On 2/15/2018 5:05 PM, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 2/15/2018 5:30 PM, sms wrote:
On 2/15/2018 1:01 PM, jbeattie wrote:

snip

You live in a relatively isolated area with few other
cyclists, at least from what I can tell about Cameron
Park. Try commuting on a two-way cycle track with dozens
or hundreds of cyclists -- all with retina burning,
round-beam mega-lights riding towards you . . . at
night. It's blinding, and what is worse, it is harder
to pin-point the cyclist. Also, how many daylight
wrong-way cyclists do you encounter? Is there some
epidemic requiring you to punish them with your blinding
light. I see wrong-way cyclists and they don't give a
sh**. A bunch of homeless dudes or DUII cyclists. I yell
at them, and they don't even flinch. It's like the
Walking Dead.

I was in a recent meeting and we were discussing a new
multi-use path along a drainage ditch, not even a creek. I
asked about lighting for night use. I was told that the
water district doesn't like lighting on creeks because
they are riparian zones, though in the case we were
discussing it was not even a creek.

I've occasionally experienced the problem of bright lights
of opposing traffic on MUPs, but since people are buying
lights that are usable on unlit paths, they need pretty
powerful lights. What would be good would be an
auto-dimming feature, when opposing traffic is
encountered, though even most vehicles have no such thing
for their high-beam lights.

You would not want to be on these paths with inadequate
lighting, but it would be nice if people would be
courteous and either dim their lights or aim them slightly
downward.

That's a sweet sentiment. But your "it would be nice" is
completely insufficient to counter your constant cry for
retina burning lights. You endlessly disparage the beam
designs that are designed to efficiently show the riding
surface, and thus avoid blinding other users. You've claimed
that only blinding beams are suitable - for example, to
reduce the mythical risk of head injury (or decapitation?)
from tree branches above the roads. (!) Such nonsense!

More on the lights usable on unlit paths: One friend of mine
calls me to do a night ride a local rail trail once per
month. My dyno driven StVZO headlamp is not only perfectly
suitable, it does a far better job than the light he uses
when he rides alone. My beam absolutely beats his, hands down.

In other words, you don't need a blinding beam on a dark
path. And tilting that sort of headlight down gives far
worse visibility than a properly designed beam. You don't
need a blinding beam on a bi-directional cycle track. Jay
has nicely described the detriments. You don't need a
blinding beam on the road. That's why cars, trucks and
motorcycles have properly designed low beams, and only
inconsiderate assholes refuse to use them.

Don't be an inconsiderate asshole.


Well, aesthetically, you wouldn't want unsightly bicycle
lights spoiling the view:

https://www.theguardian.com/cities/g...er-photographs

There oughta be a law!

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