CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » General Edinburgh

Worried Lothian bus driver

(41 posts)
  • Started 13 years ago by cb
  • Latest reply from Rabid Hamster

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12

  1. Dave
    Member

    It's an interesting debate, hey?

    I'm very much reminded of the passages I recently re-read in Dawkins' Greatest Show on Earth (although I'm sure the examples have been used in many places before that). I.e. it would be better for peacocks if all peacocks had half as much plumage, and that wouldn't change the relative ordering amongst them either.

    Yet, because of the way the world works, there is too much individual advantage to ever deliver on this. I *could* ride with a £2.50 blinkie and switch my "to see by" light off around town. But, I won't - even though it might end up to the disbenefit of "lesser" light users.

    However, if we all agreed to use blinkies (including cars) so the relative stage stayed even, I'd be quite happy to do so.

    Or thinking of the peacocks... would I? ;-)

    Posted 13 years ago #

  2. Smudge
    Member

    @Steveo, I have to agree to disagree with that, at a distance the dip is below the cyclist and the bikes retroreflectives (and pedal reflectors especially!) are picked up by the oncoming lights. Also the bike tends to be sillhouetted against the following car which also makes them visible.

    Your safety isn't being adversely affected by a car behind you on dips, it's being adversely affected by a driver pulling out without properly checking the road is clear!

    What you cannot prevent is the car driver at the junction looking both ways *for oncoming cars* and not noticing bikes. My own experience on bikes is that you can be the brightest thing on the road and they'll still pull out (sigh).

    The actions as a bike/cycle rider remain the same, assume the car/truck/bike/bus at the side road *will* pull out and be ready to avoid/sound your horn as required.

    Being visible is a good thing but only defensive riding will *really* increase your safety (imho and no offence meant)

    Posted 13 years ago #

  3. spitfire
    Member

    @steveo - "Besides what does it matter if the car behind you is running fairly dark as long as the one in front has decent tail lights."
    If they are pulling out to overtake or change lanes it is good to know about it

    Posted 13 years ago #

  4. steveo
    Member

    @Dave thats a fair point but doesn't address the perception of being more safe on your bike with a only slightly brighter light.

    @Smudge I think some of experimentation may be required because i'm unconvinced. A car at a side junction isn't really sending much light in the direction of the bike on the main road to reflect of the reflectors.

    And finally Spitfire, your probably right but again if a bus pulls out from a stop and then says SMIDSY does that make you feel any better about inattentive driving. Much like the van driver who didn't see your side lights.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  5. Dave
    Member

    @Dave thats a fair point but doesn't address the perception of being more safe on your bike with a only slightly brighter light.

    I don't feel more safe on my bike... I feel equally that I wouldn't like to ride my bike with a dim light on it, or drive my car with dim lights either.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  6. steveo
    Member

    Interesting you say that i've just been poking around to try and work out the difference between various lights.

    Decent Blinky 4 high quality 5mm leds approx 45 lumens per watt and running at a little over a quarter watt in total
    11.25 Lumens

    Side light typically 2 5w at approx 15 lumens per watt
    150 Lumens

    A good quality front light for this example I've used a hope which list up to 250 lumens probably nothing like that for most of its run time tbh but we'll give it the benefit of the doubt
    250 lumens

    Car dipped headlights 55w halogen gets an efficiency boost of about 20 lumen's per watt
    2200 Lumens

    Also given the way our eyes perceive light there would be little difference between the actual brightness of the side light and hope head light except that the hope focuses the light to a spot while the side lights just glow in a fairly broad reflector.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  7. spitfire
    Member

    @Steveo - if a bus pulls out from a stop and then says SMIDSY does that make you feel any better about inattentive driving. Much like the van driver who didn't see your side lights.

    Not the same, if a bus pulls out and I am behind it?
    If I am in a van or minibus (which was a bad example as it was only once and on a motorway with spray misting up the wing mirror and the side window)
    When I am driving I tend to flick on my dipped beams when the streetlights come on given that if I just put the sides on I may very well forget to move up to dipped when the darkness gets real (gets a job and moves out of it's folks' house)

    Posted 13 years ago #

  8. wee folding bike
    Member

    Making a Volvo from the last 35 years go dark involves pulling a fuse. Any RWD model in the last 20 yrs runs at 20% power dips all the time. I only turn on the real dips when I'm out of town.

    I don't know what those fancy pants FWD ones do with their lights but I do know they are bothersome to park because the steering is poo and I overshoot spaces.

    16 yrs ago I had a NightSun which I think had 45W and two halogen bulbs. It was pretty good but I prefer the SON Edelux. The Pashley's Lumotec and SA hub works fine too but I'm having to get used to it going out when I stop. It's a useful indicator of having locked up your front wheel too.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  9. kaputnik
    Moderator

    Said Volvo was ageing mid-90s wardrobe-on-wheels middle manager type

    Posted 13 years ago #

  10. wee folding bike
    Member

    Well that could be mine... if I'd been in Edinburgh.

    I get them because they last a long time and the RWD ones are fairly simple to mend.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  11. Rabid Hamster
    Member

    As LaidBack says, one has to be careful with all this new technology LED for velos on the market. On his advice, went down to TBC yesterday and got one of these rear rack 0.5W RSP rear LED reflector combinations. TBC were most helpful and cheery! Put the batteries in, switched on and nearly seared the back off my retinae! The centre LED is embedded in a huge (for LED) acrylic lens thingy which focusses it like the Bell Rock light!
    When competing in the 'arms race' for recognition on the Capital's tarways, this is definitely a rear-facing gun turret! The traffic behind will take 2 options: stay well back off you! or race to get past (as it is hurting their eyes) and scrub you accidentally whilst in their massive 'blind spot'! I've flung my copy of the HC in the bucket, and only work by the Geneva Convention from now on as it is winter, and it is war!

    Take care out there!

    Posted 13 years ago #

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