Caerus Posted July 12, 2013 Share Seems like there is no middle ground.... We complain that either the lights are too dim or they are too bright. Seriously, too bright? Shining the light into someone's eyes from half a meter away is a LOT different than seeing it from 50m away. I made the same mistake of looking into my light at close range. Messed me up for a while. I can honestly say that I have never been blinded by an oncoming bicycle light and I see a few early in the morning. Distracting yes, but that's kind of the idea. To be seen. Job done. When I used to ride early mornings, I wanted to see as far ahead as I could to be able to avoid potholes, broken glass and any other obstacles in the road. You can't take evasive action with the light shining 5m in front of you... That's the thing in Cape Town though, there is more then enough light from street lights,this isn't Durban. I was stopped at a traffic light when this happened to me, so yeah, lights can certainly be too bright. There are people that are riding with a 1500 - 2000 lumin light while on the road, its unnecessary and potentially dangerous. The funny things is its only the MTBers, so the roadies can't get a bad wrap for this one. Capricorn 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grebel Posted July 12, 2013 Share We also have street lights in Durban... and said cyclists that I encountered were in a lit up area. It should actually lessen the effect of your light riding in a well lit area so the harshness of the beam would seem to be reduced due to the presence of the ambient lighting. I stick by my previous statement that too much light from a cyclist is better than too little. Same applies to motorcyclists. As irritating as it is with the superbikes driving with brights on, there is probably less chance of them being hit seeing as they are more visible. Stiggy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akon Posted July 12, 2013 Share I stick by my previous statement that too much light from a cyclist is better than too little. You put up a typical strawman. Nobody is arguing that or whether "too much" should be replaced with "too little"...(at least, I am not ) slowpoke 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caerus Posted July 12, 2013 Share We also have street lights in Durban... and said cyclists that I encountered were in a lit up area. It should actually lessen the effect of your light riding in a well lit area so the harshness of the beam would seem to be reduced due to the presence of the ambient lighting. I stick by my previous statement that too much light from a cyclist is better than too little. Same applies to motorcyclists. As irritating as it is with the superbikes driving with brights on, there is probably less chance of them being hit seeing as they are more visible. They have street lights, but most never work, lol. I know I used to live there. But getting back to the topic, I'm not saying to have a light that's to dim that you're not visible, but rather something that is condusive to riding on the road without effecting other road users, we not hunting rabbits or deer. slowpoke 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBguy Posted July 12, 2013 Share FWIW, if you mount your light underneath the handlebar, you can use your hand to shade it when there's an oncoming car. And to flash them if they don't dip their own headlights Just a thought. Another observation, about the road traffic ordinance, is that it assumes a conventional beam with a hotspot ("the intense part of the beam"). Quite a few bike-lights are floody, which means the hotspot is quite broad. Also, the ordinance did not anticipate lights which produce thousands of lumens - which have only been available for a couple of years. I think it would be a good idea to try not to blind motorists, and delay the day that they force us to restrict ourselves to pathetic little lights again. Rushdee, Music Pirate and fanievb 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grebel Posted July 12, 2013 Share They have street lights, but most never work, lol. I know I used to live there. But getting back to the topic, I'm not saying to have a light that's to dim that you're not visible, but rather something that is condusive to riding on the road without effecting other road users, we not hunting rabbits or deer. You just taking the p!ss becuause you moved.... If you stayed away from those dodgy areas in Durban you would have seen that the streetlights in the more affluent areas actually did work.... All you have now is that silly rock and Aunty Helen. Wouldn't mind some Aunty Helen up here but you can keep that klip. And you are right. We not hunting rabbits or deer. Just MTBers it seems... pastapouch, fanievb and Caerus 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grebel Posted July 12, 2013 Share Seriously bud. Just a wind up. It is after all Moer Mekaar Friday and things on the other threads are a bit slow.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grebel Posted July 12, 2013 Share For interest sakes... Close Call - Always use your lights when dark! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted July 12, 2013 Share simply turn the beam down wards ... I in turn though often get blinded by oncoming cars (I use a std little front light and not the huge lights that others do) Mads 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fanievb Posted July 12, 2013 Share You just taking the p!ss becuause you moved.... If you stayed away from those dodgy areas in Durban you would have seen that the streetlights in the more affluent areas actually did work.... All you have now is that silly rock and Aunty Helen. Wouldn't mind some Aunty Helen up here but you can keep that klip. And you are right. We not hunting rabbits or deer. Just MTBers it seems... klip ha ha ha. reminds me of this ps. we have a genuine lack of street lights in the EC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted July 12, 2013 Share klip ha ha ha. reminds me of this ps. we have a genuine lack of street lights in the ECNotice how nice and green the CT part is vs the brown and dry remainder of the country Mads, Wannabe, LeTurbo and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caerus Posted July 12, 2013 Share simply turn the beam down wards ... I in turn though often get blinded by oncoming cars (I use a std little front light and not the huge lights that others do) I thought it might have been yourself with your motley crue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caerus Posted July 12, 2013 Share Notice how nice and green the CT part is vs the brown and dry remainder of the country Best decision I've made in ages was moving to Cape Town LeTurbo, Wannabe and Hairy 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fanievb Posted July 12, 2013 Share Best decision I've made in ages was moving to Cape Town its in the 5 year plan Caerus and Hairy 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flymango Posted July 12, 2013 Share Funny how most cyclists tend to over-invest in front white lights and under-invest in back red lights. slowpoke, Wannabe, LOOK695 and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caerus Posted July 12, 2013 Share Funny how most cyclists tend to over-invest in front white lights and under-invest in back red lights. I need to get new rear lights this weekend, I need another two at least, currently running two at the moment. I wanna be a Xmas tree on the road Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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