preventing people 'barn dooring' you from side roads, and also seems to reduce the number of pedestrians who will step out in front of you. Again, it's a case of seemingly working on a subliminal level. If people see a light, they don't react in the same way as they do if they see a light, shaped like the thing that it's attatched to.

 

[Mile195]

I have two lights. One stays constant, and the other one I switch on to flashing at 200 lumens (yes - it points downward) at notorious parts of my commute (ie the junctions I know people pull straight out of, and the points where pedestrians just blindly wander into the road - usually Peckham Queens Road for some odd reason).
The flashing one DOES do it's job. Pedestrians see it just as they're about to walk out and stop. Junctions where people often just turn right across you do brake harshly instead of doing so because it catches their eye (without blinding - as I say, pointing downward). It's also very useful when filtering - people seem to notice it in their wingmirrors where a static light would just get lost amongst the car headlights.

Course this is for city cycling, might be different where you're from, but in London I wouldn't ride in the dark without it these days.

 

[Andywinds]

I have two lights. One stays constant, and the other one I switch on to flashing at 200 lumens (yes - it points downward) at notorious parts of my commute (ie the junctions I know people pull straight out of, and the points where pedestrians just blindly wander into the road - usually Peckham Queens Road for some odd reason).
The flashing one DOES do it's job. Pedestrians see it just as they're about to walk out and stop. Junctions where people often just turn right across you do brake harshly instead of doing so because it catches their eye (without blinding - as I say, pointing downward). It's also very useful when filtering - people seem to notice it in their wingmirrors where a static light would just get lost amongst the car headlights.

Course this is for city cycling, might be different where you're from, but in London I wouldn't ride in the dark without it these days.

I can appreciate what riding in the city would be like, my brother in law does it and he is not a fan. I suppose you have to do what you can in these environments. I just think where I am its a little overkill.

 

[MontyVeda]

...
Why do these lights have a flashing setting ? Are they all wrong?
I find a lot of modern car lights are crazy bright and seem to have allsorts of weird glare points that are blinding too.

As has been pointed out, some flashing lights are closer to strobe speed, so some are definitely wrong. Pulsing lights is the way forward I reckon. And yes, some car lights are way too bright and in-your-face... these are just as 'wrong' as strobing and/or in-your-face bike lights.

 

[Milkfloat]

View attachment 121685

Is this mode legal - with the green outline?

And on a second note - is your other rear light not upside down? It seems to be pointing far too low.

Personally - I have a constant and a flasher on both the front and the back, it gives me a backup and it covers both bases. The flashers are set to the lowest possible power.