Any Light is a Good Light
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- This topic has 42 replies, 24 voices, and was last updated 12 years, 4 months ago by
dbb.
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November 14, 2011 at 8:17 pm #932454
americancyclo
Participant@dasgeh 10669 wrote:
Anyway, next time you see a ninja cyclist, there’s a small chance it wasn’t a conscious choice. And sorry to anyone who past me…
I used to want to yell at ninja cyclist, now i just want to give them lights!
November 18, 2011 at 5:25 pm #932748creadinger
Participant@MCL1981 10659 wrote:
Are you sure you’re not seeing the strobes on the bridges for the River Visual 19 approach into national?
Ok, just to conclude the question that I brought up…. using the last few commutes to check out more thoroughly what I’m seeing, I think indeed it is a strobe light on the underside of the Memorial Bridge. Why is it underneath the bridge though? That can’t help pilots. I’m thinking it helps to mark the channel or the clearance for boats going up and down the river so they don’t strike the bridge itself.
On a brighter note (pun intended) the MiNewt 600 that I ordered finally came in the mail yesterday. Wow is that thing bright! That will come in handy in the winter/spring when I’m trying to build up mileage to do some longer rides in March/April. Right now I have it mounted to my helmet, but I think I’d prefer it on my handlebar. Problem is I have a handlebar bag, which makes that really difficult. Does anyone have any experience with something like this?? http://www.amazon.com/Topeak-60001001-The-Bar-Extender/dp/B000FIAVN8
Just wondering if it was useful, or not.
November 18, 2011 at 6:38 pm #932755DaveK
Participant@creadinger 11011 wrote:
Ok, just to conclude the question that I brought up…. using the last few commutes to check out more thoroughly what I’m seeing, I think indeed it is a strobe light on the underside of the Memorial Bridge. Why is it underneath the bridge though? That can’t help pilots. I’m thinking it helps to mark the channel or the clearance for boats going up and down the river so they don’t strike the bridge itself.
You’re not crazy – there’s a light down there and I’m pretty sure it’s for that exact purpose.
November 18, 2011 at 7:16 pm #932762MCL1981
ParticipantThe light’s for the river visual approach are on the upriver sides of the bridges. They’re on all of them, Key, Roosevelt, Arlington, and 14th Street. usually either on the “railing” near the top or on one of the pillars coming up from the water. I think this is probably what you’re seeing. Putting strobes under a bridge isn’t any kind of nautical aid I’ve ever heard of.
November 22, 2011 at 5:05 am #932860KLizotte
Participant@acc 10595 wrote:
As one of Satan’s Little Helper Elves I can give a brand new reason to favor helmet lights. But it’s a bit bizarre, okay a lot bizarre, just keep an open mind. I was late getting home last night and had promised to grill hamburgers and hotdogs for my kids but it was already dark. Very dark. You can see where I’m going with this. Yes, it worked, my rhinestone helmet with a light. The point is, nothing burned.
ann
I have found some shoes to go with your helmet:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]487[/ATTACH]
November 22, 2011 at 12:39 pm #932864MCL1981
ParticipantI took another look under the bridge just to make sure what you’re seeing wasn’t something I hadn’t seen before. That is DEFINITELY the approach strobe for the airport. It isn’t really under the bridge. It is on the pillar facing out and up. If you look down river, you’ll see them on the other bridges too. The lights are on when the River Visual 19 approach is in use.
http://aeronav.faa.gov/d-tpp/1112/00443RIVER_VIS19.PDF
It’s an approach that pilots either love or hate. Most love it. It’s a rare opportunity to hot dog a commercial airliner at low altitude through a major metro area. And it requires carefully going around the P56 restricted area around the white house and capital. Pilots descend following the river visually (all its curves) from the chain bridge to 14th street, then bang a hard right to line up with the runway. You can see the banking around the curves if you watch the planes from anywhere along the Georgetown waterfront. From Gravely Point, you get an awesome view of them yanking it around to line up and land. Pilots don’t actually even see the airport or the runway until about 30 seconds before touchdown. The photo in my avatar is parked right under the runway at Gravely Point in my kayak.
November 22, 2011 at 3:58 pm #932888eminva
Participant@KLizotte 11130 wrote:
I have found some shoes to go with your helmet:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]487[/ATTACH]
Oh no, that is just WRONG.:eek:
Liz
November 22, 2011 at 5:15 pm #932895vvill
ParticipantYeah it should really come in pink!
November 22, 2011 at 7:09 pm #932903Dirt
Participant@vvill 11166 wrote:
Yeah it should really come in pink!
It was a sad day when Bont stopped making their fancy road shoes in pink for men’s sizes.
What were we talking about?
November 22, 2011 at 7:15 pm #932905hencio
Participant@creadinger 11011 wrote:
Does anyone have any experience with something like this?? http://www.amazon.com/Topeak-60001001-The-Bar-Extender/dp/B000FIAVN8
Just wondering if it was useful, or not.
Not sure if the one you refer to clips on and off, but I have something similar http://www.amazon.com/Minoura-28-35mm-Handlebar-Spacegrip-3-Black/dp/B004ME6KH2/ref=sr_1_19?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1321988493&sr=1-19 for a NiteRider MiNewt that connects to the bars via rubber straps. I mount the two lights+ the battery to the little arm. It clips to the bars in seconds before I head out in the evening.
I just got that same cordless MiNewt 600 and I can’t believe how bright the thing is. A bargain right now at just over $100.
November 22, 2011 at 8:12 pm #932912acc
ParticipantA positive effect of buying the El Diablo helmet light is that I have less money to spend on shoes. Although the ones you suggest would go well with my leather collection.
In all seriousness, I love my helmet light, it works well. I prefer it to my handlebar light.
ann
September 23, 2012 at 4:27 am #952009Capable1
ParticipantYou appear to have quite a good bit of lights so where exactly do you get them?
September 23, 2012 at 5:00 pm #952014dbb
ParticipantI’d recommend you visit your local bike shop and look at the selection. While there are a number of online vendors available, you pretty much need to know what you want. Most of the local shops have a display where you can see how big the lights are, how easy the controls are and the mounts. While you might pay a couple of bucks more, I’d expect you will ultimately be much happier with the results.
Visit the local bike shops that are around you and pick the one where you find the best chemistry.
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