Lights blinding pedestrians

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geocycle
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Re: Lights blinding pedestrians

Post by geocycle »

I agree that some bike lights are now too bright for use on shared paths, especially when mounted on the bars and not well orientated. Flashing is worse for those of us prone to migraines. I'm generally ok with most lights on roads but the proximity of someone approaching on a path can be temporarily blinding, potentially leading to accidents.
millimole
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Re: Lights blinding pedestrians

Post by millimole »


Tangled Metal wrote:.
BTW anyone else see (or not very well) car drivers who don't feel the need to dip their lights for cyclists even pedestrians?
This is probably a feature associated with automatic main beam lights, common on many cars these days.
My Toyota is excellent at dipping for approaching cyclists, although my Renault was much more varied (it was about 6 years ago and the tech moves on).
Automatic dipping won't work (as far as I'm aware) for pedestrians as the system seems to need a light source to detect.

There's always the manual over-ride, but a lot of drivers prefer not to think too hard about driving!
Leicester; Riding my Hetchins since 1971; Day rides on my Dawes; Going to the shops on a Decathlon Hoprider
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Mr Tom
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Re: Lights blinding pedestrians

Post by Mr Tom »

I'll try to get some pics of my light over the next few days and illustrate where I think it was and where I've got it now. Thinking back, I don't remember it being a problem over the years, I think I eventually got lazy adjusting it and it got too high. Anyway, will try to get pics done soon.
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Mr Tom
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Re: Lights blinding pedestrians

Post by Mr Tom »

Hi, just to update this. I've been experimenting with getting my light to a point where I could see far enough ahead in the dark that I could react to upcoming bumps and so on, but hopefully not blind anyone. So far I haven't had anyone cover their eyes as I passed.

I think as I hadn't been riding away from the roads for a while I'd got lazy with the setup and the light was a bit higher than this.

I do ride pretty slowly as I'm on a tourer and usually carrying stuff, and also I'm just not a fast cyclist. This level been OK for me the last few rides anyway.
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pwa
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Re: Lights blinding pedestrians

Post by pwa »

As a late night dog walker I carry a light, to see my way and to enable retrieval of poop. Being a cyclist, my hand-held torch is one of my nice Exposure bike lights. Normally I direct the beam where it won't cause problems, but if I ever met an oncoming cyclist making life difficult for me with a dazzler I suppose I'd be tempted to reciprocate. It hasn't happened yet though. With a few exceptions, the oncoming bike lights I encounter around here tend to be, like car headlamps, okay if you avoid looking directly at them. But we don't have shared use tracks here, just lanes that are a bit wider, so maybe I am okay because I can avoid lining up for a close pass.

Mr Tom's attitude seems like the responsible approach, thinking about the issues and trying to adjust things to a nice compromise that allows safe cycling whilst not creating problems for other people. One little refinement I used to have in my Audax days was to have the big beam at a responsible level, but have a supplementary lower power beam aimed a bit higher. The second beam didn't light the distant road well, but it did pick up reflective chevrons on bends, cats eyes, and high level signs. So it did add to the information I picked up.
slowster
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Re: Lights blinding pedestrians

Post by slowster »

Mr Tom wrote: 23 Sep 2022, 8:10pm I've got a B + M Lumotec front light
There are many B&M Lumotec lights, with a wide variation in output. Exactly which model do you have?
Ross K
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Re: Lights blinding pedestrians

Post by Ross K »

Exposure Strada is a dippable bike light specifically designed for road use, with a car-like beam pattern. Available with a remote dipping switch.

I've used an Exposure for years, but not the Strada model - it's a Toro. It's ridiculously bright (I ride only on unlit back roads) and a real hazard to oncoming people so I dip it manually when a car or other road user is ahead, by swivelling it down on its bracket. Works a treat and the bracket is tightened just enough that it stays in place in any position.
Debs
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Re: Lights blinding pedestrians

Post by Debs »

peetee wrote: 24 Sep 2022, 2:35pm I’m my experience many LED bike and car lights have ‘spill’ that is too intense. In practice these lights are angled correctly but the LED bulb is still visible beyond the concentrated area and that constitutes a very small but very strong light source that I find to be too intense.
It could well be part of the design as forward vision for the cyclist is important but so too is side-on or front three-quarter visibility of the cyclist for traffic approaching from joining roads.
Some folk unfortunately go biking about in times of darkness using flashing lights specifically designed for daylight time use only, it's why they are far too bright.
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Mr Tom
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Re: Lights blinding pedestrians

Post by Mr Tom »

slowster wrote: 5 Oct 2022, 11:10am
Mr Tom wrote: 23 Sep 2022, 8:10pm I've got a B + M Lumotec front light
There are many B&M Lumotec lights, with a wide variation in output. Exactly which model do you have?
Hey, sorry for slow reply. Is the Cyo T Premium. I think with Senso Plus but my brake cables have rubbed that part of the writing off!

It has two settings which seem to give the exact same light as far as I can tell.
Thehairs1970
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Re: Lights blinding pedestrians

Post by Thehairs1970 »

Trek are now selling a kindlight that is supposed to be pedestrian friendly…

https://www.trekbikes.com/gb/en_GB/comm ... ch_5137820
Bmblbzzz
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Re: Lights blinding pedestrians

Post by Bmblbzzz »

Thehairs1970 wrote: 8 Oct 2022, 10:42am Trek are now selling a kindlight that is supposed to be pedestrian friendly…

https://www.trekbikes.com/gb/en_GB/comm ... ch_5137820
Seems to be a shaped beam, Stvzo-style (but not actually ratified to Stvzo cos they'd say it)
slowster
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Re: Lights blinding pedestrians

Post by slowster »

Mr Tom wrote: 8 Oct 2022, 10:25am Is the Cyo T Premium. I think with Senso Plus but my brake cables have rubbed that part of the writing off!
In that case if it is a current model it will be either 60 lux or 80 lux. The link below is for one of the 60 lux versions, and you can compare the various different light outputs by scrolling down that page and clicking on the different thumbnail photographs

https://www.bumm.de/en/products/dynamo- ... sndi.html?
PH
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Re: Lights blinding pedestrians

Post by PH »

Bmblbzzz wrote: 8 Oct 2022, 11:07am
Thehairs1970 wrote: 8 Oct 2022, 10:42am Trek are now selling a kindlight that is supposed to be pedestrian friendly…

https://www.trekbikes.com/gb/en_GB/comm ... ch_5137820
Seems to be a shaped beam, Stvzo-style (but not actually ratified to Stvzo cos they'd say it)
That could be because it has a flashing mode, which I'm pretty sure isn't permitted on Stvzo (I know it isn't on the rear, so assume the same for the front)
It might also be that they've decided the markets where Stvzo is common are already well catered for and they're chasing different markets. Their marketing also makes a thing about it being different, maybe they don't see an advantage in publicising other lights that offer the same thing!
Whatever the reason, it's a good thing, I hope other light manufacturers take note, but mainly I hope more riders show consideration. Judging from the attitudes by some on this forum, there's a long way to go.
Bmblbzzz
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Re: Lights blinding pedestrians

Post by Bmblbzzz »

There are similar non-Stvzo shaped-beam lights available from eg Exposure, Fenix, Ravemen.
Tangled Metal
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Re: Lights blinding pedestrians

Post by Tangled Metal »

I've got the raveman pr1600. Remote buttons switch between full and dipped beams plus a second button for cycling through the modes. Currently on lowest flashing for my before 7am commute. Deepest, darkest winter I'll use main beam on full for some sections then dipped on other sections or when there's cars/pedestrians around. Good light.
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