Head torches - dazzled by inconsiderate users

[reohn2]

.........I would imagine that the times I have been dazzled by cars vans and trucks outweigh being dazzled by cyclists and pedestrians by 1,000:1

Agreed especially the newer LED car headlights some of which even on dipped beam do dazzle.
Cycling on the road with a head torch is unecessary and can dazzle others,but so can some other cycle lights.
Some may quote BSI or EU standards for cycle lighing but the truth of it is that the cat's out of the bag and has been for many years with cycle lights,some very expensive,being sold that don't conform to any standards but with the proviso that they're only for off road use,yeah right,but they used on the road,and as others have pointed out no one's enforcing the law,that's if police officers even know the law relating to cycle lights
Make of all that what you will,but there are those who don't give a toss for anyone else and as a result we have a light war going on with cars being the overall winners.
As for flashing cycle lights IMHO they should be banned in favour of constant lit lights as all they anounce to inconsiderate drivers is that the vehicle up head is "only a bike" much better with two lights spaced as far apart as is possible and be as considerate as you can to other road/path users

[geocycle]

I suffer with migraines and find cyclists with head torches on shared paths or narrow roads a problem. Even worse are flashing front lights. Please don’t!

do cars and lorries not affect you ?

I would imagine that the times I have been dazzled by cars vans and trucks outweigh being dazzled by cyclists and pedestrians by 1,000:1

Personally it depends on the context. The worst are very bright flashing head or badly angled handle bar height lights in a very dark setting such as an unlit single lane road or bike path. I often have to stop. I’d normally be fine in the day or with fork mounted lights. Cars with full beams are a problem on narrow roads but it is the flashing which stops me in my tracks. It doesn’t usually go on long enough to bring on a migraine there and then but I momentarily cannot see where the on coming bike is.