Flashing front and rear. I feel that you just merge in with all the other lights when you have a constant beam.
I've heard from other cyclists that the law states the beam must be constant. Never seen anything to back that up.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!
Front lights: flashing or not?
(43 posts)-
Posted 10 years ago #
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"... the law states the beam must be constant..."
It did used to be the case (until 2004ish?) but now flashers are permitted to be attached to the bike as the only light, technically as long as they exceed a stated brightness.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Saw a guy cycling up to Tranent yesterday
had the slowest flash on a light I have ever seen
easily a couple of seconds between flashesPosted 10 years ago # -
I'd agree that the dynamo powered IQ and others from B+M give the right kind of lighting. I run my Edelux version during the day as I'm on a lower bike. I also think that a flashing light higher up should help although I haven't noticed any great change when I've used.
Rear is a Cherry Bomb set on flash. This though may be irritating for following traffic. Whether this is actually a bad thing is something discussed on another thread.
German laws control lights to steady beams as they must reckon it's easier to judge speed, position and distance from a non flickering light source. Here we have a bigger variety.
I must admit that before discovering the quality of self generated light I would have gone the max lumen route.Posted 10 years ago # -
I believe this has been brought up before but it's well worth a read:
http://www.ctc.org.uk/cyclists-library/regulations/lighting-regulations
As I understand it you have to have at least one 'approved' light front and back otherwise you are technically breaking the law. Technically in the sense if you have an accident after dark and your fancy LED lights aren't BS approved that will count against you, though it's extremely unlikely you'd ever get in trouble for it otherwise.
I lack the brainpower to fully decipher that page but I believe wingpig is correct that a flashing light above a certain brightness automatically becomes approved so you'd be fully covered. Or not as I read at the end:
'any flashing lamp that is also capable of emitting a steady light is approved only if it conforms with BS6102/3 when switched to steady mode.'
Okay, so if I had a light with only a flashing mode, and it was above the brightness threshold, it'd be approved, but if the light also had a steady mode it'd only be approved if the steady mode was also approved, even if it was on flashing...argh...
Posted 10 years ago # -
Saw this on GCN and wondered what the hive mind made of it...
http://www.lightrider.co.uk/Basically it is a relatively standard steady/flashing front light but with an extra rear facing light which illuminates the riders chest.
Seems like a good idea, but I wonder if you'd be as well taking a cheapy light and doing the same yourself.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I do a Friday night ride with a friend with a light that shines a low level light back onto his chest. Must say, when we've dropped him and are waiting for him to catch up he's very noticeable.
Now that I've looked, it's one of those.
Posted 9 years ago # -
@Hankchief
@kaputnik spotted a dude at Haymarket doing just that. I just bought a Lezyne microlight to do the same job. Must get round to fitting it.
Posted 9 years ago # -
When I appear to have left my lights on my bike at WHEC and therefore distributed them Around the area, I replaced them with some dinky Moon wee USB lights I could point one back towards me for sure. Does it give a ghostly glow?
You used to be able to use the very big every ready torch, thie one with the handle and the big lens to create a dramatic up light effect. If you shone it up towards your chin. My father in law specialised in this trick when his daughter had pals round for a sleepover. 1970s
Posted 9 years ago # -
I'm not sure you should be making that kind of revelation about something from the '70s.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I realise it has a hood, but I still wouldn't be keen on the risk of losing my night vision to a rear-facing white light.
I used to use an upward-pointing red magicshine at the back to illuminate the recumbent's seat though. That was pretty effective.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I reckon if drivers can't see the 300 lumens pointing at them they won't spot the little glow pointing a cyclist's belly.
Posted 9 years ago # -
From charlie brooker' screen wipe - dippy the diplodocus is the only dinosaur from the 1970s children are still allowed to go near
Posted 9 years ago #
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