Night trail lights – please don’t run flashing be seen lights

[ejwillis62]

I see mostly flashing light on the mount vernon trail as I ride home from fort belvoir 4 to 6 pm. But I am to busy t
Trying to pedal and breath to correct anyone.

[Terpfan]

I haven’t seen as many flashing strobe lights as of recently, but boy oh boy have I seen people with ultra bright lights and little regard for them blinding fellow riders. I have started turning my light into their eyes to make the point. One thing to have a light on, pointed down at the trail. It’s another thing all together to have 2 or 3 lights on their highest settings and pointed directly toward oncoming riders–either turn them down or turn them away/down.

Not to be outdone by blinding, the moderately warmer weather seems to have encouraged ninjas specializing in camoflauging to their backgrounds. I counted one jogger with a non-dark colored jacket, two with reflective materials and one with a flashing light. I must have passed a good two dozen joggers and I nearly hit one going around a curve. To his surprise, miracously I don’t have an ability to see through turns nor do I have night vision.

I feel like two rules (after safety, although tied to it) should trump others: what would you like done to you (see lights example) and would you consider yourself easily identifiable/predictable on the path?

[pfunkallstar]

Nearly collided with a guy doing leg stretches on the TR Island boardwalk last night, in all black, reflective strip on his shoes, Darwin.

@Terpfan 39977 wrote:

I haven’t seen as many flashing strobe lights as of recently, but boy oh boy have I seen people with ultra bright lights and little regard for them blinding fellow riders. I have started turning my light into their eyes to make the point. One thing to have a light on, pointed down at the trail. It’s another thing all together to have 2 or 3 lights on their highest settings and pointed directly toward oncoming riders–either turn them down or turn them away/down.

Not to be outdone by blinding, the moderately warmer weather seems to have encouraged ninjas specializing in camoflauging to their backgrounds. I counted one jogger with a non-dark colored jacket, two with reflective materials and one with a flashing light. I must have passed a good two dozen joggers and I nearly hit one going around a curve. To his surprise, miracously I don’t have an ability to see through turns nor do I have night vision.

I feel like two rules (after safety, although tied to it) should trump others: what would you like done to you (see lights example) and would you consider yourself easily identifiable/predictable on the path?

[Rootchopper]

Having agreed to use steady lights a few weeks ago, I decided to pay renewed attention to whether red or white blinking lights bother me on the MVT. Short answer, I don’t much care for blinking headlights but I still find most blinking tail lights to be no problem at all. There are a few new-ish blinkies that are quite bright but they don’t pose a hazard for me.

Since going to constant mode on my blinkies, I am going through batteries like crazy. I’m switching back to blink mode.

In the interest of full disclosure, I have had six eye surgeries and I suspect that I now have better vision than the vast majority of people. This brings to mind a number of optical problems that may make seeing at night problematic:

Cataracts are a fogging of the lens. This can put a haze over all lights. (Been there, done that, had the surgery.) Before my cataract surgery, any lights at night were a huge problem. The MVT heading south was practically impossible. The improvement of my night vision after my cataract surgeries was unbelievable. (I now have artificial corrective lenses in my eyes. Science is nifty.)

Astigmatism causes lights at night to be seen with a star pattern. Astigmatism is not often easily corrected. (Been there, done that, have the glasses.)

Botched laser surgery can cause halos and other distortions at night.

If you have a combination of eye conditions as I did, you are likely to be miserable riding at night.

I’m sure there are other conditions of the eye that can make night riding problematic. If you haven’t had you eyes checked in a while, get thee to an ophthalmologist. (Cataract surgery is painless and takes ten minutes.)

Your best defense against nighttime glare is a visor close to your eyes. A cycle cap worn under your helmet can make all the difference in the world.

Even with all this, the headlights on the MVT remain problematic. I’d love to see the NPS plant some shrubs along the Parkway as a light screen.

[americancyclo]

@Rootchopper 39993 wrote:

Since going to constant mode on my blinkies, I am going through batteries like crazy. I’m switching back to blink mode.

Sounds like you need a USB rechargeable light.

[Rootchopper]

USB? You must be a young whippersnapper! My lights are all several years old.

[vvill]

I feel like blinkies are for blink mode anyway. If you need to see at night you need dedicated lights anyway.

I finally did a real night time ride today (on the CCT) and noticed a good proportion of riders – around half, did actually dim or cover their light as I rode by. There were only a few that had blinding lights, all helmet mounted – so I’m not sure if it was the mounting location or the light itself that made them less bearable.

[americancyclo]

@Rootchopper 40007 wrote:

USB? You must be a young whippersnapper! My lights are all several years old.

I’ve been accused of that and worse

[GuyContinental]

@americancyclo 40005 wrote:

Sounds like you need a USB rechargeable light.

Or rechargeable batteries. I have a eneloop charger at work and one at home for the aaa batteries that my taillight eats.

[Terpfan]

One rider on the MVT covered his light around the south side of National Airport. I felt bad as I only pointed my down, but I had been crossing that bridge so my eyes were pretty glossed over from all the headlights that I just needed something. Kudos to that gentleman. Two other folks turned their lights away or dimmed them. So maybe this thread is enacting change or maybe leaving 40 minutes later introduced me to a more polite set of riders. I’m hoping the former.

Also, full ninja count was down. I did run into a group of what had to be 16 or so runners side-by-side. Not a problem except I was coming off the 14th St Bridge and they all seemed oblivious to anyone around them as the back lady seemed very startled. They went the other way so I didn’t really care although I’m not really sure the path is wide enough, particularly coming off that bridge to run or bike two abreast.

[consularrider]

@Terpfan 40061 wrote:

One rider on the MVT covered his light around the south side of National Airport. I felt bad as I only pointed my down, but I had been crossing that bridge so my eyes were pretty glossed over from all the headlights that I just needed something. Kudos to that gentleman. Two other folks turned their lights away or dimmed them. So maybe this thread is enacting change or maybe leaving 40 minutes later introduced me to a more polite set of riders. I’m hoping the former …

I’ve pretty much stopped bothering with covering my headlight except on the W&OD between Columbia Pike and the Custis Trail intersections (since there is little ambient light along that stretch I have the light aimed higher). Instead I keep it on its lowest setting and aim it down so that the center of the light is on the pavement about ten to fifteen feet in front of me.

[vvill]

@GuyContinental 40046 wrote:

Or rechargeable batteries. I have a eneloop charger at work and one at home for the aaa batteries that my taillight eats.

I have eneloops (AA and AAA) and love them.

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