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#61
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Flashing lights cause accidents -- police experience
Hi,
Phil W Lee wrote: (cheap hub dynamo wheels) That is not the case here (I wish it was). They should sell the same Shimano hub dynamos as they do here - and those are really cheap. In comparison to (traditional) sidewall dynamos: just about 1/3rd more expensive, but so much better to offset the price difference. Check with your local dealer or online shop, you should be able to get a hub dynamo (with or without wheel) for the same price as a comparable front hub. If not, order online in Europe or whatever ;-) But you should really be able to get one. It's a pity I sold my old FER2002 spoke dynamo, otherwise I could have mailed it to you... These are not as good, but they keep up far better than any modern sidewall dynamo did at my bikes. My criteria for a suitable headlight include tool-less battery change ('cos you need to be able to do it in the dark), AA cells ('cos you can get them anywhere), compatibility with NiMH ('cos they work out cheaper), availability of alternative _good_ mounting brackets, a properly shaped beam with a flat cutoff, and a decent light output suitable for unlit country lanes at 30kph. My Ixon IQ fulfils all those requirements, and can be charged or run from a hub dynamo That's sure possible, but I found battery lights too heavy (2x D cell), too battery-hungry (less than 2hr front light) and too dim (not to mention the unsuitable clamp) to bother with them. The bike I had then was equipped with an older sidewall dynamo which does a very good job and had a great halogen light (far better than much of the newer stuff). I could do with a battery version of that for the bikes that are less well equipped (the tourer has an infini apollo, which is great, but no longer available [I wish I'd got a batch, when it was]) Sorry, I'm not the kind of guy to like batteries at all (even if I do have a very good battery charger and have gotten some really good rechargable's recently). I consider them inconvenient at best, and a pain in the * generally. So, I wouldn't want none in a place where I could go without. A bike certainly is a place I can live without them ;-) I suspect that universal fitment of dynamo lights is a major reason why dynamos are less expensive there - economies of scale. As stated above, I simply cannot imagine why they should be much more expensive at your place, since this is a mass-model produced for the world market ;-) Even the cheapest clunkers (can't really call these things bicycle) have them... Modern LED based lights seem to be much better in respect of battery life (I get 5-20 hours from a set of 4 AAs in my Ixon IQ, depending on how much time I spend on high power). Granted. ;-) The need for battery lights to be quickly detachable to prevent theft makes it slightly more difficult (although by no means impossible) to provide a solid mounting. Well, why should I need them to be detachable in the first place? simply mount them solidly and require a "key" to change the batteries - but then you couldn't steal them nor loose them and they wouldn't sell as well? Anyway, as I said, too much hazzle for me... Same here - nearly all the lights on sale are only legal as "supplementary" lights. The best that can be said of them is that they are better than nothing. Actually cyclists are usually not stopped by the police if they have /any/ kind of light here. They get the blame if there's an accident, though. Ciao.. |
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#62
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Flashing lights cause accidents -- police experience
On Feb 22, 12:54*pm, Phil W Lee phil(at)lee-family(dot)me(dot)uk
wrote: Nate Nagel considered Mon, 22 Feb 2010 06:52:19 -0500 the perfect time to write: On 02/22/2010 05:29 AM, Bernhard Agthe wrote: Hi, Nate Nagel wrote: Along the same lines, does anyone make "suitable" wheel reflectors of any type? This is more of an academic question than one that has actual bearing on my life, as they are not required where I live, but if there were some available that actually stayed put, didn't rattle, etc. I *might* consider trying them out. Get tires with a reflective stripe on them. Best and most durable solution... I like the idea of reflective-sidewall tires, but I'm not aware of any for sale for a price anywhere near the bargain-basement prices for which one can purchase Paselas... Don't know in your place, but I pay about 20Euro for a Continental Contact tire with reflective sidewall. Recently I had to replace one after about 10.000km cycling. The cheapo tires I used before (10 Euro) didn't last for 2.000 km... So the "expensive" option is really cheaper ;-) For me.. Ciao Here they're at least $40 - I just searched online and the absolute cheapest online price for a Continental tire with reflective sidewall, 28 or 32x700c, non-cyclocross, is $35 plus shipping. *Double that if not more if you buy in a bike store. *If I wait for a sale, I can get belted, Kevlar-bead Paselas for $25 or less. Plus, I am hesitant to try a Continental bike tire, I'm afraid they'll be as bad as their car tires. I like the conti gatorskin tyres, despite having a similar opinion to yours of their car tyres. I think reflective sidewalls are becoming more common - I did hear that some countries have mandated them, so the manufacturers are extending the range of tyres on which it is at least an option, and in some cases, standard. I think it's a good idea, but just having bought new tires last fall, I'm still not buying any any time soon... can only spend so much money on bike stuff Maybe by the time these wear out the prices will have come down... nate |
#63
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Flashing lights cause accidents -- police experience
On 22 Feb, 10:16, Bernhard Agthe wrote:
Hi, thirty-six wrote: The lights you need to match car headlights are reflectors. *Put white reflective tape in three sections on your wheel rims and you get the flashing lights while the headlights are upon them. * You also need a big red (legal) or amber rear reflector. *I decided to hang the amber trailer reflector from my saddle loops because the red official one is good enough for closer proximity. Carry a pair of Ortlieb bags. Their reflectors are extremely good. But then you should also note that reflectors work only in a very narrow range (only if the angle is right) and dim rapidly when seen from 45° or so. For example, a truck-driver may not be able to see the reflector, because the light from his headlights reflects mainly back into his headlights and not 1.5m higher to where the driver's eyes are. Or, as another example (which Andre Jute will like), on a narrow, winding road, the car's headlights will only light the reflector, when the car is very * close behind the cyclist. Same with bus drivers. The only real protection here is a white or light coloured top. Even professional drivers are not always aware of the speed and movement a cyclist is capable of. So, yes, while I do think that reflectors should be, I also consider them a secondary item of lighting. Nothing is better than an active light.. ;-) |
#64
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Flashing lights cause accidents -- police experience
On 22 Feb, 17:46, Phil W Lee phil(at)lee-family(dot)me(dot)uk wrote:
Bernhard Agthe considered Mon, 22 Feb 2010 11:10:50 +0100 the perfect time to write: Hi, Phil W Lee wrote: Is Germany not a party to the European convention allowing the use of equipment legal in one EU country to be used in another? Don't really know, the German light restrictions are complicated enough ;-) I know I can use StVZO approved lights here in the UK as a legal alternative to BS approved ones, and understood that it was a requirement of European legislation that members recognised each other's standards in this way. And I've never heard of tourists being advised to change lights when they cross borders. AFAIR you have to apply a patch of black tape in a specific location on your headlights when crossing from right-hand-traffic to left-hand-traffic, but that's all? Only if they are asymmetric dip (i.e. left or right pattern for different countries). If they have a horizontal cutoff they are not "handed" so don't need to be modified. I don't know of any bicycle lights that would be affected by that. Dynamos are great if your night use is enough to justify them, but the same light units are available on battery lights in most cases (which also allows you to have one good light to move between several bikes as required, which is much better than having a crappy light on each). Well, front wheels with hub dynamo are available for about the same price as regular front wheels, so there is little if any cost difference. That is not the case here (I wish it was). * * * * * The headlight comes with a cable by default (if built for hub dynamo) and the cable plus the cheapest (almost) rear light are quite cheap. Add some clear or black tape to fix the cable to the frame. So, a working dynamo light costs about as much as a good battery light and will never leave you stranded with empty batteries ;-) My criteria for a suitable headlight include tool-less battery change ('cos you need to be able to do it in the dark), AA cells ('cos you can get them anywhere), compatibility with NiMH ('cos they work out cheaper), availability of alternative _good_ mounting brackets, a properly shaped beam with a flat cutoff, and a decent light output suitable for unlit country lanes at 30kph. My Ixon IQ fulfils all those requirements, and can be charged or run from a hub dynamo My cheapo recommendation: - second cheapest hub dynamo - cheapest front light with sensor (either halogen or LED) - BUMM Toplight flat plus (currently cheapest best rear light, has stand light) I could do with a battery version of that for the bikes that are less well equipped (the tourer has an infini apollo, which is great, but no longer available [I wish I'd got a batch, when it was]) If you have some extra money, go for the front light first, e.g. BUMM Cyo and then upgrade your hub dynamo (e.g. SON). No need to upgrade the rear light, as it's really a good one ;-) While a second- or third-generation LED light is really better, the modern Halogen lights are extremely cheap and give quite a lot of light, anyway. That's the way we need to be moving. Unfortunately, it's a tough fight when people have so much invested in motor transport (both personally and as a society). "I didn't see him" needs to be regarded as an admission of careless driving - nobody has any business driving a motor vehicle onto any stretch of road that they can't be sure is clear. Agree. I think flashers have a place in well streetlit areas, but preferably as a secondary light. In my own setup with a flashing element in the rear light, I took care to have the flashing LED overpowered by the non-flashing ones. Partially because of regulation. But mostly because the flashing one was a backup for the case that my (then) sidewall dynamo failed halfway home (which it did occasionally). As a result the rear light was well visible under normal conditions, but just a little unsteady. It was hard to notice at all, but I had the impression that drivers kept just a little further off. But after switching to the current Bumm Toplight flat plus (sorry for repeating myself), drivers keep even more distance (as I feel it), because this one is so aggressively bright. If I'd spend some extra effort, I'd go for non-flashing amber lights on the side of the bike, e.g. in the ends of the handlebar. Good lights cost proper money. You can get them for considerably less than 100 Euro - and most bikes sold at good shops come with lights pre-installed, at least here. Not here I suspect that universal fitment of dynamo lights is a major reason why dynamos are less expensive there - economies of scale. So does training. Actually, training costs the time to learn about what you're supposed to do and the discipline to act upon the information. The rest is just to go riding ;-) It's no surprise to find that people who cut costs in one area are willing to do so in another. But then I do wonder why people spend ridiculous amounts of money for carnival plastic hats and then act like they were suicidal? I suspect they are mislead by the marketing into believing that such a hat provides some kind of invulnerability. It's a con, it's only the ones with the platinum thread. Far better to have good lights than many lights (although a backup is good, particularly on battery systems). That's why I dislike battery lights - when I had them, the batteries emptied faster than I could drop in new ones (and were always empty when I needed them) and when I see them on the street, they mostly point anywhere, but not where they're supposed to... Modern LED based lights seem to be much better in respect of battery life (I get 5-20 hours from a set of 4 AAs in my Ixon IQ, depending on how much time I spend on high power). The need for battery lights to be quickly detachable to prevent theft makes it slightly more difficult (although by no means impossible) to provide a solid mounting. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Recently I found that many bicycle stores started to sell battery lights with the price tag right over a fine-print stating that these lights do not conform to the STVZO (local technical vehicle code). These lights are not even remotely suited for bike use (except for the fact that they bring a handlebar clamp), but you won't know until after you bought them (if you care to read the fine-print, anyway... Gnnnnn... Same here - nearly all the lights on sale are only legal as "supplementary" lights. The best that can be said of them is that they are better than nothing. Ciao and safe cycling! And to you |
#65
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Flashing lights cause accidents -- police experience
Before I read the rest of the thread I want to preface my reply with "I was just going to post a quick one to ask folks to stop flashing bright white headlights.". I predicted resistance and claims of troll like behavior, and to tell the whole truth on the matter I have chosen to flash the rear LED red lights on my own bike. I really, really, Really dislike front flashing headlights. Please, each one, reevaluate this one. berk |
#66
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Flashing lights cause accidents -- police experience
On Feb 25, 6:58*am, TBerk wrote:
Before I read the rest of the thread I want to preface my reply with "I was just going to post a quick one to ask folks to stop flashing bright white headlights.". I predicted resistance and claims of troll like behavior, I don't see why. RBT is widely acclaimed for the mutual goodwill and Christian tolerance displayed here, the gentlemanly behaviour in debate, and the high standards of truth in everyday affairs and of the scientific verity so characteristic of the newsgroup. (Don't blame me. I was paid to say all that.) and to tell the whole truth on the matter I have chosen to flash the rear LED red lights on my own bike. I really, really, Really dislike front flashing headlights. Please, each one, reevaluate this one. I have, and have decided to keep it. It is aimed downward to so that the upper limit of the flash in well below the horizon of my Cyo, so that in general in daylight the flash is a warning and at night it disappears in Cyo's throw. It is furthermore aimed 12 degrees off the centreline so that it should never catch any driver full in the eyes unless he does something stupid, and then I'm already flashing him with the Cyo by turning and tilting the bike. What matters is not what lights you have (as long as you have the best of course) but the consideration that went into their installation. berk **** The other evening, shooting out onto a road between two cars as I came across the footbridge at speed, I was severely ****ed off when I narrowly missed two unlit bicycles. I'd actually swung my bike light across an arc of the road while still on the bridge to check there were no *pedestrians* (we're only twenty miles from the jaywalking capital of the world and pedestrians own the town and damn right too) and never saw these two bloody bikes, both painted black, zero reflectors, with black-clad riders. They might as well carry a sign that says, PLEASE KILL ME ON THE ROAD. My LBS has a pile of unused, bracketed reflectors in a tray near the door with a sign that says, "Please take one. Fitting is free." The trendy kids tell him to take them off their new bikes... Rather too many lights than too few! Andre Jute "Cycling wisdom" is an oxymoron |
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