Flashing lights cause accidents -- police experience

On Feb 15, 4:53*am, Pat Clancy wrote:
Which amber lights do you use, Peter, and how do you power them?

Andre Jute

A little Googling turned up this RealLITE GOLD amber light:

http://www.reallite.com/details.htm

Pat Clancy

not bad if quality is there. sizing to auto size should greatly - this
is PITW but HSE - increase IC drivers depth perception over the
postage stamp blinkie. One yellow/gold/amber on the bar alongside a
headlamp, with a rotating mount for facing the correct traffic pattern.

On Feb 17, 12:05*pm, AMuzi wrote:
datakoll wrote:
THE law enforcement type has a point but it's the greater evil.
If all lights are ..... then what's left are best emergency lights.
amber falls into this latter light groups.
white and or red and blue from Christtmas tree lights seem to be pop
with LET. and are cheerful which is also in the latter grouping ,
left ?
amber flashing fronts are useful on busy dark intersections. Used here
are small rectagular lights once sold thru Nashbar. 6-7 hung on bars,
rack, backpack. In FLA, my passage was often called out with amusment
at the passing show.

Note the busy intersection and what do you see - flashing amber
signals dangerous icebergs port and starboard. White ? White cancells
out as completely negative.

the negative or positive effect is called by med types - consumation -
that is the nervous system has filled with flashing lights to the max
available, brain has noted to X effect, and that's it for the time
being.

try the cranial nerve excercise. to activate cranal nerves, grasp
hands behind back and pull in various directions as isometrics.

the exercise tends to activate the system allowing consumation itself.

The Oracle has spoken.

--
Andrew Muzi
* www.yellowjersey.org/
* Open every day since 1 April, 1971- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

you get into the effect in Chicago, right ? after Madison, a galaxy of
lights before your path during an ahead road disaster needs seperating
from the cerebral navigation system for the path to remain coherent
and safe.

Andre Jute wrote:

I'm not too keen on round section-of-column lamps because of fixing
problems. The lamp attachment space on my rack is occupied by my legal
BUMM red steady light cum reflector, so the amber flasher must go
somewhere else. At present I have the Cateye TL-LD1100 appaering to
perch precarious on the rear crossrail of my rack, where it is in fact
firmly attached with fat zip ties.

That light is magnet mount, but I'm sure it would not be terribly hard
to device a method of mounting it, though it could be heavy.

I don't like seatpost mounted rear lights because if you have a racktop
bag then it blocks it.

If you want both an amber and a red rear light then you can fabricate a
bracket that attaches to the rear rack reflector bracket and can hold
both lamps. Personally I'd stick with just the amber rear light. No one
in the U.S. cares if your rear flasher is red or yellow. I've used a
yellow one for more than a decade with no issues.

On Feb 17, 12:19*pm, Frank Krygowski wrote:

Here in the US, the requirements of the law vary state by state,
although most states are similar. *However, even blatant violations by
cyclists are almost always ignored by police. *I've never heard of a
cyclist ticketed for even a total lack of lights; I'm sure nobody
would be ticketed for (for example) having only one reflector in each
wheel!

Dear Frank,

O tempora! O mores!

"As an example of the unlighted condition of the streets wheelmen are
forced to use in this city [New York], it was only recently that a man
was run over and killed in the dark on Amsterdam Avenue, a street that
passes within one block of the residence of the Mayor and many
of our wealthiest citizens."

"The [Central] Park police have begun to enforce the lamp and bell
ordinance with great severity, as they should do, and in consequence a
wail has gone up from the wheelman who wants everything for his own
comfort and safety, but is not willing to do anything for tho welfare
of others."

--Sporting Life, June 27th, 1891, p. 10

http://la84foundation.org/SportsLibr.../SL1713010.pdf

Cheers,

Carl Fogel

On Feb 17, 6:25*pm, SMS wrote:
Andre Jute wrote:
I'm not too keen on round section-of-column lamps because of fixing
problems. The lamp attachment space on my rack is occupied by my legal
BUMM red steady light cum reflector, so the amber flasher must go
somewhere else. At present I have the Cateye TL-LD1100 appaering to
perch precarious on the rear crossrail of my rack, where it is in fact
firmly attached with fat zip ties.

That light is magnet mount, but I'm sure it would not be terribly hard
to device a method of mounting it, though it could be heavy.

I don't like seatpost mounted rear lights because if you have a racktop
bag then it blocks it.

If you want both an amber and a red rear light then you can fabricate a
bracket that attaches to the rear rack reflector bracket and can hold
both lamps. Personally I'd stick with just the amber rear light. No one
in the U.S. cares if your rear flasher is red or yellow. I've used a
yellow one for more than a decade with no issues.

wear it or them on a backpack rig - festoon dude !

On Feb 17, 8:05*pm, "
wrote:
On Feb 17, 12:19*pm, Frank Krygowski wrote:

Here in the US, the requirements of the law vary state by state,
although most states are similar. *However, even blatant violations by
cyclists are almost always ignored by police. *I've never heard of a
cyclist ticketed for even a total lack of lights; I'm sure nobody
would be ticketed for (for example) having only one reflector in each
wheel!

Dear Frank,

O tempora! O mores!

"As an example of the unlighted condition of the streets wheelmen are
forced to use in this city [New York], it was only recently that a man
was run over and killed in the dark on Amsterdam Avenue, a street that
passes within one block of the residence of the Mayor and many
of our wealthiest citizens."

"The [Central] Park police have begun to enforce the lamp and bell
ordinance with great severity, as they should do, and in consequence a
wail has gone up from the wheelman who wants everything for his own
comfort and safety, but is not willing to do anything for tho welfare
of others."

--Sporting Life, June 27th, 1891, p. 10

http://la84foundation.org/SportsLibr...91/VOL_17_NO_1...

Cheers,

Carl Fogel

the mind boggles ! RR/mining/autocars in Peoria ?/ no antibio...
how lucky we are drowning in CO2

wrote:
On Feb 17, 12:19 pm, Frank Krygowski wrote:

Here in the US, the requirements of the law vary state by state,
although most states are similar. However, even blatant violations by
cyclists are almost always ignored by police. I've never heard of a
cyclist ticketed for even a total lack of lights; I'm sure nobody
would be ticketed for (for example) having only one reflector in each
wheel!

Dear Frank,

O tempora! O mores!

"As an example of the unlighted condition of the streets wheelmen are
forced to use in this city [New York], it was only recently that a man
was run over and killed in the dark on Amsterdam Avenue, a street that
passes within one block of the residence of the Mayor and many
of our wealthiest citizens."

"The [Central] Park police have begun to enforce the lamp and bell
ordinance with great severity, as they should do, and in consequence a
wail has gone up from the wheelman who wants everything for his own
comfort and safety, but is not willing to do anything for tho welfare
of others."

--Sporting Life, June 27th, 1891, p. 10

http://la84foundation.org/SportsLibr.../SL1713010.pdf

Cheers,

Carl Fogel

My friend's grandfather, a pedestrian, was killed by a
bicyclist NYTimes 21 September 1924 front page.

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

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?

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. 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 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)

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.

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?

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... 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...

Ciao and safe cycling!

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.

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.

;-)

Hi,

Frank Krygowski wrote:
Here in the US, the requirements of the law vary state by state,
although most states are similar. However, even blatant violations by
cyclists are almost always ignored by police. I've never heard of a
cyclist ticketed for even a total lack of lights; I'm sure nobody
would be ticketed for (for example) having only one reflector in each
wheel!

It's similar here, mostly you'll get along fine if you carry any light
at all. Often they won't stop you, but if they do, they might complain
about 'no light', 'technical inadequacy in general' or whatever and then
you might be in trouble. But most police officers don't really know the
exact requirements of the law.

So, what's sensible anyway is an active front and rear light, a rear red
reflector and either yellow ones in the spokes or a reflective stripe on
the wheels. As for the rest, legally you're required to turn your bike
into a christmas tree, but you are unlikely to encounter problems. (*)

(*) This is in no way a legal advice!

Also you should make sure that you have two independent brakes. So if
you're riding fixie, at least mount a front brake (the legal situation
is unclear to me, but this seems good common sense ;-)

Similarly, I assume that a tourist in Germany (or elsewhere in the EU)
who had some variation on that system would do just fine, am I
correct? I plan on taking a bike to Europe this year, so it does
matter to me.

Try not to exaggerate in any direction. Don't carry much less lights
than typical and don't carry much more lights than typical ;-) You can
always get a reflector or two at good departement stores or DIY stores.
You can even get lights there, but I'd rather carry a good set of lights
from the start. Add reflectors if it seems necessary ;-)

Ciao...