Flashing headlights on the trails

[dkel]

@mstone 97998 wrote:

As far as why to blink, a practical (if prosaic) reason is that it doubles your battery life.

It halves your battery drain!

[AFHokie]

For those that really want blinky lights: blinky spoke lights are much more attention grabbing than a front/rear blinky.

http://www.monkeylectric.com/
http://www.rei.com/product/774213/nite-ize-led-spokelit-bike-wheel-light
http://revolights.com/

Plus, I’ve yet to pass anyone running them who’s managed to aim them into someone’s eyes or blindingly bright. A win/win for everyone!

[VikingMariner]

A flashing bike light in broad daylight is not going to “blind” anyone. Is everyone okay? Honestly I fell out of my chair laughing! Whether tail or headlight please stop making absurd claims that novice riders may actually believe. Turn those flashing lights on during the day to give pedestrians and motorists as much warning as possible on the trail and at street crossings.

As for the photophobia afflicted, please stop looking directly into 1 watt bulbs and car headlights. Like a moth to a flame I guess. No intent to insult but I gotta call bullshit. A battery operated light flashing at a closest point of approach at 2 meters doesn’t hurt anyone’s eyes. This whole thread is about control and butting into other people’s lives for no apparent reason. Gives biking a bad name.

[VikingMariner]

@hozn 97728 wrote:

I have witnessed a couple near accidents due to people being unable to see pedestrians, related to oncoming headlights. If you can’t see in front of you, the only way to be sure you’re not going to plow into a pedestrian is to stop your bicycle. [And then risk getting plowed into by the person you didn’t know was riding behind you.]

I think it’s pretty selfish to blast down the trail with 750L and not bother to shield your light to oncoming riders. Sure, I sometimes forget or am just not able to safely shield my light from oncoming riders.

I know we have this silly debate every year. I think rcannon summed it up nicely last year. The facts are pretty simple: a sizeable portion of the population finds it unsafe to be blinded while riding on the trail at night. It bothers them; they ask people to stop doing it. People are free to run whatever ridiculous level of light they want on the trail since this isn’t regulated. It’s just inconsiderate.

This is nothing more that kit envy. I’ve watched pedestrians see such a flashing light reflecting off trail signs and other objects that have caused pedestrians to look over their shoulders before the bike arrived in broad daylight. In over 40 years of cycling these daytime running lights on and off the trail have been a major step forward in bike safety using about the same power as a nightlight. Using words like selfish and blinding is a complete misrepresentation of the utility if these products. A multiuse trail is not an underground tunnel or confined space. It’s celling is the heavens and limited only be nearby trees, ragweed, and some garden snakes.

I’ve seen numerous lights pass me in the last few months and I can honestly say I’ve never been distracted or “blinded.” Perhaps it is inconsiderate to expect riders to sacrifice their safety because another rider lacks the intelligence to not look directly into a light, or the sun, or lick a light socket. However that general lack of common sense certainly would explain why I see so many bad motorists on the roads; I wonder if they too looking at daytime LED running lights on cars as a distraction?

[jabberwocky]

The problem is that, unless you have a really bright light, a flashing light in the daytime is doing nothing. Seriously, your average “be seen” blinky is not daylight visible.

At night, front blinkies are incredibly distracting, and also makes it hard for others to judge distance. Just run it on constant and you’ll get better results. I can see the argument for a blinking taillight as an attention getter on the road at least (if paired with a solid taillight as well), but seriously, turn it off on the trail. You don’t need to get peoples attention, and its just unnecessarily annoying to anyone who ends up behind you.

There is a reason that cars don’t use blinking lights. I commute on some heavily trafficked roads with poor sightlines year round; I’ve always had the best results with bright, solid lights. Thats what other road users expect from a vehicle.

[hozn]

Yes, and there is also a reason that cars are not allowed to just run with high beams at all times. (Or at all in the District.)

But seriously are we still talking about this?

[VikingMariner]

@jabberwocky 98169 wrote:

The problem is that, unless you have a really bright light, a flashing light in the daytime is doing nothing. Seriously, your average “be seen” blinky is not daylight visible.

At night, front blinkies are incredibly distracting, and also makes it hard for others to judge distance. Just run it on constant and you’ll get better results. I can see the argument for a blinking taillight as an attention getter on the road at least (if paired with a solid taillight as well), but seriously, turn it off on the trail. You don’t need to get peoples attention, and its just unnecessarily annoying to anyone who ends up behind you.

There is a reason that cars don’t use blinking lights. I commute on some heavily trafficked roads with poor sightlines year round; I’ve always had the best results with bright, solid lights. Thats what other road users expect from a vehicle.

I’ve never seen anyone using a blinking light on the trail at night. How in the heck would they even be able to focus at night. That’s as absurd as a flashing battery operated bike light “hurting” people in broad daylight.

Given the amateur-hour stunts (particularly by riders, who have been biking 5-7 years or less) I see on the trail I would say the daytime lights are probably more advisable on the trail than in the street.

What’s next in this control freak fest? Discussion about bike bells being too loud or perhaps high-beams on battery-operated bike lights? Haha! “That guy rang is bike bell and I nearly crashed. It was so loud. What an inconsiderate jerk.”

[jabberwocky]

@VikingMariner 98171 wrote:

I’ve never seen anyone using a blinking light on the trail at night. How in the heck would they even be able to focus at night. That’s as absurd as a flashing battery operated bike light “hurting” people in broad daylight.

Given the amateur-hour stunts (particularly by riders, who have been biking 5-7 years or less) I see on the trail I would say the daytime lights are probably more advisable on the trail than in the street.

I used to see them pretty frequently when I commuted on the W&OD, actually. Some people would ride down the tail in pitch darkness with their little headlight in full on disco strobe mode. I always wondered how they could even see where they were going. Maybe they like feeling like they are at a rave?

I guess it depends on your light, but honestly, your average little flashing headlight is basically invisible during daylight. They don’t throw enough light to even show up against the ambient sunlight. I mean, if it makes you feel better, by all means do it, but I really question its benefit. At the very least I doubt you’re annoying anyone during the day.

[hozn]

@VikingMariner 98171 wrote:

I’ve never seen anyone using a blinking light on the trail at night.

This happens regularly. Every morning multiple times on my westbound ride, in fact.

While I know that I for one am appreciating how you are elevating this discussion, it would probably be an even more awesome contribution if you were to, say, ride more at night.

[VikingMariner]

I will. The change in season will guarantee it.

[pfunkallstar]

@hozn 98176 wrote:

This happens regularly. Every morning multiple times on my westbound ride, in fact.

While I know that I for one am appreciating how you are elevating this discussion, it would probably be an even more awesome contribution if you were to, say, ride more at night.

I’m usually not bothered by the blinktastic lights that I see FREQUENTLY on the W&OD – but the guy with the green and red mega flash flights needs to be stopped and walloped with a walleye. Firstly, Christmas is still a ways away. And secondly, I think your green light might actually just be a green laser pointer with a fisheye lens on it.

[LBSki]

@mstone 97998 wrote:

I’m curious why you wouldn’t either speed up or slow down a little.

As far as why to blink, a practical (if prosaic) reason is that it doubles your battery life.

Because, he was riding almost exactly my speed. I did go out of my way to speed up and pass him twice, and both times he re-passed me later on the trail. We played leap frog from falls church to georgetown. I suppose I could have just stopped and waited 5 mintues, and maybe that’s what I’ll do next time.

[creadinger]

@VikingMariner 98171 wrote:

I’ve never seen anyone using a blinking light on the trail at night. How in the heck would they even be able to focus at night. That’s as absurd as a flashing battery operated bike light “hurting” people in broad daylight.

I saw it just this week! I did a clockwise Arlington loop ride before doing some laps a Hains Point between 6 and 8pm. I got to the Rosslyn area just as it was getting actually dark and some idiot was riding up to the IoD with his super bright helmet light on strobe. He got a tongue lashing because, like you implied – it’s frickin stupid and blinded me for no reason.

Also, I was amazed at the number of ninjas out. Bikers and joggers. They’re stupid too. I’ll be avoiding evening rides on the trails around Rosslyn as much as possible for the forseeable future. That part of my ride sucked.

I think the point is that you are underestimating how stupid people can be. And yes, despite some hyperbole this stuff needs to be discussed in a civilized manner because some people just don’t know – do not use your strobes on the trails!

[Author]

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