Front Lights in Daylight

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jaybee66
Posts: 33
Joined: 4 Aug 2020, 11:55am

Front Lights in Daylight

Post by jaybee66 »

After numerous cars pulling out on me this week I'm thinking of installing strobe style lights on my flatbars so the "I didn't see you" excuse won't be valid anymore !!!

I'm looking at these Knogs [url]https://ebay.to/2YERrjm
[/url]

Anybody use similar ? Do you think 2 would be overkill ?

Thanks for any advice,

Regards

J
OldLimey
Posts: 142
Joined: 1 Aug 2020, 8:53pm

Re: Front Lights in Daylight

Post by OldLimey »

From what I've seen, most if not all, rechargeable lights have flashing mode. And they are very bright. Any bright, flashing light ought to warn drivers of your presence but I don't trust any driver to pay attention to cyclists. The only problem I have with stuff on eBay is that you don't get a good description of the item. You might need to know how long a battery charge will last, and if replacement batteries are available. Amazon has good descriptions and reviews. See if you can find the Knogs on Amazon to see what others say about them. And if you can't find them there, be careful.
freeflow
Posts: 1637
Joined: 29 Aug 2011, 1:54pm

Re: Front Lights in Daylight

Post by freeflow »

Drivers don't see you because of Saccades. Having a flashing light will make no difference.

https://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/raf-pil ... -cyclists/
Last edited by freeflow on 28 Aug 2020, 7:54am, edited 1 time in total.
philvantwo
Posts: 1730
Joined: 8 Dec 2012, 6:08pm

Re: Front Lights in Daylight

Post by philvantwo »

I got the small Exposure ones. Great little lights, bit expensive but made in the uk and I've heard the customer service is second to none!
cycle tramp
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Joined: 5 Aug 2009, 7:22pm

Re: Front Lights in Daylight

Post by cycle tramp »

Apologies for asking up when you cycle, how far are you away from the kerb?
Motorhead: god was never on your sidehttps://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&client=m ... +your+side
TheBomber
Posts: 525
Joined: 16 Feb 2020, 8:18pm

Re: Front Lights in Daylight

Post by TheBomber »

Freeflow - great link and a recommended read for all. Note that it does still recommend lights...
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Mick F
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Re: Front Lights in Daylight

Post by Mick F »

I've shouted at cyclists going past.
YOUR LIGHT IS TOO BRIGHT!



Or .............. more politely ...........
Do you know you're front light is on?

It's bad enough that the rear light is flashing away, but it's not annoying like a front light is! :shock:

Turn the things OFF.
Mick F. Cornwall
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mjr
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Re: Front Lights in Daylight

Post by mjr »

Using a strobe on an ordinary road vehicle would be a criminal offence (a breach of the Road Vehicle Lighting Regs). If someone hit you despite it, I would expect it to reduce the likelihood of them being prosecuted and hinder any compensation claim you made.

In general good daylight conditions, bike lights are pretty much no effect. You can't compete with the sun. Road position is far more important and being able to make an "emergency turn" is useful when that fails.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
All the above is CC-By-SA and no other implied copyright license to Cycle magazine.
LittleGreyCat
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Joined: 7 Aug 2013, 8:31pm

Re: Front Lights in Daylight

Post by LittleGreyCat »

Mick F wrote:I've shouted at cyclists going past.
YOUR LIGHT IS TOO BRIGHT!



Or .............. more politely ...........
Do you know you're front light is on?

It's bad enough that the rear light is flashing away, but it's not annoying like a front light is! :shock:

Turn the things OFF.


Well, I have a dynamo and always have my lights on.
When I drive my car I also have my lights on; daylight running lights are far more common now than when only Volvo had them.
Always had my lights on when I rode my motor bike, as well. IIRC there was a campaign to encourage this at one time.

From my observations I am always happy to see a cyclist with a bright front light (apart from anything else I have SEEN them) and I only find it annoying when the light is aimed at opposing traffic instead of the road.

I don't usually have a flashing rear light; standard rear light should be enough if it is bright enough.

Riding with groups (and observing other cyclists) I can see how easy it is for a bike to merge into the background without lights. Light to dark, shady under trees, shadow from high hedges - all can make a bike disappear from view.

Your mileage, as they say, may vary.
tatanab
Posts: 5033
Joined: 8 Feb 2007, 12:37pm

Re: Front Lights in Daylight

Post by tatanab »

Mick F wrote:I've shouted at cyclists going past.
YOUR LIGHT IS TOO BRIGHT!
And on the other side of the coin, I find it funny how many riders I spot long before I realise they have a glow worm attached to their handlebars safe in the knowledge that this can be seen from all of 3 feet away. I spot them whether I am driving or cycling.

The people who like powerful daytime lights are in my view damaging cycling because drivers will come to expect to see a light - no flashing light means no cyclist. Also, what do you do if on tour for a month? I asked somebody this question on a camera thread and the answer was "I only commute so that is all I care about".
cycle tramp
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Re: Front Lights in Daylight

Post by cycle tramp »

LittleGreyCat wrote:Always had my lights on when I rode my motor bike, as well. IIRC there was a campaign to encourage this at one time.



H'mm... I was part of Motorcycle Action Group for some time and the feeling was very much against them.. lighted vehicle in daylight made it more difficult to judge it's on coming speed and in some situations if there was a strong light behind the rider the silhouette of the motorcycle could disappea, if they were using day time lights.
It was often thought that the utterance 'sorry I didn't see you' by any motorist actually meant 'I saw you but I'm in this big hard tin shell and you're just so soft and squishy so £**$ you' whereas in law it should be 'sorry I didn't see you, please accept this as admittance of me being unfit/unsafe to be on the road'.
Motorhead: god was never on your sidehttps://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&client=m ... +your+side
Pebble
Posts: 1934
Joined: 7 Jun 2020, 11:59pm

Re: Front Lights in Daylight

Post by Pebble »

tatanab wrote:
Mick F wrote:I've shouted at cyclists going past.
YOUR LIGHT IS TOO BRIGHT!
And on the other side of the coin, I find it funny how many riders I spot long before I realise they have a glow worm attached to their handlebars safe in the knowledge that this can be seen from all of 3 feet away. I spot them whether I am driving or cycling.

The people who like powerful daytime lights are in my view damaging cycling because drivers will come to expect to see a light - no flashing light means no cyclist. Also, what do you do if on tour for a month? I asked somebody this question on a camera thread and the answer was "I only commute so that is all I care about".

I too think DRLs (daytime running lights) that are standard on all cars now is a big mistake, they make more vulnerable road users like cyclists even less visible. Cyclists lights are never going to be able to compete with car lights, and some are so stupidly bright now that if you pass someone at dusk who is still driving on their DRLs they virtually burn your retinas out. They are likely to leave other drivers temporarily seeing spots who in turn might just not see that cyclist or pedestrian.
fastpedaller
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Re: Front Lights in Daylight

Post by fastpedaller »

Pebble wrote:
tatanab wrote:
Mick F wrote:I've shouted at cyclists going past.
YOUR LIGHT IS TOO BRIGHT!
And on the other side of the coin, I find it funny how many riders I spot long before I realise they have a glow worm attached to their handlebars safe in the knowledge that this can be seen from all of 3 feet away. I spot them whether I am driving or cycling.

The people who like powerful daytime lights are in my view damaging cycling because drivers will come to expect to see a light - no flashing light means no cyclist. Also, what do you do if on tour for a month? I asked somebody this question on a camera thread and the answer was "I only commute so that is all I care about".

I too think DRLs (daytime running lights) that are standard on all cars now is a big mistake, they make more vulnerable road users like cyclists even less visible. Cyclists lights are never going to be able to compete with car lights, and some are so stupidly bright now that if you pass someone at dusk who is still driving on their DRLs they virtually burn your retinas out. They are likely to leave other drivers temporarily seeing spots who in turn might just not see that cyclist or pedestrian.


And ROSPA also advised against DRL's but they were forced upon us!
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The utility cyclist
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Location: The first garden city

Re: Front Lights in Daylight

Post by The utility cyclist »

cycle tramp wrote:Apologies for asking up when you cycle, how far are you away from the kerb?

irrelevant, modifying the victims/vulnerable's behaviour makes jack all difference at a population level and simply excuses the wrong doing. Police + gov have been doing this for best part of 100 years.
I came to my senses re DRLs in about 1994
NickJP
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Joined: 24 Sep 2018, 7:11pm
Location: Canberra, OZ

Re: Front Lights in Daylight

Post by NickJP »

freeflow wrote:Drivers don't see you because of Seccades.


Saccades, not seccades.
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