Varia rear light worth it?

[Sea of vapours]

Is it your primary rear light or your secondary rear light?

I don't often cycle in actual darkness and the Varia in flashing mode lasts 16 hours, so most of the time it's my primary / only light and I'm in daylight.

If I anticipate that I may actually be riding in the dark then it would still be primary, but I'd switch it to non-flashing at dusk (6 hours battery life from fully charged) and would have an additional light with another six/eighteen hours of life which I'd also have on if the Varia was due to die.
EDIT: If a Varia does die / fall off then a 'Radar disconnected' notice appears on the head unit - quite a useful feature in the dark, though I still have a second light active.

 

[cougie uk]

And I bet variable flash would get used as an argument to reduce a compensation payout, with more legitimacy than some arguments used.

If this had happened you'd have thought it would have been reported. I've never heard of it - have you or are you just making things up ?

 

[Mike_P]

I have always taken the reference to variable to being a light that is totally random in its flashing; the Varia is not, it increases its rate as a vehicle approaches. Garmin are wise to individual countries rules and German ones only have a steady light as flashing lights are not permitted.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Question for those that use this or similar rear lights.

Is it your primary rear light or your secondary rear light?

Hard to say. It's one of two, (or sometimes more) but I don't rank them. It sits beside a Cateye Omni. Sometimes I add other lights too. In the dark/low light the Cateye goes on to permanent (non flash).

 

[Alex321]

I have always taken the reference to variable to being a light that is totally random in its flashing; the Varia is not, it increases its rate as a vehicle approaches. Garmin are wise to individual countries rules and German ones only have a steady light as flashing lights are not permitted.

The actual law makes it quite clear. That is not allowed.

But I very much doubt whether it will ever be enforced, even if the police are actually aware of that part of the law, they will have much better thing to do than stop a cyclist for that.

And if they want to stop cyclists for breaching the lighting regulations, almost all of us who ride with clipless pedals after dark are doing so without the legally required pedal reflectors. The majority of clipless pedals don't even have anywhere reflectors could be attached.

 

[classic33]

The actual law makes it quite clear. That is not allowed.

But I very much doubt whether it will ever be enforced, even if the police are actually aware of that part of the law, they will have much better thing to do than stop a cyclist for that.

And if they want to stop cyclists for breaching the lighting regulations, almost all of us who ride with clipless pedals after dark are doing so without the legally required pedal reflectors. The majority of clipless pedals don't even have anywhere reflectors could be attached.

It doesn't actually. Current regulations apply to primary lights, not secondary lights.

 

[classic33]

Not the best of pictures, taken from a moving vehicle. But blue flashing lights on what is clearly not an emergency vehicle. And fully road legal.

 

[Adam4868]

Yes, there aren't enough traffic police to enforce the regs.

But I still don't use variable flash rate lights because they're annoying and I strongly suspect ineffective.

You are handing another thing to bike bashers that they can moan about whenever spending a pittance on cycling is proposed.

And I bet variable flash would get used as an argument to reduce a compensation payout, with more legitimacy than some arguments used.

I take your point....but flashing lights to bash cyclists ? There's plenty of other ammunition and can't say I've ever heard or read it said.
Or for that matter used to reduce a compensation payout.Maybe there is somewhere but it's not top of the agenda for the usual Mail clickbait against cyclists.

 

[Adam4868]

Not the best of pictures, taken from a moving vehicle. But blue flashing lights on what is clearly not an emergency vehicle. And fully road legal.
View attachment 665081

Notice loads of vehicles with flashing lights,I actually noticed a mobility scooter hire van today with lights flashing.I also know a tyre fitter who has flashing lights on his vehicle.

 

[Slick]

Well, first commute ride this morning since I bought this new light. Ot wasn't really planned, but I woke around 4.30 am and pretty much knew I wasn't getting back to sleep. I really should have been better organised, but I gathered everything together and almost nothing was charged, so fired up the extension thingy and it sooned look like something from the space station, there was that many flashing lights.

Anyway, I paired the light with the head unit no problem, but my only option after that was to continue without saving. Obviously I have done something stupid, so I'll need to wait another day or so before getting a chance to try it out as it looks like the wind and rain is moving back in here.

 

[Hacienda71]

All the talk of legality of flashing lights etc. I suspect very few bikes are legal on the road at night. There are virtually no clipless pedal systems with four orange reflectors on and very few people have red rear reflectors on their bikes. There will be a self righteous minority who say I do, but the vast majority don't and the police don't care as long as you are lit and visible. They can't say they don't enforce the law but they simply don't. I also haven't heard of lots of cases where defence lawyers are utilising this non compliance as a viable defence for hitting a lit cyclist.

 

[Dogtrousers]

It doesn't actually. Current regulations apply to primary lights, not secondary lights.

Oh you know when I said my Varia was just one of two lights, and neither was primary? Well what I really meant was that the Cateye is primary and the Varia secondary. Most definitely, oh yes.

 

[Dogtrousers]

All the talk of legality of flashing lights etc. I suspect very few bikes are legal on the road at night. There are virtually no clipless pedal systems with four orange reflectors on and very few people have red rear reflectors on their bikes. There will be a self righteous minority who say I do,

Harrumph! I do . One of my bikes has SPDs with reflectors and a reflector on the mudguard.

Unfortunately that bike is my turbo bike and never goes outside, and the mudguards are in a junk pile in the garage.

 

[Hacienda71]

Harrumph! I do . One of my bikes has SPDs with reflectors and a reflector on the mudguard.

Unfortunately that bike is my turbo bike and never goes outside, and the mudguards are in a junk pile in the garage.

Yeh but is your rear light compliant with a regular flash. 🤣

 

[Alex321]

It doesn't actually. Current regulations apply to primary lights, not secondary lights.

They apply to both.

Requirements relating to optional rear position lamps​

Commencement Information
I14Sch. 10 Pt. II in force at 1.11.1989, see reg. 1(1)
Any number may be fitted and [F9the only requirements prescribed by these Regulations in respect of any which are fitted are those specified in paragraphs 7 and 12(b) of Part I].

Paragraph 12(b) is the one which states that flashing lights must be a steady flash, as quoted already a couple of times in this thread.