Cop Repellant... super simple bike light

[kuksul08]

Since I will already have a light for actually seeing at night, I just want to be visible and not get pulled over. (also because I like doing DIY stuff). They don't project any light, just light up.

Basically you drill a hole or two along the side of the reflectors on your bike, and then run some wires to the battery pack (mine will go under the seat). It illuminates the reflector, and looks mostly stock if you can do it neatly.

Here's my first attempt. I'll show pics when it's all done and on the bike

I had the idea more or less a while ago, but decided to do it after seeing an instructable on it.

 

[Bandgap]

I like that, very neat.

I did something similar, except the leds on mine go straight through the reflector and point backwards.

I think yours will give better all-around vision.

Steve

 

[PCC]

Are you trying to just meet the requirements of the law or actually trying to alert drivers to your presence? For the latter you really need something that will draw their attention like a Planet Bike SuperFlash. They're about $25 and could be a real life saver. Then again, I ride with two rear tail lights: a SuperFlash, blinking, and a Blinkie 3 set to steady on.

 

[65535]

Hmm I think something like the OP mentioned could be a good idea. My issue with taillights is they blind drivers. a properly made retro-reflective device might be a better idea. Personally when driving the last thing I want is some biker with a light aimed into my eyes while I'm trying to make a right hand turn. Makes it very hard to estimate distances when being blinded by either a constant light or flashes. I have my rear light aimed pretty low.

 

[Steve K]

to 65535: the OP's light is unlikely to blind anyone, unless there has been some amazing progress in 5mm leds recently. But you are right that our lights shouldn't blind anyone.

How bright are the DiNotte's or the equivalent? Can it be any worse than some of the cars & trucks that I see on the road? Especially the trucks or SUVs that have taillights at eye level of a person in a car right behind them. I've seen some lately that were really obnoxious.

I know that there are specifications for automobile headlight beam pattern and intensity. Is there such a thing for taillights?

Steve K.

 

[kuksul08]

The goal here is simply to have a "light" so I won't get ticketed by the police. It's not super bright by any means, but I don't rely on that for my safety while night riding anyway.

I tested it out at night and its surprisingly bright for being so simple. Now I just need to figure out how to keep the wiring discrete.

 

[carbine15]

beamshots dammit!

 

[pee10755]

I can only speak for Florida law because that is where I work. There are exact requirements for visibility, there is no requirement to actually project any light. Here is our statute 316.2065(8):

Every bicycle in use between sunset and sunrise shall be equipped with a lamp on the front exhibiting a white light visible from a distance of at least 500 feet to the front and a lamp and reflector on the rear each exhibiting a red light visible from a distance of 600 feet to the rear. A bicycle or its rider may be equipped with lights or reflectors in addition to those required by this section.

The statute is usually only enforced when you want legal grounds to stop someone for another reason and detain them. Know drug dealer, suspected warrants.....

It is great to comply with the law, but that shouldn't be your driving force. Not being killed by someone driving home on their cellphone adjusting their ipod is the goal. I have seen enough crippeled and killed cyclist to know that you need quality lights and lots of them at night. I ride as well and look like a moving christmas tree at night. It only takes one person and your done. Just my two cents.

Nice mod. Ingenious idea.

 

[kuksul08]

I can only speak for Florida law because that is where I work. There are exact requirements for visibility, there is no requirement to actually project any light. Here is our statute 316.2065(8):

Every bicycle in use between sunset and sunrise shall be equipped with a lamp on the front exhibiting a white light visible from a distance of at least 500 feet to the front and a lamp and reflector on the rear each exhibiting a red light visible from a distance of 600 feet to the rear. A bicycle or its rider may be equipped with lights or reflectors in addition to those required by this section.

The statute is usually only enforced when you want legal grounds to stop someone for another reason and detain them. Know drug dealer, suspected warrants.....

It is great to comply with the law, but that shouldn't be your driving force. Not being killed by someone driving home on their cellphone adjusting their ipod is the goal. I have seen enough crippeled and killed cyclist to know that you need quality lights and lots of them at night. I ride as well and look like a moving christmas tree at night. It only takes one person and your done. Just my two cents.

Nice mod. Ingenius idea.

hahaha I've seen people like that.

I just did the front one and sealed it up with silicone.

Here's the back one on the bike too, you cant even tell at first glance.

I will take some night shots with both on later.

 

[Nyctophiliac]

The law in the UK seems similar to yours. Basically White in front, steady or flashing and red in the rear, likewise steady or flashing. These must conform to a British Standard which is a visibility of 500 feet in front and 600 to the rear. Also must have rear red reflector and Orange pedal reflectors front and back ( Unless the bike is older than 1990, like mine.

Additional lighting is permitted as long as it remains red to rear and white to front, also it mustn't 'Dazzle' other road users. Speaking as a cyclist, no other road user seems to care about 'dazzling' me so I wear my TK11 with pride on my helmet ( Ooo-er!)

Even with all this and a high Viz jacket and cuffs, there are still motorists that try to kill me on a regular basis!

Keep on modding those lights, be seen by every means in your power!

Nice Job....:thumbsup:

 

[Illum]

ingenious!:naughty:

 

[f22shift]

i like it. it still 'works' without power.

 

[ellerbro]

I have my rear light aimed pretty low.

A rear light should be aimed directly at drivers' eyes for maximum effectiveness. If you can't do that without blinding them then the light is too bright. A car's brake lights are effective yet not blinding because they use many mid-powered LEDs pointed directly into your eyes.

 

[likeguymontag]

i like it. it still 'works' without power.

The Cateye TL-LD500 is a CPSC reflector and blinkie in one, no modding required. It's not very bright though, unless they've updated it since mine was made. Edit: aaand, it seems they haven't. Shame.

 

[kuksul08]

LOL.... this thing works too well for being so simple. I may redo the wiring later with a less-ghetto method (mine are taped to the frame in discrete places).

Im laughing because I'm amazed how well it works.

 

[JinbaIttai]

The goal here is simply to have a "light" so I won't get ticketed by the police. It's not super bright by any means, but I don't rely on that for my safety while night riding anyway.

What else can you do for safety to keep from being rear ended by a car at night time?

 

[kuksul08]

What else can you do for safety to keep from being rear ended by a car at night time?

Ride on the sidewalk lol. No seriously, I just constantly look around, and pretend that no one can see me.

 

[Illum]

In some places sidewalks are a real luxury and usually the automatic right of way goes ironically to dog/cat/guinea pig [I'm serious, I've seen it happen ] walkers...

 

[2xTrinity]

In my case for my rear light, I actually had a very bright red LED (well heatsinked 3W LuxIII red) that I aimed through a "line' optic (that projected the light into a line instead of a hotpsot). Rather than aim this light back (thus blinding drivers) I aimed it at the ground slightly to my left. The drivers cannot see the light directly, but the red light spread into a line actually lights up the white-line inidicating the boundary of the bike lane for a fairly long distance behind me. I have a few red 5mm LEDs on my helmet, as well.

 

[qwertybob]

suprisingly good result

anyone tried anything similar with pedal reflectors ? thinking of adding some amber leds to some of these platforms for spds http://www.dp76.com/images/b/10936.jpg