Varia rear light worth it?

[mjr]

There's no effect on speed. Bit weird to think looking behind you at 40mph+ is safer than ahead tbh ...

Looking behind sometimes is safer than not. If visibility and your bike handling doesn't allow you to do that comfortably, you're probably going faster than you can really cope with.

 

[classic33]

It's not mentioned as often, but it is there: "the light shown by the lamp when flashing shall be displayed not less than 60 nor more than 240 equal times per minute and the intervals between each display of light shall be constant" (RVLR 1989 amended)

Is that wording still present in the amendments made in 2005?

 

[cougie uk]

Looking behind sometimes is safer than not. If visibility and your bike handling doesn't allow you to do that comfortably, you're probably going faster than you can really cope with.

'not looking where you are going is safer than looking where you are going'.

Sure. I'll not be taking your advice.

 

[mjr]

'not looking where you are going is safer than looking where you are going'.

Sure. I'll not be taking your advice.

Don't take my advice. Looking behind you regularly is Bikeability Level 2. If you can't achieve that, well...!

 

[alex_cycles]

Is that wording still present in the amendments made in 2005?

or 2017 . The other thing is, even if it's there, do these regulations apply during the day? I choose not to ride in the dark.

 

[classic33]

or 2017 . The other thing is, even if it's there, do these regulations apply during the day? I choose not to ride in the dark.

I was thinking more about when it became legal to have flashing lights on bikes.

 

[classic33]

....And variable flash rate is strictly illegal at present, for good reasons around photosensitivity.

If your skin is sensitive to light, a flashing light isn't that bad. In the scheme of things.

 

[mikeIow]

If your skin is sensitive to light, a flashing light isn't that bad. In the scheme of things.

I once had iritis....which is very painful, when the eye is 'photo sensitive' to light. & a torn retina, with subsequent emergency laser surgery: also not great!
BUT....I've not been hit in some decent rides whilst my bike wore the Garmin

@mjr - I'll drop from this discussion, with big apologies to mods for having to faff with the bargain thread. Maybe one day someone will let you borrow their radar light & your concerns/opinion might change

I didn't mean to derail: really wanted to just say what a truly great device the 515 is, what a superb price that was, and to share my opinion: for the avoidance of doubt, backed up with precisely zero consumer evidence (because there are no such tests for that sort of cycle device, to my knowledge!), but backed by a few thousand miles (including the tours in my sig), and MANY other reviews which agreed.
Felt slightly odd the way the discussion turned to illegal flashing, & of course any person is entitled to think the device isn't for them. Suffice to say that Garmin are not total charlatans & I doubt they would sell you an illegal light

 

[Petrichorwheels]

It might feel safer but I don't know of evidence it is safer. Looking behind occasionally is still a good idea for many reasons. If you need or want a mirror, get one, maybe as well.

can't help but be doubtful about this thing to be honest.
(and I do a fair amount of night riding on country lanes)
I always look around if about to make any manoeuvre.
And it's not going to stop some nit just mowing me down on a dark country lane because they are a dangerous driver/drunken maniac surely?
What am I supposed to do? Dive in a ditch every time it bleeps?
maybe I'm missing something?

 

[Petrichorwheels]

Its safer in the context of getting a warning from some distance of an rear approaching vehicle and you can consequently judge your route ahead; which side of a pothole or rough surface to go. Also in busy traffic you know it's pointless looking back for the sake of it and instead you can keep an eye on whatever next the road surface is going to throw at you.

but in busy traffic it's going to be alerting you all the time surely?
(which was why I assume someone on this or an associated thread said it might be useful for non urban riding)

 

[Sea of vapours]

It's about increasing situational awareness. It's not a replacement for listening, looking around or using a mirror; it's an addition to those things. Of those things, it's the one I'd give up first, but that doesn't mean it's not adding information quite a lot of the time, especially in areas with relatively little traffic where you might not naturally be checking behind you every few seconds.

And looking around you isn't going to stop someone driving into you either. All these things, however, (looking, listening, radar) will give you more information and perhaps you'll know that, on this particular occasion, 'dive in a ditch' is the best course of action ! More probably, 'move out a bit to force driver to overtake wider' is the right course of action, but it's really all about having more information to act appropriately on.

 

[alex_cycles]

but in busy traffic it's going to be alerting you all the time surely?

Yes if you ride in busy traffic you can use the on-off switch to good effect

You SHOULD look around still before making any manoeuvre. The point of this device is situational awareness.
I know something's coming. I know if it's coming fast or slow. I know if there's more than one thing coming (up to 8). I know roughly how far away it is. Knowing all that, I can choose to look round and see if it's a bus, another rider or a Tesla.

I often will choose to look round when a vehicle approaches as it is thought to be effective in making the driver see you as a human being and not an object - therefore likely to give a bit more space. (Dunno if that's true or not though).

 

[cougie uk]

can't help but be doubtful about this thing to be honest.
(and I do a fair amount of night riding on country lanes)
I always look around if about to make any manoeuvre.
And it's not going to stop some nit just mowing me down on a dark country lane because they are a dangerous driver/drunken maniac surely?
What am I supposed to do? Dive in a ditch every time it bleeps?
maybe I'm missing something?

I thought the same as you originally.

Obviously you'll still want to check behind you when you manoeuvres - but what you don't have to do is look behind when you don't.

So is there a car there - no cos the radar hasn't beeped.
On a busy road you don't need to keep checking behind before your turn- use the radar and when it tells you it's clear - then you check.

Probably one of your riding pals has one. You can piggyback any bike computer onto it and take advantage of his sensor. Try it for a ride and see how you feel.

 

[Petrichorwheels]

On a busy road you don't need to keep checking behind before your turn- use the radar and when it tells you it's clear - then you check.

sorry -
You have kinda confirmed to me that it's not a lot of use/potentially dangerous if folk start to rely on it even for an initial check (one step away from disaster)
My bike riding roadcraft is essentially what I learned when learning to drive a car* - look, signal if seems OK, look again before making the manoeuvre.

Even with car mirrors I always looked over my shoulder/to my side before moving out.

(I no longer drive by the way)

* I see this as a mix of self preservation, assertion (I have the same rights as a car) and roadcraft politeness.

 

[Sea of vapours]

not a lot of use/potentially dangerous if folk start to rely on it even for an initial check

Hmmm.... the idea is not 'an initial check'; it's constant situational awareness. There is zero need to 'rely on it'. It's just there providing extra information.