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  #1  
Old February 9th 08, 02:02 AM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
ilaboo[_2_]
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Posts: 228
Default bike lights

finally had an oppurtunity to watch a biker with one of those flashing red
leds at night on a rural road--biker had on one of those fluroresent jackets
and no reflectors on pedals ( i consister them a must have)

i imagined i was in a car

the flashing lights i would have found distracting
the jacket i could not make out what it was as biker had one of those
handlebars you can lean on

i would have never i repeat ever ride on this road--we had a hit and run
bike accident this summer

biker probably knew about it as he/she was heading over bridge to city
island and all there would have heard about it.

there was a bike path where i would have ridden

biker i am convienced was trying to commit suicide

led lights where visable for a mile--but not sure they would have made a
difference--road had tons of curves on it and i would have been distracted
looking at them

anyway just some comments

peter
ps i have one of those flashing led lights

peter


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  #2  
Old February 9th 08, 03:35 AM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
Cathy Kearns
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Posts: 120
Default bike lights


"ilaboo" wrote in message
news:tY6rj.23$J93.10@trndny08...
led lights where visable for a mile--but not sure they would have made a
difference--road had tons of curves on it and i would have been distracted
looking at them


Most hazards have flashing lights on them. I'm thinking the driver's test
needs to be improved to get those who are distracted by flashing lights and
liable to run into them off the road.

  #3  
Old February 9th 08, 04:22 AM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
[email protected]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 26
Default bike lights

On Feb 8, 7:02 pm, "ilaboo" wrote:
finally had an oppurtunity to watch a biker with one of those flashing red
leds at night on a rural road--biker had on one of those fluroresent jackets
and no reflectors on pedals ( i consister them a must have)

i imagined i was in a car

the flashing lights i would have found distracting
the jacket i could not make out what it was as biker had one of those
handlebars you can lean on

i would have never i repeat ever ride on this road--we had a hit and run
bike accident this summer

biker probably knew about it as he/she was heading over bridge to city
island and all there would have heard about it.

there was a bike path where i would have ridden

biker i am convienced was trying to commit suicide

led lights where visable for a mile--but not sure they would have made a
difference--road had tons of curves on it and i would have been distracted
looking at them


Seems to me you're always at the mercy of other drivers when you're on
the road. Best you can do is make sure those other drivers can see
you. But like the founder of Chik-Fil-A (I think) wrote, "All you can
do is all you can do. But all you can do is enough."

To expand on those points, consider first that, whether you're in your
car or on your bike, you can be killed by the driver of another
motorized vehicle many times per trip. It's a bit easier to kill a
cyclist, but a head-on collision, or a driver blowing through a stop
sign or stop light (even when it's you!) can kill someone in a car/
truck/SUV.

So why aren't you (and I) dead? Well, most of the time the system
works. Most of the time, people stay on their side of the road. Most
of the time, other people don't drive off a bridge as we pass
underneath. And so forth, and so on.

So wring your hands if you wish, and look for perils wherever they may
find you. Ride your bike only on isolated paths, tracks, or trainers,
if your fears drive you to that. Just be aware that excessive
patronage of the Fear-Mongers' Shop may be, well, excessive!

Pat
  #4  
Old February 9th 08, 08:25 AM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
Mike Jacoubowsky
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,452
Default bike lights

finally had an oppurtunity to watch a biker with one of those flashing red
leds at night on a rural road--biker had on one of those fluroresent
jackets and no reflectors on pedals ( i consister them a must have)

i imagined i was in a car

the flashing lights i would have found distracting
the jacket i could not make out what it was as biker had one of those
handlebars you can lean on

i would have never i repeat ever ride on this road--we had a hit and run
bike accident this summer

biker probably knew about it as he/she was heading over bridge to city
island and all there would have heard about it.

there was a bike path where i would have ridden

biker i am convienced was trying to commit suicide

led lights where visable for a mile--but not sure they would have made a
difference--road had tons of curves on it and i would have been distracted
looking at them

anyway just some comments

peter
ps i have one of those flashing led lights

peter


I'm not getting something here. You're complaining about the lack of
visibility of a cyclist that you could see? And further, that the flashing
lights were "distracting?"

Of course flashing lights are distracting. They're designed to be something
you try to avoid. The idea isn't to identify the specifics of what's
flashing. The idea is simply to not hit it.

My guess, and it's a well-educated guess, is that you'd be far more likely
to run into a cyclist if you were "distracted" by an attractive person in an
adjacent car, or talking on a cell phone, or changing CDs.

I ride in nasty conditions frequently (as frequently as Northern California
allows, which fortunately isn't all that often, to be truthful), and haven't
had issues with cars. I'm more concerned when I'm heading into the sun and
cars behind might be blinded temporarily.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com


  #5  
Old February 9th 08, 10:18 AM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
Tom Keats
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3,193
Default bike lights

In article ,
"Mike Jacoubowsky" writes:
finally had an oppurtunity to watch a biker with one of those flashing red
leds at night on a rural road--biker had on one of those fluroresent
jackets and no reflectors on pedals ( i consister them a must have)

i imagined i was in a car

the flashing lights i would have found distracting
the jacket i could not make out what it was as biker had one of those
handlebars you can lean on

i would have never i repeat ever ride on this road--we had a hit and run
bike accident this summer

biker probably knew about it as he/she was heading over bridge to city
island and all there would have heard about it.

there was a bike path where i would have ridden

biker i am convienced was trying to commit suicide

led lights where visable for a mile--but not sure they would have made a
difference--road had tons of curves on it and i would have been distracted
looking at them

anyway just some comments

peter
ps i have one of those flashing led lights

peter


I'm not getting something here. You're complaining about the lack of
visibility of a cyclist that you could see? And further, that the flashing
lights were "distracting?"

Of course flashing lights are distracting. They're designed to be something
you try to avoid. The idea isn't to identify the specifics of what's
flashing. The idea is simply to not hit it.

My guess, and it's a well-educated guess, is that you'd be far more likely
to run into a cyclist if you were "distracted" by an attractive person in an
adjacent car, or talking on a cell phone, or changing CDs.

I ride in nasty conditions frequently (as frequently as Northern California
allows, which fortunately isn't all that often, to be truthful), and haven't
had issues with cars. I'm more concerned when I'm heading into the sun and
cars behind might be blinded temporarily.


I get to see a lot of riders who seem to think a
rear, red blinkie is enough.

Sometimes they have one (a red one) on the front.

Sometimes they have red ones front & back.

As for being blinded by the sun: last week as I
was out & about, leaving a quick repast at the
local DQ, I'm riding on a nice, secondary
(fairly wide but unlaned) street. I come up
to a residential street intersection which is
controlled by stop signs[*]. Car driver stops
for me, so I go. And this sk8board kid (on the
cross-street) almost T-bones me as he blows
his stop sign and shoots past the stopped car.
I didn't see him because I had the sun in my
eyes in that direction, which was to my right.

Man, having to hit the binders when halfway
across an intersection is /so/ odious!

At the last nanosecond the kid jinked around
the rear of my bike like I should have known
that was what he was going to do. Maybe I
would have, had I even known he was there.
I was wearing my cycling sunglasses, which
cut down the glare nicely, but they attenuate
certain colours, especially green.
Especially-especially jungle camouflage, and
Canadian $20 bills.

In Vancouver BC, skateboarders are (recently)
legally entitled to board on the minor streets.

Anyways at this time of year, the sun being so
low in the sky (on days when you can see the
sun at all) calls for extra caution.


cheers,
Tom
[*] For fellow Vancouverites, I was southbound on
Prince Edward, crossing either 14th or 15th.
--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca
  #6  
Old February 9th 08, 01:23 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
Roger Zoul
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,118
Default bike lights


"ilaboo" wrote in message
news:tY6rj.23$J93.10@trndny08...
finally had an oppurtunity to watch a biker with one of those flashing red
leds at night on a rural road--biker had on one of those fluroresent
jackets and no reflectors on pedals ( i consister them a must have)

i imagined i was in a car

the flashing lights i would have found distracting
the jacket i could not make out what it was as biker had one of those
handlebars you can lean on

i would have never i repeat ever ride on this road--we had a hit and run
bike accident this summer

biker probably knew about it as he/she was heading over bridge to city
island and all there would have heard about it.

there was a bike path where i would have ridden

biker i am convienced was trying to commit suicide

led lights where visable for a mile--but not sure they would have made a
difference--road had tons of curves on it and i would have been distracted
looking at them

anyway just some comments

peter
ps i have one of those flashing led lights

peter


I think you must be stupid, really.


  #7  
Old February 9th 08, 02:26 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
Tom Sherman[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 9,890
Default bike lights

Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:
...
I ride in nasty conditions frequently (as frequently as Northern California
allows, which fortunately isn't all that often, to be truthful), and haven't
had issues with cars....


Should have been here (Cheese Land) this week for nasty conditions. Deep
snow ruts temporarily lift cars off the road and send them sideways
several feet at a time. Then after the streets are plowed, the
temperature drops and the salt slush freezes into a thin, nearly
invisible layer.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
The weather is here, wish you were beautiful
  #8  
Old February 9th 08, 02:34 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
Tom Sherman[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 9,890
Default bike lights

Harry Brogan wrote:

I have flashing lights front, rear and side...YES side. For those
people that seem to want to blow past me at a stop sign. I also run
flags that are high enough to be in the drivers line of vision. Of
course these are mostly for the day as I haven't yet found a light I
can place on top of the pole. That will come I am sure.

You would have less drag with an airfoil shaped mast. The mast could be
covered in reflective tape, with a yellow strobe light mounted at the top.

ANyway, the one main thing I try to do is stay OFF of main roads at
night and limit myself to the side streets whenever possible.

The main roads (in urban areas) have the advantage of having traffic
signals at intersections. The problem with minor roads/streets is the
danger in crossing a more traveled way that has relatively fast traffic
on it.

And I ride a Tadpole Trike as well.


Weirdo! I ride this:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/19704682@N08/1939606083/.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
The weather is here, wish you were beautiful
  #9  
Old February 9th 08, 06:19 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
[email protected]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 320
Default bike lights

On Feb 8, 7:02 pm, "ilaboo" wrote:
finally had an oppurtunity to watch a biker with one of those flashing red
leds at night on a rural road--biker had on one of those fluroresent jackets
and no reflectors on pedals ( i consister them a must have)

i imagined i was in a car

the flashing lights i would have found distracting
the jacket i could not make out what it was as biker had one of those
handlebars you can lean on

i would have never i repeat ever ride on this road--we had a hit and run
bike accident this summer

biker probably knew about it as he/she was heading over bridge to city
island and all there would have heard about it.

there was a bike path where i would have ridden

biker i am convienced was trying to commit suicide

led lights where visable for a mile--but not sure they would have made a
difference--road had tons of curves on it and i would have been distracted
looking at them

anyway just some comments

peter
ps i have one of those flashing led lights

peter


He just might have had a rear view mirror (like I do) and been
watching you, thinking, why doesn't that clown just pass me, instead
of hanging back like he's waiting to find a place where he can cream
me.

Lewis.

*****
  #10  
Old February 9th 08, 08:09 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
John Kane
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 885
Default bike lights

ilaboo wrote:
finally had an oppurtunity to watch a biker with one of those flashing red
leds at night on a rural road--biker had on one of those fluroresent jackets
and no reflectors on pedals ( i consister them a must have)

i imagined i was in a car

--------clip----
peter


I think the best idea is to actually try it in a car.
 




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