Hi all,
Just wondered if any of the forum people are or know people who suffer epilepsy?
On every news report today we get warnings that "this report contains flash photography"
Given that blinky bike lights seem to be totally unregulated in terms of frequency of flashing and intensity, and the manufacturers/retailers sell whatever folks will pay for,aren't epileptics facing a real problem near cyclists? (I use and prefer steady dydnamo lights)
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!
Blinky lights and epilepsy
(8 posts)-
Posted 10 years ago #
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A colleague whose daughter had photo-sensitive epilepsy asked me about flashing bike lights a few years ago. She worried that they might trigger an attack. Her daughter's trigger was disco lights which she avoided. Bike lights hadn't been a problem just a concern. I think if they were a problem we might have heard about it.
Posted 10 years ago # -
A family member has this. Finds flashing lights highly unpleasant to look at but flashing bike lights not ever been a problem. I think that to cause an issue the light has either to be quite intense or a high contrast with the surroundings. So in theory a very bright blinky light in completely dark surroundings could be an issue.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Thanks for replies. You can see why I wondered as every tv news report comes with the flask photography warning and I don't really know the difference between high powered flash-guns going off and some of the flashing bike lights.
Posted 10 years ago # -
I think the relevant Regulations specify upper and lower frequencies for flash rate. (Like the OP, I prefer steady lights).
Posted 10 years ago # -
I can confirm that flashing lights make me very uncomfortable for this reason. This includes being near rotating amber lights that road works vehicles use, but also bike lights, emergency vehicles and anything else of that ilk. I would much rather be blinded by a steady light than have someone use a lower-intensity flashing light but this may put me in the minority.
Posted 10 years ago # -
A girl challenged me about my flashing light on the NEPN a few years ago on the basis of photo senstive epilepsy. I'm not sure whether it's a real issue, but It made me think, so I've never been a flasher since...
Posted 10 years ago # -
From memory, photo-sensitive epilepsy is much more likely to be triggered when your entire field of view is flashing away. Bike lights are more likely to be point sources, so hopefully shouldn't cause much of an issue.
Then again, if you're in a dark environment with an OTT light, the flash off your surroundings might be enough to cause a problem.
Posted 10 years ago #
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