Lateral or Sideways Nightime Visibility to Others

[JeffC]

So with shorter days ahead, I reminded myself to post this thread for feedback. What triggered it was something I noted while driving my car last winter at night near the intersection of the W&OD and Great Falls Street. I also cross this street when I bike so I am very familiar with it. Anyway, headed east on Great Falls, there was a car stopped in front of me at the W&OD crossing. At first I could not figure out why and then as a I waited a few seconds, I saw a biker appear headed west.

What surprised about the biker is that as he crossed Great Falls Street I could see that there were bright head and tail lights but those gave surprisingly little lateral or sideways visibility to others, in particular cars approaching a crossing at a right angle. I’m not even sure if lateral or sideways visibility is even the appropriate term to describe this but it seems fitting. The biker could have been me.

So what products are out there to increase lateral or sideways visiibility? I have seen a few bikes with wheel reflectors fitted in the spokes that have some battery operated light. I have also seem some type of glow in the dark tubing wrapped around the top tube, seat tube, or downtube. Is there anything else out there you have considered? Any links would be greatly appreciated.

Topic

[vvill]

It doesn’t matter what you have if the motorist doesn’t actually stop or look around at all at the stop sign (and then claims to have later when you ask them) and it’s a neighbourhood at night without street lights . */grumble*

[5555624]

@Dirt 28975 wrote:

Wearing a good vest helps too. They’re great when you have a flat tire or other mechanical. You may be up and off your bike and still need to be seen.

Agreed. It doesn’t look stylish, but this vest is what I wear.

[dasgeh]

@5555624 29292 wrote:

Agreed. It doesn’t look stylish, but this vest is what I wear.

The more I ride around cars, the more I think the key to being visible is to be different. Normal people on bikes seem invisible to drivers. People wearing crazy stuff — especially ugly stuff, make an impact. This weekend I’m thinking of decking out my bike with the ugliest, most visible stuff I can find at home…

[Certifried]

@dasgeh 29299 wrote:

This weekend I’m thinking of decking out my bike with the ugliest, most visible stuff I can find at home…

so, I’m pretty set if I just get on the bike naked, right?

[dasgeh]

@Certifried 29300 wrote:

so, I’m pretty set if I just get on the bike naked, right?

Probably. Until winter.

[GuyContinental]

@Certifried 29300 wrote:

so, I’m pretty set if I just get on the bike naked, right?

I’ll donate some 3M reflective tape to spell “ELITE” on your tush (which may not need it…)

Or is it “EL-i-TE” (using natural features for the “i”)

[Amalitza]

@5555624 29202 wrote:

I’ll have to hunt it down, but there was a study about this, a number of years ago. The recommendation was for a steady light over a blinking one for this reason. I’ll sometimes add a blinking one if I am riding in heavy traffic at night, but normally it’s just the one steady light. (I’ve got one light mounted on the rack and one on the seat post.)

I’m really curious about this. I never use blinking lights on the trail, because it drives my nuts when other cyclists do— it draws my eye to the blinking light and I have a very hard time making myself focus on the trail in front of me instead. But I always use them blinking on the road, because when I am in my car and I see a blinking light, my brain automatically-without thinking- registers it as “bicycle” in a way that it doesn’t if I see a steady light.

Maybe it is just because I ride a bike myself, but the automatic non-thinking recognition of “bicycle” when I see blinkies means that I am immediately alert and prepared for someone moving at bicycle (rather than car or pedestrian) speed.

I noticed as I passed a row of parked cars driving home last night that the reflections from my headlights (and headlights of the cars in front of me) on the left taillights of the parked cars created what looked awfully similar to a red non-blinking bike light. I suspect the existence of taillights on (both parked and moving) cars is what makes my brain take a half-second longer to recognize a steady light as belonging to a bicycle.

Now I’m wondering if my rationale is all wrong.

[Certifried]

@GuyContinental 29306 wrote:

I’ll donate some 3M reflective tape to spell “ELITE” on your tush (which may not need it…)

Or is it “EL-i-TE” (using natural features for the “i”)

I’m very sorry I missed this reply. Is the offer still valid?

[Certifried]

@acl 29636 wrote:

I’m really curious about this. I never use blinking lights on the trail, because it drives my nuts when other cyclists do—

Unfortunately, my Vis360 on my helmet doesn’t appear to be able to NOT blink (rear). Sorry. I have 2 other rear tail lights that I set to solid. I figure the combination probably helps out (I hope). Someone mentioned yesterday that blinking lights are hard to get a depth perception fix on, so I figure if I have blinking, non-blinking, and reflective tape plastered all over me I should be good. Now, off to GuyContinental’s house for that reflective tape (1 roll GuyC, 1 roll only).

[JeffB]

I definitely agree that any forward facing lights should be set to steady while on a trail. And while we are at it would be nice if everybody would deescalate on the intensity of the lights and learn to properly point the things at the ground in front of you.

[FFX_Hinterlands]

@GuyContinental 28955 wrote:

Has anyone seen a set with a decent recharging mechanism?

I’ve been using this 8AA/AAA charger from Powerex for a couple of years. I have the cheaper 2hour version. It acts like 8 individual single chargers, so you don’t need to have just 2 or 4. Good idea when my headlamps all take 3AAA. I found the low discharge batteries work better than regular rechargables as well.

http://www.amazon.com/Maha-Powerex-MH-C801D-Eight-Charger/dp/B000E5S648

[vvill]

I use a charger very similar (or the same as – not sure) to this one
http://www.amazon.com/La-Crosse-Technology-Battery-Charger/dp/B000RSOV50/

Separate smart charging of each battery. I use Eneloops which are one of the best known low discharge models.

[Author]

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