On Wednesday, March 15, 2017 at 2:08:49 PM UTC-4, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 3/14/2017 11:15 PM, Jeff Liebermann wrote:
On Tue, 14 Mar 2017 12:09:27 -0400, Frank Krygowski
wrote:
But the point I was discussing was whether too brief or too dim
standlights really kill or seriously injure _stationary_ bicyclists.
I've never heard of such a case. I think it's yet another exaggerated
danger.

Bicycle lighting seems to be divided into "see where your going" and
"be seen" parts. Standlights are in the "be seen" part. If so, then
using a relatively narrow forward facing headlight is inadequate and a
poor substitute for all around "be seen" type lighting.

So far, no driver has tried to kill me while I'm stationary, but it's
possible. To help prevent such a threat, I would need all around
illumination because I don't know from what direction the driver might
approach and I do NOT need to see where I'm going (because I'm not
going anywhere). Some kind of flashing headband, flashing arm bands,
or maybe downward facing flood lights to illuminate an area. Maybe an
LED illuminated vest, which is now popular among highway workers:
https://www.amazon.com/HIGH-VISIBILITY-VEST-COMPLIANT-REFLECTIVE/dp/B01L2US0EY
https://www.amazon.com/SE-EP08L-Illuminated-Flashing-Feature/dp/B008WAE2XQ
https://www.amazon.com/SE-EP07L-Flashing-Illuminated-Safety/dp/B004J663A2
I don't know which type of "be seen" lighting might be most effective,
but any of the aformentioned would be better than a dim forward facing
standlight.

Thing is, nobody's demonstrated any need for so much stationary "be
seen" light, beyond the usual "well, it _could_ happen" safety inflation
mentality.

We're facing the same mentality regarding our local forest preserve.
Some people want to cut down every dead or dying tree within 100 feet of
any trail because, well, it _could_ fall on somebody and kill them. Sheesh.


--
- Frank Krygowski

I remember the Soubitez (sp?) ads from the 1980s that showed a stopped bicycle without a front light at an intersection at night and another image of the Soubitez dynamo light with the standlight. The ad was about how much safer yuo were with the Soubitez dynamo because others could see the light whilst you were stopped or just starting up again. So this perceived need for a safety standlight on a dynamo powered light is nothing new.

Cheers