Trying to make cyclists more seen

[shouldbeinbed]

some odd attitudes on here, Im a more serious road cyclist and would snap it up. for the motorists that do drive round with there eyes open, which im guessing is most of the buggers, this would help them see me.

help them more than what?

bike mounted lights far more likely to be angled correctly than a light on your back when you're being a more serious road cyclist?
bright clothing?
hi-viz strips where it can be clearly seen on your body e.g. Legs regardless of upper body angle and moving in such a way that DOES say cyclist to other users, rather than an inert vest that could be horse rider, jogger on pavement, hi-viz pedestrian or dog walker
Sam browns belt?
reflectors?
appropriate road positioning?

 

[lukasran]

the op asked for views of "more serious road cyclists", there is no exact requirements for that so cant spell it out for you but i consider myself in it. if that is too much of a leap for you too bad. op wanted feedback on a new light and got a load of cycling safety gurus harping on about the real problems and asking for the thread to be shut? you are not going to convince me that wearing lighting is a bad idea. if you drive you know bikes are not easy to spot, even when driving with them in mind. bad drivers are out there and i would prefer them to see me sooner rather than later and if they mistake me for a horse/ped what do i care so long as they see me.

 

[coffeejo]

If you're sitting upright, it'll be seen so long as you like wearing something on your back (I don't - never wear a rucksack, never even put anything in rear pockets) but if you ride with a more aerodynamic position (on hoods or drops) then anything on your back will simply beam up into the sky.

IMHO, all the money being poured into the design, manufacturing and purchase of visibility aides for cyclists would be better spent on a public awareness campaign for all road users to respect other road users and recognise vulnerabilities and what we can all do to look after the safety of others.

 

[theclaud]

the op asked for views of "more serious road cyclists", there is no exact requirements for that so cant spell it out for you but i consider myself in it. if that is too much of a leap for you too bad. op wanted feedback on a new light and got a load of cycling safety gurus harping on about the real problems and asking for the thread to be shut? you are not going to convince me that wearing lighting is a bad idea. if you drive you know bikes are not easy to spot, even when driving with them in mind. bad drivers are out there and i would prefer them to see me sooner rather than later and if they mistake me for a horse/ped what do i care so long as they see me.

Who did? No one is trying to convince you not to wear lights. The OP expresses a wish to "make the roads safer for cycling", and asks for opinions on a product. The product certainly won't "make the roads safer for cycling". I'm not convinced it will make the individuals who wear it safer either, but I think it's a very bad thing to train motorists, who already fail to take responsibility for the danger they present to others, to expect cyclists to sport more and more ludicrously conspicuous gear. It can only result in their feeling entitled not to see those who aren't wearing it, despite the fact that they are not, and have never been, invisible. It's a shame your self-proclaimed seriousness doesn't seem to extend to thinking outside of your own over-illuminated bubble.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

...your own over-illuminated bubble.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

It would be nice if the OP returned to give her views on the responses so far. I hope she's not just another post and run advertiser.

GC

 

[theclaud]

Are you serious enough to have a valid opinion?

Might the occasional lapse into frivolity count against me, do you think?

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

The meek shall inherit the mirth.

 

[Dogtrousers]

... more and more ludicrously conspicuous gear...

Just out of interest, TC, where do you draw the line between normal lighting and ludicrous lighting? I've got some fibre flares, which I bought primarily because I thought they looked cool, and only secondarily because I thought they may be functional.

I'm worried now that they may be ludicrous. I feel such a fool.

 

[Crackle]

Trouser clips, flat cap, Ever Ready light and a raincoat. Anything beyond that is frivolous foolery selling out your fellow cyclists.

 

[ianrauk]

Just out of interest, TC, where do you draw the line between normal lighting and ludicrous lighting? I've got some fibre flares, which I bought primarily because I thought they looked cool, and only secondarily because I thought they may be functional.

I'm worried now that they may be ludicrous. I feel such a fool.

Now you see... I was the first to use 2 of them on the FNRttC's a few years back... then everybody started to buy the bloody things...ludicrous

They are great lights. (If you guard them against water ingress) as they are not retina burning..OF WHICH I HATE on the FNR's.

 

[theclaud]

Just out of interest, TC, where do you draw the line between normal lighting and ludicrous lighting? I've got some fibre flares, which I bought primarily because I thought they looked cool, and only secondarily because I thought they may be functional.

I'm worried now that they may be ludicrous. I feel such a fool.

They score low on my ludicrometer - I like their benign glow and the way their line follows and flatters that of the seatpost or stays. I dislike eyeball-searing rear lights on group rides, flashing front lights, and anything that blinds oncoming pedestrians, but I'm relaxed about adornment. I like @User10571's vertical Knight Rider setup, and @Aperitif's fairy lights!

 

[theclaud]

[QUOTE 3029190, member: 9609"]the trouble is everyone is upping their game in the being-seen stakes, day time running lights, high intensity discharge bulbs, vehicles are becoming bigger and full of distracting toys for their drivers to play with, then there is the mobile phone plague/obsession, And on top of all that half of our fellow cyclists are also brightening up with high-viz and lots of flashing lights. I agree it's a crap situation but it's the one we have, if we don't join in some twat will kill us and the whole world will say it served us right.[/QUOTE]

Stop joining in and perpetuating it then. How do you imagine we will win if you choose to accept those terms?

 

[theclaud]

[QUOTE 3029823, member: 9609"]will anyone take any notice us not being noticed ?[/QUOTE]
Ride with minimal or non-existent lighting, and you will discover something curious. Drivers see you, and move to avoid you as if you were a real person. Our supposed invisibility is a fiction. All you are doing by making an issue of lighting is reinforcing it.

 

[Shaun]

As interesting as the "lighting vs. driver education" debate is, this isn't really the place for it.

Can we please stick to giving feedback to @LucyBoots on the product she's linked to and if you want to continue the debate, start a new thread and link back to it from here.

Thanks,
Shaun