Easy on the night lights guys

[Quintus]

Hmm - In JHB i have resorted to the large strobes front and back on the bike after having numerous cars overtake in to the lane I am in. It makes them think twice when the strobes are there.

 

My 2 cents worth - its not an equal discussion - you have to make the object that you are stand out to be seen by motorists. On defensive motorbike riding they teach you to even weave to make yourself bigger as an object and therefore the motorists notice you and respond. I run all my lights on bright all the time on the motorbike and use orange covers on the headlights, which makes a huge difference.

 

SO i am a bit ambivalent if the guys blinded you - at least you noticed them, responded and took appropriate action 9careful they are cyclists). Going uphill or downhill doesn't really matter - it's about getting the motorists to notice you. Which is what 90% dont do.

 

And when the light blinds you the motorists immediately think "what is that - a motorbike - cause a bike headlight cant be that bright" and think twice. You see a bike is a small and soft and inconsequential thing but a motorbike is solid.

 

Also you cannot judge speed accurately when you notice an oncoming light, it takes a bit for you to work out how fast they are closing.

 

But the primary goal is to get noticed, by something a lot heavier and harder than you. And that they managed to do. SO i think that I am in the camp of the brighter the better.

 

Maybe flash them to dip. But you never know what the person behind you does, as you are a cyclist and aware. The other guy may be saying something lie thanks to those bright lights i saw them.

 

My 2 cents worth - at least trying to be objective.....

Agreed. In traffic being seen and being safe is important. Then use all the lights you have.

 

It's on the trails only that I'm raising my point of use only the amount of light you need to illuminate the path in front. Up hills. You don't need so much, on downhills you do.

 

These six MTB didn't need nine full beam lights to ride uphill.

[Gandalf]

It's just being considerate towards other road users.

I don't like it when a car rides with brights/high beams on, the same I don't like it when cyclists ride with their lights shining very high.

So I don't drive my car with brights on and follow the same principle on my bike.

[Vangar]

Fair point on both sides. The latest stupid trend I've noticed is guys commuting or running in all black clothes, sometimes on a black bike or with black shoes. Visibillity people, get a reflective jacket or something.

[bmw1za]

I'm on the same boat as Gandalf... promoting awareness and consideration but there will always be those that follow the one way thinking like our wonderful Government. (Yes i brought politics into it). 

 

I get the whole safety factor, I Am A cyclist too.... but I almost drove the cyclist down thanks to him blinding MEEEE   !!!!   Thats just pure stupidity IMO . 

 

Anyway it was predicted that this would go the wrong way , you can lead some horses to water : but then they P!$$ in It 

[Vetseun]

As a cyclist that has been taken out by a car TWICE, my input.

 

I will make myself visible during the night. If  my lighting is overkill, well so be it. I am fighting to stay alive every time I ride my bike.

 

Motorists mow us down during daylight! Never mind during the night.

 

That said: Riding against traffic flow is against the law as far as I know.

Skipping stop streets is against the law as far as I know.

Skipping red traffic lights is against the law as far as I know.

 

We cannot win this war if we don't abide by the rules ourselves, easy as that.

 

 

[dirtypot]

What I've never understood is why are the lights round?  What I mean by that, is that my lights light up the trees above me, and it's completely pointless.  I know that there's a hot spot, but there's plenty of side throw on these lights - enough to be blinding other people.

Why not have a rectangular light so that the majority of the beam is thrown sideways and forwards - not up.  This makes perfect sense to my simple mind.

[Vetseun]

Fair point on both sides. The latest stupid trend I've noticed is guys commuting or running in all black clothes, sometimes on a black bike or with black shoes. Visibillity people, get a reflective jacket or something.

I hear your argument.

I am accepting that we are on the same page in terms of our definition of cyclists, this includes us riding our R80k bikes as well as the poor guy riding to work from the squatter camp as he is the only bread winner in a family.

The cost of a reflective jacket = less money to feed his family.

He only owns those black clothes.

Very sad actually.

 

I think I will make it my mission to donate a few reflective jackets to people less fortunate than myself today.

[Pure Savage]

I think the hub needs to find another Friday thread, this one turned into a whole bunch of high fives and smiles

[Vetseun]

I think the hub needs to find another Friday thread, this one turned into a whole bunch of high fives and smiles

Escapee should arrive shortly.

[Escapee..]

Morning

 

Can the OP please put on his Big Girl panties

 

If you are riding your bike and need to change the intensity of the lights for everyone, you might as well be at home on your IDT.

 

But being at home on your IDT is also a problem.

 

Maybe we should all sell our bikes

 

Way too many "is mamma se kind ok" cyclist out there

[ChUkKy]

We came across six MTB riders heading up the tar road towards Rhodes Memorial at about 19:45 tonight.

 

We were heading in the opposite direction, downhill.

 

Of the six riders, three had both helmet mount and bar mount lights on full beam, possibly 900 lumens each. While the other three had just bar mounts, also full beam.

 

I tell you, we had to slow down to allow our eyes to readjust back to low light.

 

I ride at night often, and in my opinion, going uphill on a tar road does not require two lights on your person, not even one. One on dim is about sufficient.

 

Anybody agree, or disagree?

 

It's not lekker having 9 full beams burning your retinas. 

 

Damned if you do and damned if you dont...

We need to be seen in the dark by motorists.

 

We also need to be able to see whats ahead, we are not bats.

[dirtypot]

Shouldn't you be wearing your designer shades to be riding at Rhodes anyway?  Then the light should be no problem.

[ChUkKy]

As a cyclist that has been taken out by a car TWICE, my input.

 

I will make myself visible during the night. If  my lighting is overkill, well so be it. I am fighting to stay alive every time I ride my bike.

 

Motorists mow us down during daylight! Never mind during the night.

 

That said: Riding against traffic flow is against the law as far as I know.

Skipping stop streets is against the law as far as I know.

Skipping red traffic lights is against the law as far as I know.

 

We cannot win this war if we don't abide by the rules ourselves, easy as that.

 

A man of your stature... I cannot understand how you were hit once, let alone twice!

[worriesnot]

get yourself a pair of these:

http://www.balls.bike/

 

[SwissVan]

I've had similar issues with these new E bikes..... early mornings while its still dark and night times when I go running, their lights are amazingly powerful and yet they don't seem to realize they are blinding people. I wonder if they have a dip function?

 

[Jinga]

When I ride in the dark, I am like Fikile Mbalula.

 

I JUST WANT TO BE SEEN.

 

I make no apologies either......

Agreed the brighter the better.

If our bike lights are not bright enough and driver realizes it is only a bicycle they tend to turn in front of you.