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Old March 19th 17, 07:53 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
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Default The University of Aalborg Study on Daytime Flashing Lights forBicycles.

I know how some people dislike any statements that are based on actual
facts, but the data are pretty clear.

See: https://books.google.com.au/books?id=LvthAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA168

It was interesting that in the Odense study, conducted by Reelight,
Odense Cycle City and the University of Aalborg, accident rates went
down by 32% with the use of daytime lights, but a cyclist's "sense of
security" went up by 85%!

Did they ride more dangerously because of the huge increase in their
"sense of security" and still experience a 32% decline?! Another study
showed that safety equipment increases an individual's dangerous
behavior, so if we could find a way to encourage the use of proven
safety equipment without increasing risky behavior, we'd be able to
change that 32% to a much higher number.

While a 32% decline in accident rates is significant, the 85% increase
in the "sense of security" could lead to more cycling, which will
further reduce the percentage of accidents.

The purpose of this whole study was to convince the government to make
flashing lights legal, since in some backward European countries
flashing lights are not legal. While this change in the law could
increase sales of Reelight, it also benefits every other light
manufacturer that produces flashing lights, and the other manufacturer's
produce much brighter daytime lights.

Hopefully the results of this study will lead to dynamo light
manufacturers adding a flash mode to lights that they export to
countries where flashing lights are legal. It just needs to be one
zero-ohm resistor that is installed or removed on the PCB. These lights
almost certainly already have a micro-controller that can be programmed
to do flash mode.

The bottom line is that we can all agree that daytime flashing lights on
bicycles are a very good idea and that greatly increase safety and that
their use should be encouraged. Frank now owns one of Barry Beam's
Oculus lights, so he can now experience the increased safety and
increased sense of security of a daytime flashing light as well as
increased visibility at night.

Now I have to go cash my check from Reelight.
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