The Chainlink

Lights on bicycles.

http://www.policedriving.com/article145.htm is being discussed on
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.bicycles.tech/browse_frm/thread/...
about on road use of various color and flashing modes of lights.

Basically, their suggestion is to use steady white lights in front, steady red light in rear, with blinking amber lights moving to the direction to pass.  Blinking red lights tend to draw drivers to you.  More than one set of blinking lights leads to confusion, and recommends just one set of lights at each direction of approach.


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Permalink Reply by Joe TV on March 25, 2010 at 1:30am

This guy has a siren AND flashing lights. Pretty sweet rig.
Attachments:
Permalink Reply by Davo on March 25, 2010 at 10:18am
Crap! I hope I don't get in trouble for my blue cathode tubes that I want to put on my front fork for Mass.

Joe TV said:

This guy has a siren AND flashing lights. Pretty sweet rig.
Permalink Reply by Chris B on March 25, 2010 at 11:28am
Nice thanks. Very interesting since the conventional wisdom is flashing lights are better.

Interesting that when they removed the big flashies from the roofs of cars in IL that they were involved in less accidents. Though as was pointed out it's not really an "experiment" just a study with too many variables to draw conclusions outside of emergency vehicles.

Anecdotally, I used to work at the state police in the summers during college. I read report after report of the moth effect especially with drunks. They just ram right into cars parked on the side, not just with flashing lights but your car parked with the solid red unflashing lights. Often it is a "following a car pulling over" problem. But sometimes they ram full speed into the back of a parked car.

Theories are that the rear lights get more attention than the white paint for the lines, and to a drunk person they think they are following the car in front. I mean even if you are not drunk, I've driven down to school and it can be pitch black in central Illinois, many parts of our highways have no lights. If I see red lights moving ahead I figure hey that's where the road is going. Not being drunk helps to realize no he's pulling off.

Anyway after working there I 1. always wear my seatbelt even in the back, and 2. let me tell you I will never stand on the side of an expressway at night whether to fix a flat or what.

However after reading this I wonder if it's safe to pull over to fix a flat if you turn your lights off? They won't see the car or be tempted to "follow" it.

As far as bikes go: Maybe instead of flashing (for the front) we just need brighter lights. I have a 120 lumens headlight but even that is not so bright, many people on bikeforums.net advocate a minimum of 200 lumens. Those cheap $25 lights don't cut it.

Apparently there are cheap "pen" flashlights (about $40) that are 200 lumens that take AAs, and you can find a holder that holds it onto your handlebars. Getting some rechargable AAs and a charger wouldn't add that much to the cost.



I really hate when I see cyclists at night without lights, I can't see them at all as a pedestrian and am always worried one will run into my dog.
Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on March 25, 2010 at 3:00pm
Thank you for this post-- it gave me a perspective on the light problem I hadn't had before.

Thinking maybe the factor of whether you're on an unlit higher-speed rural road or a partially lit urban street may be pretty significant here.

Chris B said:
Nice thanks. Very interesting since the conventional wisdom is flashing lights are better.

Interesting that when they removed the big flashies from the roofs of cars in IL that they were involved in less accidents. Though as was pointed out it's not really an "experiment" just a study with too many variables to draw conclusions outside of emergency vehicles.

Anecdotally, I used to work at the state police in the summers during college. I read report after report of the moth effect especially with drunks. They just ram right into cars parked on the side, not just with flashing lights but your car parked with the solid red unflashing lights. Often it is a "following a car pulling over" problem. But sometimes they ram full speed into the back of a parked car.

Theories are that the rear lights get more attention than the white paint for the lines, and to a drunk person they think they are following the car in front. I mean even if you are not drunk, I've driven down to school and it can be pitch black in central Illinois, many parts of our highways have no lights. If I see red lights moving ahead I figure hey that's where the road is going. Not being drunk helps to realize no he's pulling off.

Anyway after working there I 1. always wear my seatbelt even in the back, and 2. let me tell you I will never stand on the side of an expressway at night whether to fix a flat or what.

However after reading this I wonder if it's safe to pull over to fix a flat if you turn your lights off? They won't see the car or be tempted to "follow" it.

As far as bikes go: Maybe instead of flashing (for the front) we just need brighter lights. I have a 120 lumens headlight but even that is not so bright, many people on bikeforums.net advocate a minimum of 200 lumens. Those cheap $25 lights don't cut it.

Apparently there are cheap "pen" flashlights (about $40) that are 200 lumens that take AAs, and you can find a holder that holds it onto your handlebars. Getting some rechargable AAs and a charger wouldn't add that much to the cost.



I really hate when I see cyclists at night without lights, I can't see them at all as a pedestrian and am always worried one will run into my dog.
Permalink Reply by T.C. O'Rourke on March 26, 2010 at 3:14pm
My own theories:

1) 1 flashing light (either front or rear) = normal. 2 or more (either front or rear) = holy-crap-crazy-bike-creature-from-outer-space!!!!!!!!!!!

2) Flashing lights have become synonymous with bikes and give far away motorists a better indication of who they are approaching.

3) The more lit you are, the more motorist respect you (right or wrong).

4) Multiple front and back lights also act as backups when bulbs burn out/batteries go dead.

This article mentions NOTHING about bicycles. Suggesting that people ride with FEWER lights based on it would be irresponsible.
Permalink Reply by Chris B on March 26, 2010 at 3:28pm
yes, I worked at district 15 of the state police, which patrolled the tollways, which are better lit than the pitch black rural roads I was thinking about when talking about my own driving experience.

But that is just anecdotal of course and subject to confirmation bias. there's no way to know how many people drove by the parked cars before they were hit or how many other parked cars were not hit at all.



H3N3 said:


Thinking maybe the factor of whether you're on an unlit higher-speed rural road or a partially lit urban street may be pretty significant here.
Permalink Reply by John S. on June 15, 2010 at 12:55am
Regarding drunks running into cars and being attracted to lights (flashing or not), I can relate at least one true story. I was driving along the expressway when I noticed a car weaving all over the place. He hit a couple of construction barricades (the kind that fold up and have the battery powered round blinking lights on them) and it was pretty clear he'd had too much to drink. I sped up, moved over in front of him, slowed down, and was able to get him to follow me from one lane to another to the off ramp, into the gas station. Once in the gas station I called the cops and had him arrested for drunk driving. I found out later his blood alcohol level was over 3 times the legal limit at .30. I'd hate to be riding down the street with this guy behind me.

Chris B said:
Nice thanks. Very interesting since the conventional wisdom is flashing lights are better.

Interesting that when they removed the big flashies from the roofs of cars in IL that they were involved in less accidents. Though as was pointed out it's not really an "experiment" just a study with too many variables to draw conclusions outside of emergency vehicles.

Anecdotally, I used to work at the state police in the summers during college. I read report after report of the moth effect especially with drunks. They just ram right into cars parked on the side, not just with flashing lights but your car parked with the solid red unflashing lights. Often it is a "following a car pulling over" problem. But sometimes they ram full speed into the back of a parked car.

Theories are that the rear lights get more attention than the white paint for the lines, and to a drunk person they think they are following the car in front. I mean even if you are not drunk, I've driven down to school and it can be pitch black in central Illinois, many parts of our highways have no lights. If I see red lights moving ahead I figure hey that's where the road is going. Not being drunk helps to realize no he's pulling off.

Anyway after working there I 1. always wear my seatbelt even in the back, and 2. let me tell you I will never stand on the side of an expressway at night whether to fix a flat or what.

However after reading this I wonder if it's safe to pull over to fix a flat if you turn your lights off? They won't see the car or be tempted to "follow" it.

As far as bikes go: Maybe instead of flashing (for the front) we just need brighter lights. I have a 120 lumens headlight but even that is not so bright, many people on bikeforums.net advocate a minimum of 200 lumens. Those cheap $25 lights don't cut it.

Apparently there are cheap "pen" flashlights (about $40) that are 200 lumens that take AAs, and you can find a holder that holds it onto your handlebars. Getting some rechargable AAs and a charger wouldn't add that much to the cost.



I really hate when I see cyclists at night without lights, I can't see them at all as a pedestrian and am always worried one will run into my dog.
Permalink Reply by rik on June 15, 2010 at 9:14am
The fools with out lights are not bright.

H3N3 said:
Lights on bicycles
lights on bicycles
lookin' like a foooooooo
with your lights on bicycles
Permalink Reply by Matt M. 18.5KM on December 6, 2014 at 12:44am

Uh, is there like, a limit to how bright your headlight can be in Chicago?  95 Lux?  40 Lux?  Anybody know?

However....a quick Google search yields the Code of Chicago and it appears I can blast away with impunity or for as long as nobody complains....

9-52-080  Headlamps, reflectors and brakes.
   (a)   Every bicycle when in use at nighttime shall be equipped with a head lamp which shall emit a white light visible from a minimum distance of 500 feet from the front and with a rear red reflector capable of reflecting the head lamp beams of an approaching motor vehicle back to the operator of such vehicle at distances up to 200 feet or a rear lamp emitting a red light visible from a distance of at least 200 feet from the rear.
   (b)   Every bicycle shall be equipped with a brake that will enable the operator to make the braked wheel skid on dry, level, clean pavement.
(Added Coun. J. 7-12-90, p. 18634)
Permalink Reply by Mike Schwab on December 6, 2014 at 3:40pm

Here is the U.S. DOT requirements for vehicles.  They set minimums and assume manufacturers won't greatly exceed the minimum for current and cost considerations.

 http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&sour...

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