Technical > Lighting and Electronics

Front flashing lights

(1/4) > >>

ourclarioncall:
I’m not sure how I feel about using front flashing lights

I had a small one on last night and while on the road thought that this is exactly what I need to catch drivers attention from a distance before they get close , but I guess a good front headlamp would do the trick too, but a combo would be better. I was on narrow back roads.
It wasn’t very dark at this point

But later on while on a dark disused railway line I found the flasher a bit …. Hmm…. Don’t know if irritating is the right word . Distracting ? Annoying ? Not sure. It was the only light I had so didn’t have another lamp to blend in with the flasher . Maybe I would not have noticed it so bad . But I’m just wondering if on a long tour I would get tired of the flashing , even if it was subtle .

I was just using a cheap light from Halfords so maybe some of the higher end lights have less glare next to you and protect the flash out further away.

I put the light in different places but was still aware of the bright glare coming from it .

Any thoughts and experiences with this ?

I’m also wondering how good or bad this might be for your eyes to see the repetition of light 🤔

steve216c:
If you want to see, put on a steady light beam. A blinkie is all about being seen, but not much help to see where you are going.

Think of a police car. They don't use the flashing blue lights to find their way, but they use steady headlights for that. The flashing lights help other road users spot them early to take appropriate action.

For a rear light blinking lights have a purpose to help you bee seen. You might want to employ such thoughts to front or even spoke lights. But a decent bright steady front light is a must to help you see where you are going.

Blinkies, spoke reflectors, reflective clothing etc help others see you and are a sensible investment. But a headlight is all about seeing the road ahead so you don't come a cropper hitting a pothole, navigating a missing drain cover or just avoiding a coven of teenage goths hanging out on an unlit street while trying to get at one with the shadows.

ourclarioncall:

--- Quote from: steve216c on May 22, 2022, 05:41:50 pm ---If you want to see, put on a steady light beam. A blinkie is all about being seen, but not much help to see where you are going.

Think of a police car. They don't use the flashing blue lights to find their way, but they use steady headlights for that. The flashing lights help other road users spot them early to take appropriate action.

For a rear light blinking lights have a purpose to help you bee seen. You might want to employ such thoughts to front or even spoke lights. But a decent bright steady front light is a must to help you see where you are going.

Blinkies, spoke reflectors, reflective clothing etc help others see you and are a sensible investment. But a headlight is all about seeing the road ahead so you don't come a cropper hitting a pothole, navigating a missing drain cover or just avoiding a coven of teenage goths hanging out on an unlit street while trying to get at one with the shadows.

--- End quote ---

Yes, understood

Sorry I never explained that too well

Basically , even while daylight but getting dark I found the blinking light a bit distracting . While on road . But i knew it would be good for getting cars attention. So there’s a bit of a dilemma

So I’m wondering if a better blinking light or a blinking light in combination with a good headlight will diminish or remove the distraction from the blinking

I have a rear light and rear blinking light but no front headlight yet

steve216c:
Having a blinking light you can switch on/off depending on the circumstances is never a bad idea. I'm prone to migraine so try to avoid flickering and flashing which can set me off under prolonged exposure.

But you have asked about hub dynamos. Get yourself a hub dynamo and a bright LED front light and you will outshine most regular battery headlamps and be able to ride 24/7 with lights on. Motorcycle riders have long been encouraged to ride with lights on to draw attention to themselves even by day. My wife says she spots me from way off with my LED dynamo light even before she sees it is me. As long as other car drivers spot me early enough too, I know it is worth having to see with and to be seen by.

mickeg:
I used to commute through a large university campus, saw every kind of mistake that students on bikes can make.  And one of those is really bright white flashing lights in the dark that blind car drivers.  Even if dim or daytime lighting, your eyes can't estimate distance at all with a flasher. 

I use flashing taillight that is bright by historical standards but not by the latest standards that try to achieve aircraft landing light status.  But I also wear high visibility clothing.  In daytime the flasher can get their attention while it does not blind them, the high visibility clothing is something that they can focus on.

Up front, I only use continuous, not flashing lights.

But I see lots of alternate opinions out on the roads and trails.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page