Cycle lights blinding oncoming drivers

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Barrowman
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Re: Cycle lights blinding oncoming drivers

Post by Barrowman »

Not sure how many Mountain Bikers Contribute here , I am assuming the local ones go into the woods to perform open heart surgery in the dark judging by the lights they have on their helmets which are on full stadium mode when they ride up the road dazzling oncoming cars and shooting unwanted light into your living room.
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CyberKnight
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Re: Cycle lights blinding oncoming drivers

Post by CyberKnight »

given how many drivers seem not to be able to drive without blinding oncoming traffic i dont think any bike light is going to trouble the general driving public
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Cowsham
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Re: Cycle lights blinding oncoming drivers

Post by Cowsham »

CyberKnight wrote: 2 Dec 2022, 9:30pm given how many drivers seem not to be able to drive without blinding oncoming traffic i dont think any bike light is going to trouble the general driving public

Mine apparently did -- hence the thread.
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awavey
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Re: Cycle lights blinding oncoming drivers

Post by awavey »

Pebble wrote: 1 Dec 2022, 4:09pm As a driver I can't ever recall ever being even remotely dazzled by someone on a push bike. But as a cyclist (who regularly rides in the dark) I am repeatedly blinded by cars and trucks. Many people don't even dip their lights for cyclists, whether that is because they don't think cyclists are worthy of the effort, or may be it is because they have the modern auto ones (adaptive main beam assist) and that tech does not always recognise cyclists.?

And even the ones that do dip, the high intensity dip beam can be temporarily too high or flickering on on even road surfaces, and can impede my night vision for a few tens of yards.
IME on unlit roads, they leave them on full beam much longer than they would if you were a car, all you can do is stare the patch of road illuminated in front of your front wheel and hope for the best, sometimes a friendly wave solves the problem.

I think alot of modern vehicles the lights arent setup right anymore or people, garages dont check them properly, I know on my car, when I bought it the lights were set wrong, one was set for lhd, one was set for rhd, so it would always have been dazzling oncoming traffic to some extent.

but I have been dazzled by someone on a push bike, they had one of those very powerful MTB lights fitted to their helmet, had it been on the bike it probably would have been manageable, but it moved with every movement of their head and was right in your eyeline when they looked at oncoming traffic, or did a shoulder check.

it was one of the things that convinced me the arms race of just putting ever more powerful lights on a bike was the wrong way to go, because even in a well lit area, all you could see of the bike was the bright light, the rider probably thought that was great everyone knows Im here, right up to the point they stick an arm out to indicate and attempt a turn, there was no way any indication of direction, or movement was being picked up from that rider, you just knew they were there.
mattheus
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Re: Cycle lights blinding oncoming drivers

Post by mattheus »

awavey wrote: 3 Dec 2022, 1:45am but I have been dazzled by someone on a push bike, they had one of those very powerful MTB lights fitted to their helmet, had it been on the bike it probably would have been manageable, but it moved with every movement of their head and was right in your eyeline when they looked at oncoming traffic, or did a shoulder check.

it was one of the things that convinced me the arms race of just putting ever more powerful lights on a bike was the wrong way to go, because even in a well lit area, all you could see of the bike was the bright light, the rider probably thought that was great everyone knows Im here, right up to the point they stick an arm out to indicate and attempt a turn, there was no way any indication of direction, or movement was being picked up from that rider, you just knew they were there.
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VinceLedge
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Re: Cycle lights blinding oncoming drivers

Post by VinceLedge »

We were on a cycle trail in NZ yesterday, through a long, unlit railway tunnel and a guy coming the other way had a headlight so bright we couldn't see where we were cycling at all,ended up having to get off, ha had no idea how bright it was and he fact it was not angled downwards.
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Cowsham
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Re: Cycle lights blinding oncoming drivers

Post by Cowsham »

VinceLedge wrote: 5 Dec 2022, 9:09pm We were on a cycle trail in NZ yesterday, through a long, unlit railway tunnel and a guy coming the other way had a headlight so bright we couldn't see where we were cycling at all,ended up having to get off, ha had no idea how bright it was and he fact it was not angled downwards.
Hence I've come to the conclusion to have it on semi blink but angled slightly down simply so I can see where I'm going while hoping the other road users acknowledge me as a cyclist but read my next post !
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Cowsham
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Re: Cycle lights blinding oncoming drivers

Post by Cowsham »

As chance would have it I bought an MCN ( motorcycle news paper ) at the weekend.
I don't often do that but since I've just finished the catch up tv of the BSB 2022 race series I saw an article on Bradley Ray 2022 champion and why, now he's got a WSB ride, he wasn't getting to do all the rounds in 2023.

Anyway, I happened upon a small piece in the paper about why twin headlamp motorcycles could be dangerous for the rider.
( think it was a classic Honda VFR 750 with two separate round lights or similar )

The rider was almost T boned at a roundabout but the story was from the car drivers perspective.

The gist of it was that the driver thought the riders bike was actually a car only "Far Away" yes like Father Ted " Small --- Far Away Dougal "

Saw a guy arrive at work on his bike with the two lights on his bicycle only this morning and thought to myself ? Small -- Far Away " hmm.???
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awavey
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Re: Cycle lights blinding oncoming drivers

Post by awavey »

Cowsham wrote: 5 Dec 2022, 11:50pm As chance would have it I bought an MCN ( motorcycle news paper ) at the weekend.
I don't often do that but since I've just finished the catch up tv of the BSB 2022 race series I saw an article on Bradley Ray 2022 champion and why, now he's got a WSB ride, he wasn't getting to do all the rounds in 2023.

Anyway, I happened upon a small piece in the paper about why twin headlamp motorcycles could be dangerous for the rider.
( think it was a classic Honda VFR 750 with two separate round lights or similar )

The rider was almost T boned at a roundabout but the story was from the car drivers perspective.

The gist of it was that the driver thought the riders bike was actually a car only "Far Away" yes like Father Ted " Small --- Far Away Dougal "

Saw a guy arrive at work on his bike with the two lights on his bicycle only this morning and thought to myself ? Small -- Far Away " hmm.???
yes I thought by UK law now motorcycles with twin headlamps on dipped beam, only one headlamp as allowed to be illuminated, precisely because of the number of crashes that happened with twin headlamp bikes, because of the perception of distance problem they can create, I think the classic case was a driver looking in the rear view mirror and seeing two small lights, and assuming it was a car far away, not a motorbike nearby, and then pulling across the path of the bike, though same situation presents if the bike is coming towards you and you turn across it.

and Ive warned many a cyclist who used two steady lights horizontal on their bike for this very reason, though rarely managed to break through the skepticism, but Ill never ride with two lights setup and lit like that.
mattheus
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Re: Cycle lights blinding oncoming drivers

Post by mattheus »

VinceLedge wrote: 5 Dec 2022, 9:09pm We were on a cycle trail in NZ yesterday, through a long, unlit railway tunnel and a guy coming the other way had a headlight so bright we couldn't see where we were cycling at all,ended up having to get off, ha had no idea how bright it was and he fact it was not angled downwards.
In those situations I now ride straight at the other person (slowly). At least I'm then safe from hitting walls/fence, or riding into ditch/kerb/canal.
How they then deal with the situation is upto them.
DevonDamo
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Re: Cycle lights blinding oncoming drivers

Post by DevonDamo »

mattheus wrote: 6 Dec 2022, 9:08amIn those situations I now ride straight at the other person (slowly). At least I'm then safe from hitting walls/fence, or riding into ditch/kerb/canal.
How they then deal with the situation is upto them.
That's the technique I use when I've not got my retina-burner with me to return fire. I also hold my fore-arm up in front to shield my eyes - this shows the oncoming person that they're blinding the person coming towards them and that's why they're now being forced off the side of the track.
SA_SA_SA
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Re: Cycle lights blinding oncoming drivers

Post by SA_SA_SA »

EDITed to have this correct quote(I think the wrongly quoted post appeared after I quoted the intended one below: a forum glitch?)
awavey wrote: 6 Dec 2022, 12:05am
Cowsham wrote: 5 Dec 2022, 11:50pm As chance would have it I bought an MCN ( motorcycle news paper ) at the weekend.
I don't often do that but since I've just finished the catch up tv of the BSB 2022 race series I saw an article on Bradley Ray 2022 champion and why, now he's got a WSB ride, he wasn't getting to do all the rounds in 2023.

Anyway, I happened upon a small piece in the paper about why twin headlamp motorcycles could be dangerous for the rider.
( think it was a classic Honda VFR 750 with two separate round lights or similar )

The rider was almost T boned at a roundabout but the story was from the car drivers perspective.

The gist of it was that the driver thought the riders bike was actually a car only "Far Away" yes like Father Ted " Small --- Far Away Dougal "

Saw a guy arrive at work on his bike with the two lights on his bicycle only this morning and thought to myself ? Small -- Far Away " hmm.???
yes I thought by UK law now motorcycles with twin headlamps on dipped beam, only one headlamp as allowed to be illuminated, precisely because of the number of crashes that happened with twin headlamp bikes, because of the perception of distance problem they can create, I think the classic case was a driver looking in the rear view mirror and seeing two small lights, and assuming it was a car far away, not a motorbike nearby, and then pulling across the path of the bike, though same situation presents if the bike is coming towards you and you turn across it.

and Ive warned many a cyclist who used two steady lights horizontal on their bike for this very reason, though rarely managed to break through the skepticism, but Ill never ride with two lights setup and lit like that.

If they are absolutely side by and of automotive dipped headlamp power (ie 55w halogen at least ) do they not appear as one bright lamp? Is there a unlit bar /space between them?
Last edited by SA_SA_SA on 7 Dec 2022, 12:17pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Cowsham
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Re: Cycle lights blinding oncoming drivers

Post by Cowsham »

SA_SA_SA wrote: 6 Dec 2022, 5:43pm
Cowsham wrote: 5 Dec 2022, 11:34pm
VinceLedge wrote: 5 Dec 2022, 9:09pm We were on a cycle trail in NZ yesterday, through a long, unlit railway tunnel and a guy coming the other way had a headlight so bright we couldn't see where we were cycling at all,ended up having to get off, ha had no idea how bright it was and he fact it was not angled downwards.
Hence I've come to the conclusion to have it on semi blink but angled slightly down simply so I can see where I'm going while hoping the other road users acknowledge me as a cyclist but read my next post !
If they are absolutely side by and of automotive dipped headlamp power (ie 55w halogen at least ) do they not appear as one bright lamp? Us there a metal bar between them?
??
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SA_SA_SA
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Re: Cycle lights blinding oncoming drivers

Post by SA_SA_SA »

??
It seems a reasonable question, if there is nothing separating to powerful lamps, I would expect them to merge into one, which suggests a narrow (cos its a bike) separation which is having more effect in the real world than I would have expected ...
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Bmblbzzz
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Re: Cycle lights blinding oncoming drivers

Post by Bmblbzzz »

Cowsham wrote: 6 Dec 2022, 5:45pm
SA_SA_SA wrote: 6 Dec 2022, 5:43pm
Cowsham wrote: 5 Dec 2022, 11:34pm

Hence I've come to the conclusion to have it on semi blink but angled slightly down simply so I can see where I'm going while hoping the other road users acknowledge me as a cyclist but read my next post !
If they are absolutely side by and of automotive dipped headlamp power (ie 55w halogen at least ) do they not appear as one bright lamp? Us there a metal bar between them?
??
I think SA_SA_SA meant to reply to:
awavey wrote: 6 Dec 2022, 12:05am
Cowsham wrote: 5 Dec 2022, 11:50pm As chance would have it I bought an MCN ( motorcycle news paper ) at the weekend.
I don't often do that but since I've just finished the catch up tv of the BSB 2022 race series I saw an article on Bradley Ray 2022 champion and why, now he's got a WSB ride, he wasn't getting to do all the rounds in 2023.

Anyway, I happened upon a small piece in the paper about why twin headlamp motorcycles could be dangerous for the rider.
( think it was a classic Honda VFR 750 with two separate round lights or similar )

The rider was almost T boned at a roundabout but the story was from the car drivers perspective.

The gist of it was that the driver thought the riders bike was actually a car only "Far Away" yes like Father Ted " Small --- Far Away Dougal "

Saw a guy arrive at work on his bike with the two lights on his bicycle only this morning and thought to myself ? Small -- Far Away " hmm.???
yes I thought by UK law now motorcycles with twin headlamps on dipped beam, only one headlamp as allowed to be illuminated, precisely because of the number of crashes that happened with twin headlamp bikes, because of the perception of distance problem they can create, I think the classic case was a driver looking in the rear view mirror and seeing two small lights, and assuming it was a car far away, not a motorbike nearby, and then pulling across the path of the bike, though same situation presents if the bike is coming towards you and you turn across it.

and Ive warned many a cyclist who used two steady lights horizontal on their bike for this very reason, though rarely managed to break through the skepticism, but Ill never ride with two lights setup and lit like that.
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