an idea to improve your lights, for allround visibility, it does work!! Options

[old dude]

using the plastic ball from a washing liquid dispenser
put it on the headlight as shown it the photo
the light is then is internally reflected around, giving off an an all round light
vastly improving side vision
it,s a pity i cannot provide actual photos to prove it works
but it does!!
if you have,nt got one of these little balls knocking about
just try shining a torch into a plastic milk bottle to see what i am on about
it gives you the principle of how it works
 HPIM1169.JPG ( 150.43k ) Number of downloads: 69

[1gearnoidea]

i can see that idea catching on for 2009 richard.....get u persil patent in now m8 ..probs does work tho..lee runs off to raid the persil cap

[Gareth]

Great minds think alike... I have done something similar in the past with the cap from a large spray can but the ball looks even better. There is a problem when bar mounting your 'big glowing balls' (steady on Finbar!) as the light shines in your eyes upsetting your night vision. You can faff with this if need be by covering the top of the ball with insulating tape. I can feel a Blue Peter demonstration coming on, sticky back plastic please.

I've noticed on a few night rides that on the road cars will pull out right in front of you even with an incredibly bright light like a P7. My theory is that they think you are further away than you really are as the small reflector appears to be further away. I've heard of a similar effect with cars where pedestrians judge how far away the car is by how far apart the lights appear. Hence designs with closely spaced lights are a bad idea.

Perhaps a big plastic ball will stop them from trying to kill me.

[1gearnoidea]

30 secs with a sharp knife and by jove it does work...looks odd, but works well done richard

[Carnage]

I've heard of a similar effect with cars where pedestrians judge how far away the car is by how far apart the lights appear. Hence designs with closely spaced lights are a bad idea.

That's true, there's been research done and people can't judge the distance and the speed of vehicles with single (or closely spaced) lights properly. That's why people pull out on bicycles and motorbikes. Could try taping a couple of lights on either end of your handlebars.

The other reasons that car drivers miss two wheeled transport is our small size (compared to cars, etc) blending into surroundings, and the A-pillars of modern cars being so huge, they can easily hide a motorcycle let alone a bicycle.

[Jarl]

I've noticed on a few night rides that on the road cars will pull out right in front of you even with an incredibly bright light like a P7. My theory is that they think you are further away than you really are as the small reflector appears to be further away.

Apparently someone tried using a car headlight to see if this would help on their bicycle, but it didn't; car drivers go off the 2 points of light being a set distance apart to gauge distance, rather than actual size of the source, hence why us 2 wheeled users have such a problem at night. The best idea is to flash the light a couple of times if you approach a car waiting to pull out; sure, trickier on a bicycle than a motorbike, but effective.

I'd suggest 2 points of light at either end of the bars would be even more dangerous, as at least when the 2 light sources are right next to each other, there's an element of "hang on, that's not right" which the driver may or may not pick up on. If the 2 light sources appear to be a distance apart which is the same distance as 2 car headlights would be at if the car was right down the other end of the street, then you're probably even more likely to get pulled out on.

[Carnage]

Apparently someone tried using a car headlight to see if this would help on their bicycle, but it didn't; car drivers go off the 2 points of light being a set distance apart to gauge distance, rather than actual size of the source, hence why us 2 wheeled users have such a problem at night. The best idea is to flash the light a couple of times if you approach a car waiting to pull out; sure, trickier on a bicycle than a motorbike, but effective.

I'd suggest 2 points of light at either end of the bars would be even more dangerous, as at least when the 2 light sources are right next to each other, there's an element of "hang on, that's not right" which the driver may or may not pick up on. If the 2 light sources appear to be a distance apart which is the same distance as 2 car headlights would be at if the car was right down the other end of the street, then you're probably even more likely to get pulled out on.

Fair enough about the 2 light sources on the handlebars being dangerous, I was basing my suggestion of extra lights on the handlebars on a concept light system I vaguely remember by Honda.

Turns out after a bit of Google-fu, they mounted their additional high intensity LED strips high and low. (Details- scroll down to LONG Design)

I would never flash my headlights a couple of times at car drivers as some take this as an invitation to go ahead and pull out. On a motorcycle I zig-zag in my lane, the sideways movement attracts their attention.


Sorry, old dude for this derail.

[Jarl]

Turns out after a bit of Google-fu, they mounted their additional high intensity LED strips high and low. (Details- scroll down to LONG Design)

I like the idea behind the multi LED's, hate everything else though. I'm one of the purists that wants to be in control at all times, even if that means crashing

[davebee]

So surely, rather than side to side lights which can get misjudged, the best solution is a bar mounted light and a helmet mounted light. Thh vertical separation should be sufficient for the lights not to merge and should identify you as a bike?

[Jarl]

So surely, rather than side to side lights which can get misjudged, the best solution is a bar mounted light and a helmet mounted light. Thh vertical separation should be sufficient for the lights not to merge and should identify you as a bike?

Should do. Stick one on the bottom of the fork stanchions, too, for optimal visibility . I remember the first time my mum saw a cyclist with a helmet and a bar mounted light, she pretty much stopped because she didn't know what it was

[dude1971]

When using your bike on the road, how about this option?

Buy a normal bicycle light with two light modes, continuous and flashing

Use the flashing option.

Motorbikes lights don't flash.
Car lights don't flash.

That should help any dumb as fck motorists identify you as a bicycle.

[LGWRAMP]

When using your bike on the road, how about this option?

Buy a normal bicycle light with two light modes, continuous and flashing

Use the flashing option.

Motorbikes lights don't flash.
Car lights don't flash.

That should help any dumb as fck motorists identify you as a bicycle.

der no, just gives them somthing to aim for !

[dude1971]

der no, just gives them somthing to aim for !

Unlike the big glowing ball attached to a helmet?

[Tony F]

There is something about a helmet + bar light that makes you stop and and look twice, especially if the rider's head is moving around. I watched three guys each with that set-up riding up towards me in Llandegla . Looked like something from "Close Encounters" - fantastic!

[old dude]

on monday morning, i nearly got wiped out on a roundabout [ i avoided being so, as my sixth sense kick in, and just slowed right down
the car just never attempted to slow down and come speeding onto the roundabout missing me by 15 ft]
somehow by the speed of this car you just sensed that he was,nt going to stop or slow down to get on the roundabout
i ended up thinking right
perhaps i was,nt too visible from the side view, so i put the plastic ball on the flashing headlight
it really does look and bright from all angles now
but tonight coming home, a car pulled out straight in front of me to turn right onto the road
i,d only missed him by about 6ft
it would,t have been so bad if he had been trying to get out onto a busy road and got his calcalations a bit wrong
[ we all do it at one time or another]
BUT there was no traffic at all behind me or on the other side of the road
so , whats the point of being lit up like a flashing dalek??
it justs make me wonder wheather its worth the risk commuting to work and riding on the roads in general
in my opinion, you are just a number waiting to get on the list of road accident satistics
but then again, perhaps he was in a panic to get away from that strange allien that was speeding towards him!!
they do get reported from time to time

[Mick]

it justs make me wonder wheather its worth the risk commuting to work and riding on the roads in general

I think riding on the road these days is really dangerous as there are too many impatient inconsiderate drivers about.

Glad you survived

[Gareth]

After my recent experiences I would say just assume that all vehicles on mini roundabouts and side roads will pull out in front of you and so go slowly and watch them!

[Jarl]

Take a CBT. Even if you've no intention to ride a motorbike, it really helped my cycling safety; saved me from wiping out twice, so definitely paid for itself!

To quite a large extent, you will be pulled out on and abused by other motorists, and you have to deal with it. Never take the inside lane on roundabouts, never go further than the second exit on big roundabouts, don't hug the kerb ever, but especially not at junctions (because people WILL pull out), practice emergency stopping and swerving (counter-steering especially), assume everyone is an idiot*, never undertake anything (and expect people to turn right as you overtake them), don't use cycle lanes (due to the undertaking), expect people to open doors in your face, don't be afraid to drop the bike, jump and flop if you really need to; know your limits, so if someone pulls out "yes I can stop", then stop, or "no I can't stop", so swerve, or "no I can't stop, or swerve because the opposite lane is busy"... and at the end of the day, if the SHTF, just think; is there any way you'd rather die? Certainly prefer to go on my bike, trying to bunnyhop some idiots car than from heart disease....

This isn't the be all and end all, but it's the stuff that happens to me most often while urban riding... nearly piling it into the side of some idiots car/van/bus 4 times in 3 months at bath is a testimony to the skill of the average driver (though the bus was a bit my fault... )

* you get proved right on this one FAR too often

[Carnage]

Take a CBT. Even if you've no intention to ride a motorbike, it really helped my cycling safety; saved me from wiping out twice, so definitely paid for itself!

+1

I can't stress how much it helps to use defensive riding techniques when out on the road.

I got all my hints from Bike (motorbike, that is) magazine which a few years ago had a very helpful section on different situations like approaching side turnings. Want to do a Bikesafe course as well (when I get back on a motorbike).

[old dude]

been riding motorbikes for over 30 years, and you soon learn to develope a defensive style of riding
you,ve got to really, if you value your life
as even the smallest of accidents can have dire conceqencess?
even just dropping them on diesal/ice etc ends up costing a fortune in repairs
as for getting lit up and highly visable etc
you can only provide the other road users with enough information, so they make a decision of what to do with that infomation
they probably do see you
but, decide to execute their actions for their own beneifit
i.e pull out because it,s only a cyclist/biker and i,ll be in the traffic 10 secs quicker and on my way
put a bit more information into their decision making process
such as , that biker, is riding a large white bike with a blue flash down the side
they will then make a different decesion as to what to do next
probably let it pass, as it would not be in their interests to pull out on a police bike
you can only provide information for them to process,
you can not make their mind up, for them,

a couple of tips, that i use
try to look at their heads, and see if they are looking where they should be looking
then keep an eye on the steering wheel and hands
and when filtering on the inside
if they don,t indicate ,allways keep an eye for the front wheels turning in
and remember you just might be in their blind spot!!


when i,m on my commute to work, and i get on the roundabouts or changing lanes
and you get other road users,waiting for you to pass instead of pulling out
or pushing you into the gutter
i allways give them a nod , or a small thankyou wave
cause when you are commuting,usually you will be meeting these people everyday
they all aint bad!!

being the good cyclist that i am
i allways obey the road signs
it took me six hours the other day to get home
as i passed a sign, that said , slow
and i did,nt pass one that said, speed up again!
i got home eventually