Do you think i have enough lights for my bike? ;)

[MacTech]

here's a short movie of my bike lights, what with the cold weather, i figured it was time to take them off the bike so the batteries don't die prematurely

from top to bottom;
CygoLite 13.5V halogen lights, Blackburn Quadrant LED blinkie
CatEye TLD-1000 blinkies
Trek Disco Infernos and VistaLite safety light/reflector

for some reason i can't figure, cars approaching from behind slow to a crawl and give me an entire lane of road when they pass, and cars approaching pull as far to the side of the road as possible.....

can't figure out why though, after all, i'm just on a bike....

[Mike Painter]

In California a red light other than on an emergency vehicle and during a "code 3" run may only be seen from the rear.
If approaching vehicles are yielding the right of way and you live here it may get expensive one of these days.
And yes, your bike is a vehicle.

[Flame]

dang! I almost had a ceasure...

[Ken_McE]

I tried to download your quicktime, but I think I got one of aliens landing on something instead. That was Tom Cruise in there, right? I'll try again when the server isn't so busy.

[greenLED]

You can never have enough lights on your bike.

I was almost hit by a stupid driver on my way back home tonight. I wear a bright orange jacket and my pants and parts on my bike have reflective trim. I made a point of signaling in her direction several times with my helmet light. Even after doing so, she turned the corner just as I was going by. She stopped within a foot from my left leg! I was going slow tonight and had enough time to glance back at her in disbelief (which had the unfortunate effect of hitting her in the face with the beam of my NG500 -did I say "unfortunate"...oops! ). I was really shaken; hadn't had a close call like that since I started riding.

After the shock wore off I was p€~#@ at her! There was a street light by the corner where this hapenned! I had plenty of lights and visible colors on me! My wife can see my helmet light more than a block away from home, and I can see the beam of my light reflect off street signs even further away than that, and the @€~#@ driver couldn't see me from 20 feet away?? OK, I'm mad again... I guess I'm still a little shaken.

I'm buying myself some LED flashers after tonight. Would adding a second helment light be overkill?

[Mike Painter]

Originally Posted by greenLED

I wear a bright orange jacket and my pants and parts on my bike have reflective trim.

I walk usually after dark in a dark area of both town and country.

After trying reflective vests and flashing lights and being told they did not see me until they saw my white legs I gave up on them.

The only thing that seems effective is to turn a light on as they get within a hundred yards or so.

I live near a college town and know that most blinking red lights are of little value. I will often catch motion in the dark well before seeing them.

[The_LED_Museum]

I got in trouble one year for having red & blue LEDs visible from the front of my electric wheelchair, and that POS only does 5MPH with the hammer down.

I think that red and/or blue lights visible from the front of your bicycle are a rather severe no-no, and you could get arrested for that.

[greenLED]

Thanks for the heads-up on the blue, Craig.

I placed an order for some yellow and red blinkies (front and back) on Nashbar after posting last night. I already use a GL3 as headlight, a minimag with NG500 on my helmet, a 24/7 attached to my pack, and an orange blinkie on the back. I make a point of slowing down at intersections and signaling with my helmet light to oncoming traffic (if any). I still can't understand how the driver didn't see me last night. : Been thinking about building a red Lux blinking light... I'll look like a Christmas tree! Hey, better that than flat under a car.

[greenLED]

Hey, guys, speaking of flashing, do you know of any flashing circuits that would work with a couple of red Lux's?

[Arkayne]

Originally Posted by The_LED_Museum

I got in trouble one year for having red & blue LEDs visible from the front of my electric wheelchair, and that POS only does 5MPH with the hammer down.

I think that red and/or blue lights visible from the front of your bicycle are a rather severe no-no, and you could get arrested for that.

Ya know what, I'm willing to try that and take a slap on the hand when I get caught. I know what I'll be building this week!

MacTech: You can never have enough lights on your bike! Looks great... despite the seizure.

[assassin337]

what about green leds. Arn't they supposed to be 10 times more visible to the humen eye?

[greenLED]

I'd say I'm pretty conspicuous.