MUT Lighting Etiquette Reminder

[ctankcycles]

Well, it’s that time of year again. Last “night” between 6:30-6:45 pm (not actually dark yet) I crossed paths with a number of riders on the MV Trail with their high powered lights set to strobe. If the point of your strobe is to blind oncoming riders then mission accomplished. In fact, the strobe setting, as one manufacturer writes, “alerts night time motorists with pulses.” Key word here is motorists. Cyclists are not motorists and don’t need 800+ lumens of strobing light to see you coming. Are we all in agreement? If not, I’d love to hear your reasoning.

P.S. grr i can’t edit the redundant acronym in the thread title.

Topic

[Vicegrip]

@americancyclo 124900 wrote:

In this, like many cases, I think the right thing to do is to approach the problem with a solution, instead of only pointing out the problem.

Carry an extra white and red blink from BikeArlington with you. Next time you see this person, you can stop and say,
I had a hard time seeing you, and I’d like you and your little humans to be safe out here. Would you like these lights to help you be seen a little better?

You redirect the conversation from “You have a problem!” to “I care about you. You are awesome, so here’s free stuff!”

Handing out the blinkies is the #1 go to but have been out of them for a while. I make a point of going to the BA light nights and taking a supply with me. I also purchased a pile of unbranded ones last fall when the BA ones ran out. Going in positive is always the best. Normally I just keep to myself unless it is a blinking blinky on the end of a finger with a “For You. lets not meet by accident” I have had reactions from “Cool thanks” to “OMG what?!” :rolleyes:
The lady with the stroller cheesed me off a bit and got me started with the simple quick unlimited supply reminder that the person is hard to see right then. Not “Hey dumb ass” tone. Flat and informative. “You need a light. you are hard to see” Stroller lady was frequent and took no precautions at all. Dark everything. The kid aspect tipped it. I am starting to get old in mind and am running out of “Give a s_ _ _ what you think” but I still have a full stock of care about kids. I can understand if someone does not know better due to being new at something but have less tolerance for those that push their responsibility on others. I almost splattered a full on flat black ninja this fall when she was hiding in the light of an oncoming runner. I turned my light aside as usual and only saw the ninja when her arm eclipsed the light of the oncoming runner for a nanosecond. Now I have to concern myself with what is in the zone next to the oncoming light or leave my light full forward and cheez off the oncoming rider

” You have a problem!” to “I care about you. You are awesome, so here’s free stuff!” Feh. I understand the fluff and hugs aspect but Ninjas are not awesome they are a hazard and heightened risk. “Get your light on. This is a public place, do your part”.

[mstone]

@Vicegrip 124971 wrote:

Now I have to concern myself with what is in the zone next to the oncoming light or leave my light full forward and cheez off the oncoming rider

Playing with your light on the trail is a mistake. Get a light with a shaped beam and then leave it alone.

[Author]

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